Last night, Microsoft announced the release of Mesh — a new product designed to better connect all your computers and devices. This release is significant for a number of reasons. The first is that it is the first time in awhile that Microsoft has launched a product that I didn’t know I wanted (or needed) until I heard about it for the first time. The second is because Mesh signifies a fundamental shift for the company from being OS focused to Web focused.

Lately, when I hear the PC vs. Mac or Windows vs. OSX discussions, I have thought to myself “Who cares? Does it have a browser?”. Because, now a days the web is everything. It is the new OS. Google recognized this with the release of their web-based application suites. Now, Microsoft has taken this a step forward with Mesh. They realized that “yes” the web is everything, but the devices we use to get to the web matter, as well. In the future, you may use a Mac, PC, iPhone, Blackberry, or Windows Mobile device to connect to the web (and, I am sure fanboys of each will still tell you which one you should be using), but what is important is that there is a glue that connects these devices. With Mesh, Microsoft is trying to be the glue.