In a bid to remain competitive with other mobile portals, Microsoft launched its new MSN Mobile portal to make it easier for people to find the information they want or need. I took a quick look at it on my phone and it offers similar functionality as the other mobile portals offered by Google, Yahoo, and Ask. Is Microsoft breaking any new ground here?That's undetermined just yet, but Microsoft is definitely putting some of its content partnerships to good use. The new portal aims to enable mobile customers to quickly and easily access their favorite Windows Live services and Web content, such as Hotmail or Messenger. It's also optimized for mobile phones, and will detect the user's device and deliver a page optimized for that mobile phone, just as many of the other portals.

The interface is just as simple and direct as Google or Yahoo and has a search bar at the top. It has links to MSNBC and Fox Sports content as well, which is designed specifically for mobile devices. Jumping into the Fox Sports center, there are quick links to the major sports leagues, as well as a nice listing of the top headlines. The home page is quite rich with all sorts of content, including weather, stock market indexes, and top news.

Having a strong mobile portal is a must as more and more mobile phone users begin accessing the Internet and related service via their phones. For enterprise users who find themselves with some down time or need to get some quick info before a meeting or just to check the local weather report, it is an effective way to reach out and see what's going on in the world.

You can get there by pointing your mobile browser to: http://mobile.msn.com.