Microsoft today relaunched its MSN Mobile service offering, unveiling what the company is calling a “redesigned, reinvented” portal for Internet-capable mobile phones to tap into news, email, and other Web-based information, as well as Microsoft’s own Windows Live service offerings. Users can tap into the service by pointing their phones to mobile.msn.com, and Microsoft says it has gone to great pains to make sure the service is compatible on all WAP-compliant Internet capable phones and mobile devices.
Using the revamped service, users can tap into Microsoft services like Hotmail, Windows Live Messenger, Windows Live Spaces, and Live Search from a wide variety of mobile devices, all with a simplified interface featuring easy navigation, quick links, and shortcuts. The revamped offering also brings the “familiarity of MSN,” making the mobile MSN experience much like the Web-based MSN offerings, with news, sports, and financial information, along with local information, movie reviews, weather, and more. Users can also pull up maps and directions on their phone.
Microsoft is touting its partnership with Fox Sports—which brings an exclusive sports channel to the service—and said it is pursuing partnerships with operators to integrate MSN Mobile into their own WAP services. Of course, Microsoft is also touting the capability to offer mobile advertising through MSN Mobile.
The revamped MSN Mobile is available now; Microsoft offers a list of compatible carriers and devices on the MSN Mobile Web site when viewed from a computer, so users can check if their phones are supported; if a phone is compatible, users can enter their mobile number to have get everything they need to start using MSN Mobile.
