File photo. Microsoft unveiled on Tuesday a new service that will take the software giant into the realm of cloud computing.  Photo Gallery>>>

    BEIJING, April 24 (Xinhuanet) -- Microsoft unveiled on Tuesday a new service that will take the software giant into the realm of cloud computing.

    Currently available as an invite-only beta, Live Mesh, the software-plus-services platform, allows its users to automatically synchronize information and content on one PC or device with the Internet and other PCs and devices.

    The platform, which uses a combination of client software and Web services, makes it easier for people to share content and access remote devices and applications.

    It provides a number of core services, including storage, membership, sync, peer-to-peer communication and newsfeed, accessed through the Live Mesh API. At its heart, it is a data synchronization service, but it is also a bid to define Microsoft as the source of cloud computing.

    Indeed, Microsoft claims to have ambitions beyond the wedding of Windows and the Internet.

    "[O]ur vision of your device mesh extends far beyond this," said Amit Mital, general manager of Live Mesh, on the service's blog. "In the near future, we'll add support for the Mac and mobile devices, and then we'll build upon that foundation."

    Mital characterized the debut of Live Mesh as "the beginning of an ongoing dialog with you that spawns lots of new ideas and opportunities."

    Mital said Microsoft will provide more details and a software development kit in the near future.

    (Agencies)