MSN Launches msnNOW to Keep You in the Know

REDMOND, Wash., Feb. 16, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Ever feel like you have to jump from site to site in order to piece together what's happening in the world? Good news for those who like to stay up-to-date on the latest trends — msnNOW, a new service from MSN at now.msn.com, will help you stay in the know. msnNOW is the first service to surface the latest buzz from Facebook, Twitter, Bing and BreakingNews.com, all in one place. It cuts through the clutter of the Web, providing an up-to-the-minute view of breaking trends and the hottest social conversations, what people are saying about them, and why they matter.

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More than a quarter of Americans under the age of 30(1) get their information from various social media sites. With the influx of content today across the Web it can be challenging to ensure you're seeing the relevant and credible content that matters most to you. msnNOW is the trusted source that will help make sense of the noise, anytime and from anywhere you're online.

The site's editorial staff utilizes exclusive technology that identifies what trends and topics are heating up on the Web, enabling staff members to continuously update the site with fresh content so you don't miss a thing. Whether you need to catch up on the latest celebrity gossip before dinner with girlfriends, keep a pulse on the college basketball buzz heading into March Madness or get the lowdown on what the people on Main Street are saying about the presidential race, msnNOW has you covered. Go to now.msn.com for the following:

• Breaking trends. Up-to-the-minute coverage on breaking trends from across the Web, with the option to sort by areas of interest, including entertainment, sports, lifestyle, stories of the day and finance.
• Variety of sources. Coverage on and insight into the hottest social trends happening on Facebook, Twitter, BreakingNews.com and Bing.
• Anywhere access. Access via PC, mobile, tablets, Facebook and Twitter, allowing you to join the conversation anytime and from anywhere.
• Biggest movers. Keep track of the day's most buzzed-about and discussed topics from millions of analyzed tweets, comments and searches, and see if it's on the way up or on the way out.
• Topic pages. A closer look at a topic, including a summary of why it's trending, recent videos and images, and related tweets, public Facebook posts and information from Bing, MSN and the Web.

For more information on msnNOW, check out http://www.msnblog.msn.com. You can catch up on the hottest trends by going to now.msn.com, and stay up-to-date by following msnNOW on Facebook and Twitter.

About MSN
MSN, Microsoft's information and entertainment network, is designed to help people stay in the know with a great search experience from Bing, the latest news and hottest entertainment from popular and trusted sources, and favorite social networks. MSN attracts more than 522 million unique users worldwide per month with localized versions available globally in 48 markets and 27 languages. MSN is located on the Web at http://www.msn.com.

About Microsoft
Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq "MSFT") is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.

(1) Press Widely Criticized but Trusted More Than Other Information Sources: Views of the News Media: 1985–2011, Sept. 22, 2011, Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

SOURCE Microsoft