Microsoft (finally) updated the msn.com portal that graces every Internet Explorer installation’s initial homepage. I know what you’re thinking: “who uses IE or MSN.com?!” That is a debate for another day, today is a day to celebrate MSN.com sporting a new design and some added functionality.

There is an online preview of the new layout and the first thing you will notice is that much of the clutter is gone; there is a new sleek design with a spiffy new logo. They have simplified the navigation and content links above the fold as well as integrated Bing search onto the page. Further, they have implemented connections to Microsoft’s new social networking friends: Facebook and Twitter.

Here is the link to the preview so you can see for yourself. The new design is rolling out now and should reach wide availability by early 2010.

As for “Who uses it?” They claim about 600 million unique users globally and 100 million in the U.S. Is there any chance you still use this portal? What do you think about the new layout?