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Curious what the top news stories were at Microsoft over the past year?  Take a look at the list compiled by the Microsoft News Center.

Here are my favorites from the collection:

Windows Phone 7

Windows Phone 7: A Fresh Start for the Smartphone

Oct. 11 — Article and feature slideshow: Windows Phone 7 delivers a new user experience by integrating the things users really want to do, creating a balance between getting work done and having fun. Watch the demo.

Kinect for Xbox 360

Kinect for Xbox 360: Science Fiction Comes to Your Living Room

Nov. 3 — Article and video: Microsoft rolls out its new gesture- and voice-controlled Kinect for Xbox 360 sensor. Nine-year-old Morgan Walters, one of 1,200 kids, moms, and others who helped get the gaming device ready for launch, says that playing the Kinectimals game “was really, really cool.”

Office 2010

Customers Stand Up for Office 2010

June 15 — Article and video: As Microsoft Office 2010 releases worldwide, customers who helped the company refine the new product share their stories. Watch the Make It Great video.

Halo: Reach

Millions Reaching for Most Ambitious Halo Game Yet

Sept. 14 — Article and launch slideshow: Fans around the world celebrate the release of “Halo: Reach,” the newest installment of the popular sci-fi video game series made exclusively for Xbox. Watch the trailer (rated M by the ESRB).

Bing-Facebook Social Search

Bing Social Search – Now It’s Personal

Oct. 13 — Blog post and video: New features allow you to take your Facebook friends with you into your Bing experience. See the Bing Maps video.

IE9 Beta

‘Beauty of the Web’ Shines as Microsoft Launches Internet Explorer 9 Beta

Sept. 15 — Article, video, and slideshow: Hardware acceleration for snappy performance and a focus on the Web highlight how Microsoft’s new Internet Explorer 9 beta delivers a better experience for both users and developers. Watch the demo.

Windows Live Essentials 2011

Windows Live Essentials Bringing Together the Power of PCs With Promise of the Cloud

Sept. 30 — Article and feature slideshow: Microsoft releases Windows Live Essentials 2011, a suite of free consumer apps that connects Windows to the cloud to help people connect, create and share online. See the video.

WorldWide Telescope

Microsoft and NASA Bring Mars Down to Earth Through the WorldWide Telescope

July 12 — Article and images: Dramatic imagery from NASA Mars missions creates new user experiences in the Microsoft Research WorldWide Telescope.