Microsoft’s entry into the blogging realm with MSN Spaces will cause an exponential growth in popularity for the Web-based communications technology.Microsoft’s MSN division launched a test version of the free Web logging (blogging) service aimed at consumers on Thursday.MSN Spaces allows users to create an online journal, and post photos and digital music lists, IDC News Service said. Users can establish different levels of visitor access, customize the blog with a choice of different backgrounds and layout templates and update the blog remotely via e-mail or mobile phone. “Spaces is like a scrapbooking service to share whatever you want to share with people,” said Brooke Richardson, MSN lead product manager for communications services. MSN Spaces also features integration with the MSN Messenger instant messaging service and with the MSN Hotmail Web mail service.What was originally a geeky hobby is fast becoming a mainstream communuicatiosns tools. As Infoworld’s Tom Sullivan pointed out Thursday, the blog was the most common word visitors to Merriam Webster’s online site sought a definition for throughout 2004. Microsoft’s entry into the blog market, means thousands of new users will take up the blog, once they have looked up the definition of the word. Technology Industry