Microsoft has just announced that they will no longer be offering support for their Windows Live Mesh service, which essentially is a file and desktop sharing service that is currently being used by an estimated 25,000 people. That might sound like a lot, but in reality, it is pittance, and Microsoft figured out that it just ain’t worth the time and effort dedicated resources to keep Live Mesh alive. Having said that, if you are a Windows Live Mesh user, you will be able to access the service until February 13, 2013 (just a day before Valentine’s – that’s cold, Microsoft, really cold), but thankfully Microsoft has an alternative solution to those who are told to pack their bags – they can migrate over to SkyDrive and Remote Desktop Connection.
Microsoft has been hard at work to ensure that Live Mesh’s functions and core will be aligned with the capabilities of SkyDrive, and they have so far trumpeted SkyDrive to be “the world’s most available and versatile cloud storage service,” proudly claiming that it works across Windows, Windows Phone, Android, iPhone, iPad, and Microsoft’s Xbox 360 game console. That’s versatility for sure, and it does seem like a wise decision to pull the plug on Live Mesh and encourage SkyDrive migration. No love lost here, I guess.