MSN wakes up to blogging

MSN today unveiled an updated version of its free communication service which adds a beta version of its first blogging tool to existing email and instant messaging offerings.

Dubbed MSN Spaces, the blogging service was accompanied by a beta version of MSN Messenger 7.0 and updates to MSN Hotmail.

The free beta tool, which is available in 14 languages, is designed to make it easier for consumers to create and maintain a personal website. It allows users to share photo albums, personal music lists and other digital content.

Through enhanced integration with MSN Messenger and Hotmail, MSN Spaces can automatically notify online contacts when a blog has been updated.

"Communicating with others is the number one thing people do online," said Blake Irving, corporate vice president at MSN's Communication Services and Member Platform Group.

"As widely used as our individual services are today, we know we can do more to help our customers communicate across the different modes they use, like blogs, instant messaging and email.

"The investments MSN is making in MSN Spaces, Messenger and Hotmail are designed to break down some of the barriers between the services so that people can focus less on the technology and more on the people they care about."

Users can sign up for the service at MSN Spaces or through MSN Messenger.