My window to the world……..

Windows Live Mesh is Microsoft’s new ‘In the Cloud’ service. It currently provides the following services

• Connects your devices to the cloud and remotely controls them from any of the connected devices. Devices are PCs and Mobile phones. Currently only PCs are supported.
• Creates a ‘Desktop’ in the cloud. Meaning you can store files on a remote share
• News – not sure about this yet.

This service is by invitation only. Once you are approved, you need to download and install the Live Mesh software. Installation is breeze, just a few clicks and you are done. You can connect to the cloud in two ways. Via browser and using Live Mesh client installed on your machine.

Connect devices and remotely control them

• You can add a device by clicking the + sign. Once added, you will get an icon assigned for that device. You can notice that I have added my Work and Home laptop to the cloud.

• By clicking on the device and ‘Connect’ button, you can remotely connect to the device.
• The remote computer gets a pop up “Requesting permission’ to connect. By default permission is granted to connect to the device.

• Once connected the screen exactly looks like ‘Windows Remote Desktop Connection’ screen. You can click the ↗ icon and expand the screen to cover the entire desktop.
• To disconnect the remote desktop just close the window by clicking the x in top right corner.

I love this than any other remote control programs in the market. Connection is fast, seamless and works across corporate firewalls. If you are used to ‘Remote Desktop Connection’ in Windows, you will be at home with this. Best part is cut & paste works across the remote desktops.

Desktop in the cloud (Shared folders)

• When you click the ‘Desktop’ button on the top, you get the Cloud desktop.
• Currently it lets you to create folders and store documents in them.

When you install Live Mesh, it installs a notification window in the bottom right notification area. Clicking the Live Mesh icon pops up a window as show below.

You can also use this to remotely connect to your device or desktop.

So far I like the remote desktop feature and having fun with it.

More later,
-Balaji NJL