Inside MSN

By Stephen Cvengros, Executive Producer, MSN.com

We’re pleased with the new features we are offering and hope they help you feel better connected with info and communication tools available on the new MSN homepage. (An example: Hotmail preview, which lets you manage whether your email appears from visit to visit as opened or closed on your homepage.) We also hope you’ll nose around a bit and find some new background customization (try the graphite; it’s hot), local news that is always present and a quick read on weather.

Plenty of thought and feedback went into creating this new design: We took into account your comments to us over the years; requests you’ve sent us: good, bad and ugly. We met with focus groups, and we had a beta site live for several months, gained insight and adjusted the page.

I know how change is sometimes confusing.

Several months ago, I purchased a new car. One night, I needed to use the dome light, but couldn’t figure out how to get it to come on short of opening the door. I knew that couldn’t be the solution, but I hadn’t gotten familiar with how the shiny, new thing worked. (I didn’t read the operating manual; fortunately, my wife did.)

Bottom line is that like any new model, I knew there was a basic solution, just needed to figure out how it worked.

To that end, we have included a Homepage Tour. In the future, you will find the tour and other info to help you better understand how the site works, what fantastic gems we have seemingly hidden away on the network and the introduction of new topics, features and tools in the new “MSN & You” section of the page. This particular blog (“Inside MSN”) will also keep you up to speed on what’s new.

Some other changes to the page include:

· Adding a bottom-of-the-page navigation with quick links to more special sites, tools and areas users are interested in, making access easier.

· Moving Video to a more prominent position, meeting users’ growing appetite for the feature.

· We’ve lightened up on the boxes on the page and opened it up to provide a little “breathing room” for your eyes.

What is not apparent today are some design surprises we have created to improve coverage for you when the time is right. (All right, so check in Sunday for one of the first of these items with our sparkling new NFL module.) I want to urge you to play around with the customization pulldown menu above the Hotmail preview. I’d also suggest you put in your horoscope and maybe drop in a couple of stocks you’re following (weirdly in the current market, either one seems like a mystical choice at this moment).

Have some fun with the page and drop us a line about what you think.

As with all Web pages, this Homepage is organic. It will change as our last big release did over time and you’re going to be the driving force. We hope you enjoy it.

By Stephen Cvengros, Executive Producer, MSN.com

Now that the torch has been extinguished in Beijing, our Olympics coverage is coming to a close.

Many  of you have joined MSN for one of the biggest online stories of the year. You got to know Lolo Jones, Usain Bolt, Nastia Liukin, Debbie Phelps and, of course, her son Michael much better. We believe the exclusive video offered by NBCOlympics turned the corner for online content and streaming video.

We've got even more surprises and coverage ahead. The Democrats are in Denver. Followed closely by the Republicans and their party's party in Minneapolis-St. Paul. (Neither of these should be confused with the Republicrats, who are already way out of the box.) The political pep rallies begin the end of a very long election season. Along with our news partner, MSNBC, we've got it covered through the debates, promises, denials, votes, Election Night coverage and swearing-in of a historic president.

The NFL kicks off next week with Brett as a Jet, Chuck still running the Bucs, and LT ready to light up the Chargers. We'll be delivering powerful real-time coverage, power rankings and free fantasy football.

Next month, we're going to whet your appetite with a brand-new food section called Delish. But we've got you covered on the other end too, helping you look out for those nasty pounds that creep up on us every holiday. (Don't look now, but Christmas is less than four months away. And those leftover Halloween candies will be hanging around the house soon.)

Speaking of the holidays, need to clear out old junk or find a treasure for that special aunt? The Keno Brothers have joined MSN with "Collect This," sharing their amiable insights into antiques and collectibles.

A new homepage is in the hopper and will soon offer access to new and improved local news, your most recent Hotmail messages and more personalization choices.

And we'll keep providing you with everything you need to know in your area, too. From where to be eco-friendly in disposing of antifreeze to finding the hottest new restaurant or discovering which gas station has the lowest prices within driving distance.

It's all about you. Our users.

Keep us dialed in for a big fall season full of surprises, breaking news and valuable information to make life a little easier and smoother.

Cassandra Douglas, Managing Editor, MSN.com

New and improved user experiences are always in the works around the MSN network. Here’s a look at Is It True? and City Guides — two recommended features I hope you’ll enjoy.

Is It True?

MSN.com investigates rumors and urban legends with a new feature — Is It True?

Be the center of attention at water-cooler conversations and cocktail parties with knowledge you'll glean from Is It True? The feature tracks down the truth of urban legends, rumors and other topics of intrigue. Find answers to such pressing questions as, “Was sex therapist Dr. Ruth a sniper?”

“We’ve teamed up with “MythBusters” to deliver this experience and are also building up our own original content stores," says MSN editor Kristen Kennedy. "We offer users a wide range of topics, from celebrity trivia to the latest science news."

When I ask about her favorite rumors, Kennedy replies, “There are so many.”

Here are a few urban legends Kennedy and team have been able confirm or deny

(the answers may surprise you):

· Can loud music lead to a lung collapse?

· Can a penny kill?

· Can frogs rain from the sky?

Visit the Is It True? main page daily for new topics.

The New City Guides

MSN’s City Guides have a new look and offer more ways to find out what's happening in U.S. cities – big and small. New enhancements include more detailed events coverage and a summary of recently viewed articles and items.

“I’m happy to have much deeper events coverage,” says Rick Vanderknyff, senior editor of City Guides.

Deeper, indeed. Using City Guides,  I found community events, nightlife, movie theaters and local restaurants in my hometown of Andalusia, Ala. — estimated population 8,740. This enhancement will make those of us who frequent small towns very happy because it’s usually difficult to find out what’s going on outside major metropolitans.

City Guides also can make finding and attending events in almost any city a seamless process. “You can research and buy tickets in one visit,” says Vanderknyff.

When you click for details on an event you can see a Virtual Earth map, view restaurants and read more about the performer.

The new City Guides remembers who you are. Each time you visit, a list of recently viewed items is saved so they’re easy to find the next time you come to the site.

Users can even participate in shaping City Guides content by posting their own restaurant reviews.

For details on the new City Guides go here or go the main events page and “just start exploring,” as Vanderknyff suggests.

Try these features and let us know what you think by clicking send a message below.

By Don Sena, Managing Editor, MSN.com

Do you know what a gunwale is? Have you actually ever witnessed a parry? Does dressage get you excited?

If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, chances are you’re a big fan of the Summer Olympic Games. But even if you are unfamiliar with these terms associated with canoe/kayak, fencing and equestrian events, you probably have your own favorite Olympic event or athlete that you’ve waited a long time to see in an international competition of this caliber.

MSN also has been waiting four long years to bring our audience coverage of the XXIX Olympiad in China. Through a partnership with NBC Olympics, MSN will showcase exclusive Olympics coverage from the opening ceremonies through the last medal awarded on August 24. You will be able to find complete coverage of the games at NBCOlympics.com, but you will also be able to follow every stroke, iron cross and dunk right from the MSN homepage with our Olympics coverage module. At the top of the MSN homepage, we’ll expose features, interactives, breaking news and exclusive video not seen anywhere else on the Internet. In addition, if the South Korean women maintain their complete dominance in archery or Michael Phelps captures eight gold medals, MSN will bring it to you front and center on the homepage. From athlete profiles to results to video of events you missed, MSN and NBC Olympics will serve it up, be it at the office or home.

We realize that Olympics coverage is not one-size-fits-all. Some fans want to follow the results throughout the day; others don’t want media outlets to spoil the games before they’ve had a chance to watch them on the NBC telecast. To help fans enjoy the Olympics in the way they want, the MSN homepage will offer two versions of our Olympics coverage. Those who want to know all the news as it happens will find robust coverage, including breaking news updated 24/7. For fans who do not want any event results that have not yet appeared on the telecast, we will offer “non-spoiler” Olympics content where you can hide the results. However, those fans will still get deep features and video that has already aired on TV. The “hide results” button on the Olympics module helps you enjoy the Olympics coverage in the way you want.

And, despite what the International Olympic Committee or the Chinese government want you to believe, the Olympic Games are not just about sporting competition. The games have always shined a light – for better or worse – on the host country, and MSN will be covering all the hard news, politics and culture surrounding these historic games in China.

Lastly, Microsoft’s Silverlight software – which downloads faster than Usain Bolt can run the 100-meter dash – gets you some expanded features on the homepage Olympics module, such as more content and interactivity.

For an enhanced experience, the Olympics module will be presented on the MSN wide page format. Increasing your screen resolution will allow you to see the entire page on your screen at once. These step-by-step instructions will show you how to do this.

So, check out the MSN homepage  now and explore the coverage. If you have any suggestions or just want to drop us a note, please send a message below on this blog.

Don Sena is the Managing Editor/Director of MSN.com.  Before coming to MSN, he was an award-winning reporter and editor at the Chicago Tribune and The Washington Post newspapers.