It looks like Microsoft is finally ready to roll out the mobile version of Windows Live Mesh, it data syncing service that competes with Apple's MobileMe (which ran into problems at launch). Live Mesh was first announced last April, and currently only supports Windows PCs and a Webtop in the cloud. Mac and mobile versions are shown to be "coming soon." Tom Warren at Neowin reports that Microsoft is set to launch a mobile syncing product called SkyBox at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona in February. SkyBox sounds exactly like Live Mesh (it syncs pictures, calendar, contacts, emails and text messages between your mobile phone and the cloud):
MusicShake, an LA-based startup that offers a music and sound effect mixing service for amateurs that goes by the same name, has completely redesigned its website and added a couple of features to make the service more social and fun to use on a regular basis. MusicShake offers a free desktop application (unfortunately, Windows only for now) that lets users create personalized, professional sounding music using a variety of modules and pattern-combination methods, which is quite addictive once you get the hang of it (takes about 10 minutes and there are templates to help get you started). You can convert music you make to mp3 and download them to your computer, or convert them into a personalized ringtone. You can also show off music you create to your friends and place it in charts to promote your work to others. TechCrunch readers are in for a treat today: the first 1,000 readers to sign up for the service using the promotion code "PROMOTC" get access to 3 free mp3 downloads (worth $3.00 each).
Today, mobile startup SkyDeck is coming out of beta with a serious set of features that bridges cell phones and the Web, and a serious business model to boot. Up until now, Skydeck's beta took data from your cell phone bill to show you what your real social network looks like based on who you call the most. Now it is offering a service that syncs what happens on your phone to the Web, listing all of your contacts, received calls, missed calls, voicemails, and text messages. You can listen to your voicemails from your browser or, better yet, read a transcribed version of each voicemail (via SpinVox). Since it is online, you can also search all of your voicemails and text messages. And you can reply to messages from your browser, with all the calls appearing to come from your cell phone number. It works best on Blackberry and Android phones (although most of the features work on nearly any phone), and costs $9.95 a month.