The MySpace Redesign....It's Coming....Here's Your Sneak Peek

So tomorrow, like millions of people around the world, I will turn on my computer to see MySpace redesigned.
From the NY Times, above is the sneak peek.

Here are the questions that will be running through my head...
1. Will it give people a better experience?
2. Can MySpace change its brand image and become a fantastic, desired portal?
3. Are they doing this for the advertiser or for the consumer?

Fast Facts:
1. MySpace worldwide has 118 million users
2. In the US MySpace has 73 million users (compared to Facebook which has 36 million)
3. Worldwide, Facebook tied MySpace for the first time in April, averaging about 115 million users for each site
4. EMarketer estimates that MySpace will post $755 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending June 30, that's below analysts estimates of $1 billion

Here's an excerpt from the NY Times:
With an eye toward monetization, MySpace is being redesigned beginning Wednesday with a new home page, which will be less cluttered and more hospitable to advertising. (The home page will also feature a “splash page” for an ad about the new Batman movie, “The Dark Knight.”) The redesign, to be done by early fall, will include a new navigation bar, search tool and video player.

The redesign is intended to address a problem of social networking sites, which is that many user pages have the aesthetic appeal of a 14-year-old’s high-school locker.

Here's also a good article from AdAge about how MySpace wants to be the next big web portal.