With the upcoming Live Drive service on Windows Live, users will be equipped with a virtual hard drive to store important personal data.
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Source: SMH.com.au |
Clearly, Live Drive is being launched to compete head-to-head with Gdrive, a similar service revealed by its major rival Google earlier this March. It is anticipated that GDrive will offer both individual and business users unlimited online storage, allowing them to store any information they wish.
Still Under Wraps
However, no one knows exactly when Gdrive will be launched or what it will look like, as the details disclosed by Google have only been vague “slips of the tongue.”
Some insider sources indicate that in addition to Gdrive, Google is simultaneously researching two related storage services, GDS and Lighthouse. All three projects focus on the goal of providing “unlimited storage” and “unlimited bandwidth.”
In fact, the information provided by Microsoft about Live Drive is also quite limited. Microsoft’s Chief Technology Officer Ray Ozzie publicly acknowledged the Live Drive plan in an interview with Fortune magazine on April 19.
According to him, Microsoft intends to leverage its server centers to equip users with a virtual drawer online, where they can store as much digital data as they like. “With Live Drive, you’ll be able to access all your information—movies, music, tax documents, high-definition video conference clips, etc.—from anywhere, through any device,” Fortune noted.
Drawers and Safes
In reality, Microsoft has been eyeing the virtual storage space for at least two years. As early as 2004, there were rumors that Microsoft was about to launch a storage and backup service for SOHO (small office/home office) users and individuals.
This service would allow users to back up all their personal files, CDs, DVDs, financial and legal documents, digital photos, and even securely store their most important and confidential files in a completely secure “safe.” Back then, an insider close to Microsoft indicated that this service would be available on a subscription basis and was expected to launch in 2005, but to this day, no sign of it has emerged.
It wasn’t until the interview with Fortune yesterday that insiders learned Microsoft had not abandoned its intention to enter the virtual storage market, an area expected to be extremely “hot” in the near future as people increasingly rely on the Net and store more information digitally.
Currently, Microsoft has not commented on Fortune’s article or its plans regarding Live Drive.
Tian Yi
