Microsoft does a Yahoo -- reveals a new logo, new look for Bing

Microsoft's new Bing logo brings the search engine in line with the look of Office, and also heralds the introduction of a new interface and new features. Gone is the rounded, bubbly typeface, replaced with a new angled appearance that matches other products from Microsoft's stables. Taking a leaf out of the Modern design book, the Bing search page mirrors elements found in Windows Phone and Windows 8, and also includes the now-familiar Segoe font.

A new two-column design aims to ensure that the information you need is always at hand -- the second column is used to display information related to the search that's being performed such as photos and status updates. Part of this is the new Page Zero feature which Microsoft describes as "finding without searching". Enter the name of a celebrity to see a snapshot of pertinent information about that person.

Pole Position is another new feature that aims to provide searchers with the information they’re looking for faster than ever. Mimicking a feature that's already found in Google, Bing will now try to answer direct queries entered into the search box. Search for the weather in a big city and the forecast will be displayed inline without the need to click through to a weather site, for instance.

Yahoo's redesigned logo found itself the subject of criticism and ridicule, but Microsoft's update certainly seems like a step in the right direction. Bing did previously feel like an entirely separate product, but now it has been fully embraced into the Microsoft family. Just as Yahoo provided an interesting level of detail about how its new logo came into being, Microsoft gives an intriguing insight into the thinking behind the new look of Bing.

For the time being, the new look is US-only, and it is being rolled out gradually over the coming weeks. If you're yet to see the change, you can get a preview by paying a visit to the New Bing page. There's also a video that highlights some of the new features.

Video: Search your World with Bing Smart Search

 

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