Bing gets a makeover complete with new features and redesigned logo

Microsoft has given its Bing search engine a cosmetic makeover complete with new features, a redesigned logo and a modern design. The changes are expected to help Microsoft better compete with the likes of Google and Yahoo, the latter of which also revealed a redesigned homepage and a new logo over the past several months.

Google earns top spot in Nielsen's Tops of 2011

Google narrowly edged out Facebook as the top Internet destination for US web surfers in 2011. The data was compiled by market researcher Nielsen as part of their Tops of 2011: Digital series that also includes the top social media sites, video destinations and smartphone devices.

Google recorded an average of 153.4 million unique visitors each month in 2011, just ahead of Facebook with 137.6 million monthly unique. Yahoo, MSN / Windows Live / Bing and YouTube rounded out the top five with 130.1 million, 115.8 million and 106.6 million visitors, respectively. Data was collected from January through October 2011 on home and work computers.

Facebook earned the top spot as the most popular social network / blog by a landslide at 137.6 million average monthly unique visitors. Blogger ranked second at 45.7 million followed by Twitter, WordPress and Myspace with 23.5 million, 20.3 million and 17.9 million each. The same set of data and collection process was used to record these stats.

YouTube outpaced all other contenders as the most popular destination for online videos with 111.1 million monthly visitors. VEVO ranked second with 34.5 million uniques followed by Facebook with 29.8 million. Hulu came in seventh place with 13.1 million unique and Netflix ranked 10th with only 7.4 million.

Apple ranked first in the smartphone manufacturers list with a 29 percent market share. HTC earned the silver medal with a 21 percent share followed by RIM at 17 percent. Samsung and Motorola both held an 11 percent market share during the data collection timeframe of August to October 2011.

Microsoft considers acquiring a minor stake in Yahoo

It seems Microsoft's interest in owning Yahoo -- or at least part of it -- hasn't waned. According to multiple reports, the company has signed a confidentiality agreement with Yahoo, allowing it to take a closer look at the struggling company's business as they explore various options for striking a deal.

Microsoft joins several private equity firms that are also poring over Yahoo's books and operations, including private-equity firms TPG Capital and Silver Lake.

Contrasting with their very public failed takeover attempt in 2008, this time around Microsoft is only looking to help finance a bid as part of a consortium and not buy Yahoo outright, sources say, in a move to safeguard its ongoing web-search partnership with Yahoo.

If you recall, Microsoft forged a 10-year agreement to provide search technology to Yahoo under Carol Bartz' tenure. The deal has played an important part in Bing's growth. Conceivably, should a rival company acquire Yahoo it could seek to end the deal or demand terms that are less favorable for Microsoft. Controlling a minority stake in Yahoo might be enough for Microsoft to maintain the current arrangement without having to pay through the nose for an acquisition and shouldering the operational responsibility for Yahoo.

Such a move is markedly different from what Microsoft tried in 2008. Back then, the company was willing to spend close to $46 billion to buoy its search position and compete with Google. Yahoo, led by its co-founder Jerry Yang, rebuffed the offer and after a months-long battle Microsoft walked away.

Without knowing it Microsoft actually dodged a bullet when it failed to acquire Yahoo -- at a 62% premium, mind you. Not only did the economy and stock market collapsed, but Yahoo has floundered ever since and today the company is valued well under half of what Microsoft was willing to pay in 2008.