Microsoft Beats Google To Online Storage

  Despite many rumors about Google’s online storage, it’s Microsoft that is first out of the gate with an easy-to-use online storage service. Now in a limited beta, Windows Live Folders is offering 500 MB of free storage where you can create personal, shared, and public folders and decide who has access to each folder.The service works well whether you’re using a Windows or a Mac and whether you surf with Firefox 1.5+ or Internet Explorer 6.0+. Private folders are password-protected with your Windows Live ID, so only you can have access, and shared folders require the friends you’re sharing with to sign in with their own Windows Live ID and password. Public folders allow anyone on the internet the ability to view your files, but not the ability to change them. Sharing the public folders is easy - you can just send them a link because each folder and file has its own web address. All Live Folders file transfers are protected using SSL.