Not only is MSN surviving Windows Live, but Microsoft is additionally revamping the MSN style. Windows Live was first introduced in November 2005. At that point, the future of MSN was uncertain. However, Windows Live failed to pick up, while MSN conserved its customer base. Instead of transitioning MSN services under the Live brand umbrella, MSN survives outside of Live, and Microsoft's efforts illustrate the company's plans to keep it alive.

And two very alive and kicking MSN services have received a visual reviving. MSN Music and NineMSN have had the graphical user interfaces redesigned. Initially, the change was introduced to MSN Music and to the MSN Entertainment pages. Microsoft made no big deal of the visual overhauling, but the new cross-portal MSN UI is in place and you can have a look via this link.

The style revamping is part of Microsoft's efforts to introduce visual updates at the portal level. Microsoft revealed that the modifications will be mainly to the graphical user interfaces, but that additional aspects and features of the portal will be updated. However, Microsoft will not go deep under the MSN hood. Besides the UI changes designed to enhance the user interaction experience of the MSN properties, the Redmond Company will introduce only minor changes.

But the MSN entertainment properties are not the only ones that have been redesigned. As part of the visual overhauling MSN The January Effect, other services have also been enhanced. NineMSN is just such an example.