Windows Live Devices
Encyclopedia
Windows Live Devices is an online device management service as part of Windows Live
which will allow users to centrally access and manage the synchronisation of files stored on their computers, mobile devices, as well as other peripherals such as digital photo frames. Windows Live Devices will also allow users to remotely access
their computers from the internet using a web browser.
This service integrates tightly with Windows Live Mesh
to allow files and folders between two or more computers be in sync with each other, as well as to be in sync with files and folders stored on the cloud
with Windows Live SkyDrive
. The combination of the three services: Windows Live Devices, Windows Live Mesh
, and Windows Live SkyDrive
are very similar to the previous Live Mesh technology preview platform offering from Microsoft, and are based on the same underlying technology.
Windows Live Devices was released on June 24, 2010, as part of Windows Live
Wave 4 suite of services.
Microsoft released their Live Mesh software as a service platform on April 23, 2008 that enabled PCs and other devices to connect with each other through the internet using FeedSync technologies. Live Mesh allows applications, files and folders to be synchronized across multiple devices. Live Mesh was initially released as a technology preview, however, it was shortly updated to Beta on October 30, 2008 and at the same time incorporated as part of the Azure Services Platform
- a "cloud" platform hosted at Microsoft data centers. Live Mesh consisted of the following four elements:
In January 2009, the Live Mesh team was merged into the unified Windows Live team at Microsoft such that its incubation technologies will be integrated into Windows Live services. As a result, Live Framework, the developer framework for Live Mesh, was discontinued on September 8, 2009 and was incorporated into Live Services
- the developer resources central for all Windows Live
services. As part of the merge, the Mesh Operating Environment, or simply the Live Mesh software, is replaced by Windows Live Mesh
to support PC-to-PC as well as PC-to-cloud file synchronisation, and the online cloud storage service for Live Mesh - Live Desktop - is replaced by SkyDrive
synchronised storage. Windows Live Devices will serve the purposes of managing and providing access to all devices in the synchronization relationship, as well as replacing the Live Mesh Remote Desktop to provide remote access functions to any devices in a synchronization relationship.
The Live Mesh technology preview platform supported the management and synchronisation of data between Windows
and Mac OS X
computers, mobiles devices
, Windows Home Server
, Xbox
, Zune
, Car Automation System, as well as other computer devices and peripherals such as printers, digital cameras, and digital photo frames. These capabilities of Live Mesh are expected to be integrated into Windows Live Devices and Windows Live Mesh
in future releases.
Windows Live
Windows Live is the collective brand name for a set of services and software products from Microsoft, part of their software plus services platform. A majority of these services are Web applications, accessible from a browser, but there are also client-side binary applications that require...
which will allow users to centrally access and manage the synchronisation of files stored on their computers, mobile devices, as well as other peripherals such as digital photo frames. Windows Live Devices will also allow users to remotely access
Remote desktop software
In computing, the term remote desktop refers to a software or an OS feature allowing applications, either command line programs or graphical applications, to be run remotely on a server, while being displayed locally. Remote desktop applications have varying features...
their computers from the internet using a web browser.
This service integrates tightly with Windows Live Mesh
Windows Live Mesh
Windows Live Mesh is a free-to-use Internet-based file synchronization application by Microsoft that is designed to allow files and folders between two or more computers be in sync with each other on Windows and Mac OS X Windows Live Mesh (formerly known as Live Mesh, Windows Live Sync and...
to allow files and folders between two or more computers be in sync with each other, as well as to be in sync with files and folders stored on the cloud
Cloud computing
Cloud computing is the delivery of computing as a service rather than a product, whereby shared resources, software, and information are provided to computers and other devices as a utility over a network ....
with Windows Live SkyDrive
Windows Live SkyDrive
Windows Live SkyDrive, initially called Windows Live Folders, is a free-of-charge file hosting service that allows users to upload files to a cloud storage and then access them from a Web browser...
. The combination of the three services: Windows Live Devices, Windows Live Mesh
Windows Live Mesh
Windows Live Mesh is a free-to-use Internet-based file synchronization application by Microsoft that is designed to allow files and folders between two or more computers be in sync with each other on Windows and Mac OS X Windows Live Mesh (formerly known as Live Mesh, Windows Live Sync and...
, and Windows Live SkyDrive
Windows Live SkyDrive
Windows Live SkyDrive, initially called Windows Live Folders, is a free-of-charge file hosting service that allows users to upload files to a cloud storage and then access them from a Web browser...
are very similar to the previous Live Mesh technology preview platform offering from Microsoft, and are based on the same underlying technology.
Windows Live Devices was released on June 24, 2010, as part of Windows Live
Windows Live
Windows Live is the collective brand name for a set of services and software products from Microsoft, part of their software plus services platform. A majority of these services are Web applications, accessible from a browser, but there are also client-side binary applications that require...
Wave 4 suite of services.
History
Azure Services Platform
The Windows Azure Platform is a Microsoft cloud platform used to build, host and scale web applications through Microsoft data centers. Windows Azure Platform is thus classified as platform as a service and forms part of Microsoft's cloud computing strategy, along with their software as a service...
- a "cloud" platform hosted at Microsoft data centers. Live Mesh consisted of the following four elements:
- Mesh Operating Environment - the software component of Live Mesh that manages the synchronization relationships between devices and data
- Live Desktop - the online cloud storage service that allows synchronized folders to be accessible via a website
- Live Mesh Remote Desktop - a software that allow users to remotely access, connect and manage to any of the devices in a synchronization relationship
- Live Framework - a REST-based application programming interface for accessing the Live Mesh services over HTTP
In January 2009, the Live Mesh team was merged into the unified Windows Live team at Microsoft such that its incubation technologies will be integrated into Windows Live services. As a result, Live Framework, the developer framework for Live Mesh, was discontinued on September 8, 2009 and was incorporated into Live Services
Live Services
Live Connect is a collection of APIs and common controls that allow developers to have a deeper control and offers access to the core Windows Live services and data through open and easily accessible application programming interfaces...
- the developer resources central for all Windows Live
Windows Live
Windows Live is the collective brand name for a set of services and software products from Microsoft, part of their software plus services platform. A majority of these services are Web applications, accessible from a browser, but there are also client-side binary applications that require...
services. As part of the merge, the Mesh Operating Environment, or simply the Live Mesh software, is replaced by Windows Live Mesh
Windows Live Mesh
Windows Live Mesh is a free-to-use Internet-based file synchronization application by Microsoft that is designed to allow files and folders between two or more computers be in sync with each other on Windows and Mac OS X Windows Live Mesh (formerly known as Live Mesh, Windows Live Sync and...
to support PC-to-PC as well as PC-to-cloud file synchronisation, and the online cloud storage service for Live Mesh - Live Desktop - is replaced by SkyDrive
Windows Live SkyDrive
Windows Live SkyDrive, initially called Windows Live Folders, is a free-of-charge file hosting service that allows users to upload files to a cloud storage and then access them from a Web browser...
synchronised storage. Windows Live Devices will serve the purposes of managing and providing access to all devices in the synchronization relationship, as well as replacing the Live Mesh Remote Desktop to provide remote access functions to any devices in a synchronization relationship.
The Live Mesh technology preview platform supported the management and synchronisation of data between Windows
Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
and Mac OS X
Mac OS X
Mac OS X is a series of Unix-based operating systems and graphical user interfaces developed, marketed, and sold by Apple Inc. Since 2002, has been included with all new Macintosh computer systems...
computers, mobiles devices
Windows Mobile
Windows Mobile is a mobile operating system developed by Microsoft that was used in smartphones and Pocket PCs, but by 2011 was rarely supplied on new phones. The last version is "Windows Mobile 6.5.5"; it is superseded by Windows Phone, which does not run Windows Mobile software.Windows Mobile is...
, Windows Home Server
Windows Home Server
Windows Home Server, code-named Quattro, is a home server operating system from Microsoft. Announced on 7 January 2007, at the Consumer Electronics Show by Bill Gates, Windows Home Server is intended to be a solution for homes with multiple connected PCs to offer file sharing, automated backups,...
, Xbox
Xbox
The Xbox is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Microsoft. It was released on November 15, 2001 in North America, February 22, 2002 in Japan, and March 14, 2002 in Australia and Europe and is the predecessor to the Xbox 360. It was Microsoft's first foray into the gaming console...
, Zune
Zune
Zune is a digital media brand owned by Microsoft which includes a line of portable media players, a digital media player software for Windows machines, a music subscription service known as a 'Zune Music Pass', music and video streaming for the Xbox 360 via the Zune Software, music, TV and movie...
, Car Automation System, as well as other computer devices and peripherals such as printers, digital cameras, and digital photo frames. These capabilities of Live Mesh are expected to be integrated into Windows Live Devices and Windows Live Mesh
Windows Live Mesh
Windows Live Mesh is a free-to-use Internet-based file synchronization application by Microsoft that is designed to allow files and folders between two or more computers be in sync with each other on Windows and Mac OS X Windows Live Mesh (formerly known as Live Mesh, Windows Live Sync and...
in future releases.