AOL Brings Xdrive to Macs

Yesterday AOL introduced Xdrive Desktop Lite, the Mac version for its online data storage service, Xdrive. This is the first time that Xdrive is ported to Mac. AOL says it was possible only by switching to Adobe AIR technology. Xdrive Desktop Lite is currently being offered as a public beta.

What Xdrive basically does is provide users with an online storage repository which they can use like this:

- upload digital files stored on their local hard drive
- access those files from within the Xdrive application on that computer or other Internet linked computers
- use up to 5GB of storage via Xdrive for free or get the 50GB plan that costs $9.95 per month, for additional space.

Xdrive is pretty much the same thing as Apple's iDisk, a service offered by Apple to all .Mac members that enables them to store digital photos, movies and other personal files online, so users can access them anywhere. .Mac users receive a 10 GB iDisk with a standard subscription.

However, Mac OS X v10.3 through v10.5 can cache updates offline to an iDisk volume and sync those updates later, while any WebDAV client can also access an iDisk volume. Furthermore, while .Mac allows for any WebDAV client, Mac or PC to access an iDisk volume, Xdrive can't do this without the special desktop client.

The Xdrive Desktop Lite client allows file sharing, by e-mailed links, files or by embedded HTML code on a user's own Web page. According to Peter Cohen via Yahoo News, "the new public beta release of Xdrive Desktop Lite is built using Adobe AIR, development software designed to enable software makers to use Web technologies like HTML, Ajax, Adobe Flash and Flex on the desktop instead of on the Web."

AOL or AIM users can already register for Xdrive for free, while later on this year, everyone will be able to register for the service "with any screen name or e-mail address," according to AOL.

AOL acquired Xdrive in 2005.