Microsoft buys FolderShare

Microsoft said on Thursday that it has acquired an online file-sharing service that it will incorporate into the Windows Live service announced earlier this week.

The software maker purchased the FolderShare service from Austin, Texas-based ByteTaxi. Financial details of the deal were not announced.

The technology offers an alternate way to send large files that are too big to be easily e-mailed.

Windows Live is a collection of online services, most of which will be free and supported by advertising, Microsoft said. Many are rebranded versions of existing MSN services.

"Our mission for Windows Live is to enable customers to easily find the information, pursue the interests and deepen the relationships that enrich their lives," Microsoft Vice President Blake Irving said in a statement. "FolderShare technology will help customers access their information anytime, anywhere and on multiple devices, unifying their overall experience."

Microsoft showed off a similar technology as part of its Windows Live demonstration on Tuesday.

[tentee]

So much for a good product

I loathe when Microsoft buys a good product provider. It always means they'll feel the need to strap on tons of extras and bloatware to make it "everything to everyone." LookOut was great before it was bought out to quickly give Microsoft a Windows Desktop Search product. Now I can only imagine what they'll do to my favorite file sync app.

[thedreaming]

Seen live.com

When there, tried it, looks alot like google's personalized start page. Works about the same way too.

Microsoft loves to get ahead of everyone by buying already existing technology, rather than actually innovating anything. It does give them an edge, but good companies get assimilated out of existance because of it.

[Tanjore]

At least it is not buying to kill the product

Atleast Microsoft is not buying to kill the product.

[digitalrao]

before live.com there was start.com

before there was live.com there was Start.com that microsoft silently launched.. looks exactly like Start.com just with different domain name . doesnt have the windows branding on it .. compare the two you will notice the simaliaries to google.com/ig and Start.com v1.0 and v2.0

[stevonq]

no good deed goes unpunished :)