Let's repeat. In practice, you can:
• Micromanage the sharing of folders and files to other machines and to an online storage center.
• Share those files with others.
• Do some through the window remote desktop wrangling via client or even a web browser.
• Stay updated when people add or alter files or accept share invites.
• Do it securely.

It's hard to describe it beyond that level of granularity at this point because it isn't exactly a clean solution for "All Data, Everywhere". For example, it is missing a huge chunk of what people need sync for, sharing of contacts and calendars and bookmarks across diff OSes and Apps. And sharing files is not the same as sharing info. What I mean is, it's less important for me to share files across machines, which I can do with a USB drive or FTP server or .Mac as a Mac user, and more important for my address book to be in step across my machines. (Without resorting to Exchange.) I hope this comes along in a future version, but it seems really strange to launch Mesh without even attempting this, even as a tech preview. Currently, it seems like tech for tech's sake. Or at least a useful system that is a little overhyped.

Part of the hype comes from the messaging, which looks to be classic Microsoft clusterfuck:
"Live Desktop and Live Remote Desktop. While the two have similar names, each does something different, but both add amazing conveniences. Live Desktop enables you to easily access your mesh anytime, anywhere, using only a Web browser." Seriously, why name them so similarly?!

Messaging is one thing, but usage, man. For such a simple feature set, it shouldn't take 25 minutes to explain.

Try watching this vid (sorry, Silverlight required), which uses phrases like "To Live the Mesh Lifestyle." They even have a simpler video for dumb students. Yay, only 16 minutes long, on Channel 8 (their student dev site, where the host waves his arms a lot and has to stop himself from saying "yo").

However, I will say there is something pretty badass about Mesh. They're going to open the API and expect devs to take advantage of the infrastructure, and they plan to throw the device support blanket as wide as possible, including even Macs. That could make it a lot better than the pay .Mac system, in the end, assuming .Mac doesn't grow beyond its current implementation as a solid syncing but weak web utility. (The ball is Apple's to drop.)

So, jargon and buzz aside, the major roadblock here is complexity. Again, this build is super simple. So how long are the tutorial videos going to be for expanded versions? An hour? Sharing your files shouldn't be so laborious to explain or do in theory or practice. I mean there is huge room for improvement here in terms of simplicity. Sync is one of those things the machine can completely handle and figure out when mapped right, and user intervention can be limited to micro management and conflict resolution.

I guess why I am so wrapped up in this is because the need is there for a system like Mesh, but seeing it so convoluted, well, I know Microsoft can do a cleaner job. Culturally, Microsoft has great role models in making the difficult very easy. Just look at the E&D device groups like Zune and Xbox (ignore Win Mo.) If Mesh wants to be a solid product that lives up to the potential, I think they're going to have to come at things from a similar perspective. [Channel 8 and Channel 10 and Mesh.com]

What distinguishes the Zonbu from other operating systems is the Zonbu Plan, which offers automatic software upgrades and synchronized online storage for a monthly fee. It is also what allows the laptop to sell for $279, provided you subscribe for two years. With the $15/mo plan the hard drive links up with the Amazon S3 server and provides backup and additional storage that can be accessed from anywhere. Without the Zonbu Plan, the laptop will cost $479.

The other neat feature of the Zonbu OS, is its potential to integrate with anything. One example is the public folder, which makes any file in the folder remotely accessible and and usable by any script written for Zonbu. We were able to drag and drop images into the public folder and have them appear on our Facebook page, via a Zonbu Facebook App.

On the hardware side, Zonbu went with an Everex laptop, the same manufacturers who offer the $200 Wal-Mart PC. It features a 1.5 GHz VIA processor, 512 MB of RAM, 60 GB HDD and a 15.4-inch widescreen LCD. Their goal is not to create a powerhouse, but to offer a low-cost Windows alternative. The laptop also has a CD-RW/DVD combo drive, 802.11 b/g, 3 USB ports, headphone/microphone jacks and VGA out. The Zonbu Desktop, in comparison, went with a 1.2 GHz processor, and used 4GB flash memory backed by Amazon's S3 server as its primary method of storage.

As we've mentioned in the past, the Zonbu GUI is generally quick and responsive, with programs like Open Office and Banshee music player proving more than adequate. But the OS lacks the polish and power of Vista or OS X. As an example, dragging an image from the browser to the desktop is not possible; sites such as YouTube can also glitch out a little. However, these aren't dealbreakers, but examples to show the difference between the top dogs and new competitors.

It turns out, 5% of people buying a PC at Wal-Mart are buying one for the first time, yes, in 2007. That means that for them, there's no brand allegiance, there's no OS that they are already comfortable with, there's nothing but functionality ("Does it have the e-mail and the pretty ladies on the World Wide Internet?") and price ("I'm not gonna pay no $300 for no damn computer!"). This meets both, and looks enough like some kind of Macindows hybrid for the more computer savvy relatives to help out the new buyer. There are some omissions in the early stages: Picasa didn't quite work right, so it's not there yet. (GIMP is there, but not a lot of people like GIMP.) There's Skype, but I don't think it can do video yet. There are apps for working with iPods, but I am worried that people who want to use an iPod will be frustrated with the lack of iTunes.

The funniest thing is that Everex deliberately built a large box, even though there's not much under the hood. This is a pure psychological play to woo the pickup truck set, who believe a Chevy S10 is a sure sign of sexual inadequacy. The system will pack a 1.5GHz low-wattage VIA C7-D processor (pitched as a "green" machine). It will have 512MB of RAM and an 80GB HDD. It won't even have a DVD burner, though they are now practically free. And as for the monitor you've come to expect in a bundle, it's gonna cost you extra. (Speakers, mouse and keyboard are included.)

All in all, though, I like to see things get shaken up. This is apparently replacing a Windows model at that price point or slightly higher, and the approach is different, and probably smarter, than the teeny tiny subscription-based Zonbu (of which Everex is also a manufacturing partner).

The whole FOSS (free open-source software) movement really should be aimed at newbies and non-power users. After all, the generalist can do all that they can dream up on any machine out there, whereas the specialists are the ones who are truly locked to one OS or another. And they don't buy their PCs at Wal-Mart. [Wal-Mart]

If you recall, the little EPA-friendly silver box comes without a keyboard, mouse and monitor, but surely any self-respecting geek has plenty of those lying around. Zonbu's CEO, Gregoire Gentil (who also had a hand in the Gentoo Linux platform that Zonbu runs) says it's really a secondary PC, for kitchens, living rooms or wherever. You can have a look at Brian's full-throttle hands-on for details, but here are some things to keep in mind:

• It comes with many software titles pre-installed for music and video playback and Office-doc management. It's got an IM client and Skype, though it won't support video yet.

• The current version doesn't have integrated Wi-Fi, though you can use a dongle. Gentil says that his company is exploring a Wi-Fi option for the future.

• The pricing breakdown is a little funny. It's $99 if you commit to two years of service. $13 per month gets you 25GB of storage in the cloud, transparent to you from the desktop. (The internal memory is just a CF card, so up to 8GB.) You pay for service up front, so a two-year order with the 25GB storage would cost, up front, $370.95 (including the free three month deal). It's $199 if you only want one year of service, and if you don't want any service at all, it's $249.

• Service includes maintenance and tech support, plus new programs every six months. The downside for geeks is that in this arrangement Zonbu keeps admin access to itself. You'd need to go without service to have root-level control.

• As you can see from the photo above, there's very little you can't plug into this thing. It has six USB ports, and supports 800 cameras and 1500 printers without any extra drivers necessary. It also supports Mac-formatted, FAT32 and NTFS formatted drives, so like more drives than Windows or Apple (unless you know some trick).

• And for you greenies, remember, this baby uses just 10 watts while a standard PC uses 200 watts, and it has EPEAT Gold status for being made entirely out of earth-friendly materials. Put that in Al Gore's pipe and smoke it.

[Zonbu]

Here's a complete list of apps, a video tour, along with a list of sweet surprises I discovered after a few days with the Zonbu.

•Zonbu's App list is extensive, including browser, email, cal, full office doc tools, finance, music library (with ipod syncing) video playback, skype, P2P/Torrent, IM, publishing, and a few games including Tron and Civilization.
•The install is efficient. Apps open slowly, but when they're going, I had no problem using multiple apps at once. The machine only bogs down when handling real- world tests. I ripped the soundtrack to The Life Aquatic to 128kbps MP3 files, and it took 30 minutes on the Zonbu, versus 7 minutes with other programs working on my 2.33 GHz Macbook Pro with 2GB of RAM. That's 4x slower, but at 1/25th the price. I can accept that.
•The PC isn't $99 unless you get a two-year Amazon S3 service plan. For $13-$20 bucks, you get 25-100GB of synched data. There's a one-year service plan, too. The plans include next day hardware swaps (a warranty), tech support, managed care.
•You can't install your own stuff on the Tweaked Gentu linux install. But Gregoire at Zonbu is a big Open source geek, so he's made the their data-synching version of Gentu available for free. Just download it, install it on your own hardware and get your own S3 account.
•Working with large files over a slow network could be a problem. But this machine is completely capable of anything up to that point, and considering the price, you'd have to be a real ass to complain about it. The connection is 128-bit encrypted.
•Zonbu's OS and local cache is stored on a 4GB CF card that is a 150x speed unit with a custom controller. It reads and writes at a respectable 30MB/s and 15MB/s. They'll sell an 8GB unit, and you can also expand the local storage by adding a USB drive. They also sell an optional $50 CD burner/DVD reader. A DVD writer is in the future.
•Windows are transparent when dragged, and the window close and minimize buttons are similar to Vista's. The GUI is extremely lightweight, despite the transparencies.
•3D acceleration uses 64 MB of system mem.
•There's hardware decode of MPEG-2. Even with average sized MPEG-4 files being played, CPU utilization stays around 15%. Very nice.
•Starting end of June, they'll ship 500 units to early buyers, but not at the reduced/rebated price with service. Around September, the Zonbu comes out of beta, and the $99 price will be there.
•Just in case you didn't realize it, no keyboard, mouse or monitor.
•6 USB ports, VGA, mic and headphone out. PS2 Mouse and keyboard plugs.
•Ethernet and support for Belkin USB WiFi Adapter
•When you log in, it checks Amazon S3 for updates. There is a Web-based client for your S3 data. Sync is manual coming down, but changes on the Zonbu sync upward automatically.
•Neato Apple ][ screensaver
•VNC client is particularly useful.
•They're planning a car and a livingroom variant. The car thing is useful, since the device is CF driven, so shockproof, but you'd have to find a way to get EvDo support. (EvDo to ethernet router seems like overkill compared to hacking USB EvDo driver in.)
•The fanless device gets hot on it's side, maybe freezing. But this is an early piece of hardware, so this could change.
•The 1.2GHz intel-compatible VIA chip is "green." No kidding, that's what happens when you have a low-power chip. That's like saying a 1.2 liter Civic is green.
• The design is fanless. The prototype box I had got hot and froze at one point, when I placed it on its side. Small gripe. The aluminum stand that holds it upright is slippery on the bottom. I worried that I'd trip on the mouse cable and smash the thing into the floor. Nothing some rubber bumpers from a hardware store couldn't fix.
•Zonbu's first 500 units ship end of June as part of a beta. But there won't be a rebate to bring the device to a $99 price point until September-ish. I think you can join the waiting list now.
•They'll be selling skins for the black faceplate. Or you can upload your own image and they'll ship you a custom sticker.

App List:

Browser: Firefox
Email and Calendar: Evolution
IM: Pidgin works with AOL, MSN, Yahoo, ICQ and IRC networks.
VOIP: Skype
Peer-to-Peer clients: Azureus and aMule. Bit Torrent and other standard protocols such as eMule and eDonkey.

Office productivity: Open Office. word processor, spreadsheet, presentation, draw, database, math, Acrobat, Personal Finance Manager.

Media Player: MPlayer
Music Library: Banshee
Photo Organizer: F-Spot
Sound: Sound Recorder and Recording Level Monitor.
Photo Editor: Gimp
Web Page Editor: Nvu

Games

Action — Supertux, Tiltball, Tron
Arcade — Breakout, Frozen Bubble, Penguins, Pingus, Tetris
Puzzle — Blackjack, Chess, Crossword Puzzles, Solitaire, Sudoku, Swap Attack
Shooter — Blobwars, Chromium
Simulation — Billiard, Civilization
Mini Games — Ataxx, Five or More, Four in a Row, Iagno, Klotski, Mahjongg, Mines, Nibbles, Robots, Same GNOME, Tali, Tetravex

Ah, life's little conveniences, neatly packaged in your planet friendly Zonbu. Our accessories include a calculator, a CD-DVD creator, Image Viewer, Notepad, a screenshot program, a zip extractor to create and open compressed files including zip format and a Reference category with access to a dictionary, an encyclopedia, a thesaurus and a translation website.

Home Page [Zonbu]

Of course, you'll have to buy a keyboard, monitor and mouse for this diminutive computer, and you'll need a broadband Internet connection, too, but the company says its little Gentoo Linux-based mini PC has all of the applications most people ever need already preloaded. This sounds intriguing, but what applications are included, and can you actually get any work done with it?

Among the fanless Zonbu's 23 open-source Linux-based applications are Firefox, OpenOffice, which is an office suite compatible with Microsoft Office with a word processor, spreadsheet, presentation software and more, and there's also a video player and a place to upload your photos.

They've also loaded up an iTunes-like music and movie playing application, Skype, email, and instant messaging software. On the company's password-protected website that's not yet open to the public, there's a video demo that shows the system in operation, and it has a close resemblance to Windows Vista, so much so that it might raise the eyebrow of a legal eagle here and there.

The founders of Zonbu, CEO Grégoire Gentil and Chairman (and also Vudu video-downloading box creator) Alain Rossmann's main selling points are that low price, its Internet connectedness, and the 15-watt energy-efficient design they say will save $10 per month on energy bills that would eliminate most of that $12.95 monthly charge for the automatic backup and software update service.

We can't wait to get our hands on this baby and see if it can actually deliver a usable computing experience. That $99 price for a fully functioning computer with what the company calls $2000 worth of preinstalled applications has our undivided attention thus far. – Charlie White

Product Page [Zonbu]