Microsoft Corporation today launched a redesign of its popular Internet portal MSN.com.

The company has updated the site with a far more simple and clean design, along with new social networking features that display information from various social networks you set up such as Facebook and Twitter. A new featured called TrendWatch was also implemented, which essentially scans Twitter for local news content.

The company has also now implemented full Facebook support.

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We’ve seen a lot of things happen in 2009, some things were expected, some were not, some were shocking, and some were simply never seen or heard of before.

From the biggest Ponzi scheme ever seen in U.S. history, to the global financial credit crisis, to historic health care reform championed by the first black President of the United States.

A lot has happened in 2009, and we’ve compiled it all up for you with the top 8 topics of the entire year.

1. The Global Financial Crisis

With the near collapse of the global credit market, and unprecedented actions being taken by global leaders to stave off a global economic meltdown, the financial crisis was plastered in the media almost every day and even became a primary presidential voting issue, thereby making it the story of 2009. With billions provided in emergency bailout loans to financial intermediaries, Wall Street was still paying millions in bonuses with outstanding government loans, while millions of Americans faced forclosurer and high unemployment rates. The Obama administration later moved to block $165-million in AIG bonuses alone and later blocked bonuses from being paid while the financial intermediaries had outstanding government debt. Warren Buffet’s company Berkshire Hathaway even reported its biggest loss ever (only its second loss in its history). There were also opportunities for firms to act on, such as Disney who acquired Marvel Entertainment for $4B. Despite households losing significant amounts of money primairly from their positions in risky equity positions, some did profit (though not for too long)…Bearnie Madoff was sentenced to 150 years in prison following a conviction for operating the biggest Ponzi scheme ever seen in U.S. history that saw $50 billion defrauded from investors.

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Yahoo today released two new important mobile apps, a native Flickr iPhone app (iTunes) along with a Yahoo Finance BlackBerry application.

The Flickr iPhone app is now the best way to upload, manage, and share your photos on Flickr via the iPhone. You can seamlessly upload photos and add information to photos such as descriptions and tags. You can also view and comment on photos from other users.

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Google has just introduced a new left column pane to its images search to better allow you to refine your searches.

These option were previously hidden in the advanced search page, but have now been pushed out to the main search page.

The move comes as competition is set to intensify in the online search engine space with the biggest rivals, Microsoft and Yahoo announcing a joint partnership to take on Google.

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Update: Yahoo will NOT cease BlackBerry (and other mobile platform development). Yahoo! remains committed to improving Yahoo! Mobile for web and their existing cross-platform applications, as well as developing new and engaging experiences for consumers across various devices and platforms, including RIM, Apple, Widows Mobile, Nokia and more.

Yahoo will completely stop (now confirmed) developing its mobile application for the BlackBerry platform to focus its efforts solely towards the iPhone.

According to developer job applicants for Yahoo’s Mobile BlackBerry team, the applicants
received a reply from Yahoo that read, “Yahoo has decided to cease development [on the BlackBerry platform]”

Yahoo will now only continue to build the exclusive app for the iPhone, and simply continue to maintain the existing mobile browser based site. The company aims at bringing the app experiences straight to the mobile browser (remains to be seen). Yahoo Mobile chief executive Adam Taggart previously said “you can always do more with an app on your phone,” but maintained the company remains committed to both apps and the browser.

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Microsoft today has added web-based support for IM on select Windows Live web pages, including Hotmail and the Win Live people page.

The feature was already added for users in Japan, Spain, the U.K., Italy, and France, though will now be added in North America, Brazil, Germany, and other European countries. The service will eventually support all users.

The new web-based IM support will make it easier for people to connect and use Windows Live Messenger from restricted computers such as at work.

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Microsoft Steve Ballmer CEO Steve Ballmer said at a media conference in New York today that he still think there is an opportunity to make a deal with Yahoo, likely to acquire Yahoo’s search engine business that remains a significant business for Yahoo.

Ballmer expects to discuss possible deals with new Yahoo CEO Carol Bartz.

Microsoft first offered Yahoo $47 billion (about $30 per share) in an unsolicited bid that later broke down with then CEO Jerry Yang after failed talks. Jerry Yang was later heavily criticized for not taking the deal and later resigned. The Yahoo stock is now trading at $13.75 (1:23pm) and is up about 2.53%

Yahoo is set to unveil its new homepage design to the world in the coming weeks. New Yahoo CEO Carol Bartz delayed the launch to continue testing the new homepage. Most notably, the new Yahoo homepage will allow users to completely personalize their homepage by adding custom applications as seen on the right sidebar. Developers will also be able to build their own applications for any of the 80 million strong daily Yahoo visitors to use. Read the full story

Flickr has announced it has opened up Flickr Video uploading to all members, and not only premium paid members anymore. Videos are still capped at 90 seconds. As an added incentive for premium users, they can upload HD videos, which can be viewed by anyone. Any Flickr member can also submit his or her own content to the Flickr Clock which effectively lets anyone view chronologically what is going on around the world in different times with pictures and videos. You can also check out the Flickr Map which lets you find geo-tagged photos and videos.

Yahoo has announced it will axe one of its oldest services (about a 10 years old), its virtual secure online storage service Yahoo Briefcase effective March 30, 2009. Yahoo is warning users to backup whatever they have uploaded because Yahoo will delete all stored data on the service. The company more recently axed many unprofitable Yahoo services including yahoo Photos and Yahoo Music.

I personally think Yahoo should have revamped the service, competing players, even smaller ones, were offering more. Microsoft SkyDrive is now offering 25GB of free online storage. Google is also preparing a competing service dubbed GDrive, which will probably be available in the coming months with unlimited online storage.