Microsoft is in the final stages of preparation of Windows Live Calendar Beta. The service growing under the Windows Live brand umbrella was initially announced for over a year ago, and among Microsoft's suite of products and services making up its cloud operating system, Windows Live Calendar is of course positioned as an alternative to Google Calendar. At this point in time, there really is little equivalence between Google Calendar and Windows Live Calendar, but of course Microsoft's service is still in beta.

But you will be able to judge this on your own as the Redmond company is getting ready to introduce a public beta of Windows Live Calendar. Strong indications point to today, November 5, as the availability date for the opening up of Windows Live Calendar. At the end of the past week, the beta of Windows Live Calendar did go live but only for a short period of time and only for testing purposes. Microsoft confirmed that if all will go well, the public beta will be unveiled at the beginning of this week.

Windows Live Calendar enables users to build multiple calendars and to personalize each one in accordance with various names and colors. Users will be able to access their calendars and view them from four different perspectives - Day, Week, Month and agenda. Users will be able to configure Windows Live Calendar so that they receive notifications of either specific scheduled events, or for all the dates planned in the calendar via email.

One important aspect of Windows Live Calendar is the fact that Microsoft has built it as a social networking tool. Focus is placed on the fact that a calendar can be a collaborative work, and in this sense, each item can be shared by multiple users. Just keep an eye out in case you want to give Windows Live Calendar a try.