“Live Drive” is almost here - Windows Live Folders beta

The Windows Live Folders allows you to upload your files, providing access to them from an internet browser (both IE and Firefox are suppoerted). The key part is using Windows Live ID to limit access to the files you have uploaded, allowing you to keep them private, share them with contacts, or make them public. With Windows Live, it’s the sum of the parts that gives it so much potential.

Here’s a summary of the Windows Live Folders service:

Personal

• Use personal folders to back up important files that are only for you.
• Get to your files from any computer with Internet access by signing in with your Windows Live ID.

Shared

• Shared folders make it easy to collaborate with coworkers or classmates.
• You decide how much control each person has over each shared folder. Some can just read what’s there: others can add and delete files.
• Everyone who is sharing uses their own Windows Live ID.

Public

• With public folders, anyone on the Internet can view your files, but they can’t change them.
• Want to show your public files to others? Just send them a link! Each folder and file has its own web address.

The beta service looks to only be offering 500MB initially, with a maximum file size of ~50MB. 

Windows Live Folders homepage Via liveside.net