Articles about Bing

If you have ever bemoaned the fact that maps are too blurry on Bing, too grainy on Google, moan no more! US restrictions on the quality of satellite imagery that can be used by online services such as these has been lifted by the US government.

The ban is to be removed after satellite photography firm DigitalGlobe made an appeal to the US Department of Commerce. Security concerns meant that satellite images were limited to a 50cm resolution, but this is to be boosted to 40cm and beyond.

Continue reading →

Five years ago today, Microsoft launched the Bing search engine. I remember it well. In particular I remember shaking my head at that name, but also admiring the photography that appeared on the home page.

To celebrate five years of Bing, Microsoft has put together a blog post that chronicles the changes that have occurred over the years, and hints at what’s to come. It’s also assembled a gallery of the best home pages.

Continue reading →

Technology in education is a huge topic right now. Companies are trying to break into the education market as it can be wildly profitable. Plus, the hope is, kids will want their parents to buy them the same type of computer as used in school. In other words, potentially, the education market could drive home-computer sales. However, that theory did not work out well for Apple. Years ago, many schools had Apple computers, but parents still bought IBM-compatibles.

While Google has been making a lot of noise lately in the education segment, let us not forget that Microsoft still reigns supreme. Chromebooks are great, but Windows and Office are still the gold standards. Today, Microsoft announces that not only has it improved its "Bing in the Classroom" program (including the new name), but it is making it available to all US schools too. Nice!

Continue reading →

One of the things I like best about Windows 8.1 is the Smart Search feature. Powered by Bing, it lets you look for anything -- a program or app installed on your computer, a file stored on your hard drive or in the cloud, or a website. You open up the Start or Apps screen, and just start typing (or you can use the new Search button which was introduced with Windows 8.1 Update) and then choose the relevant result.

I have no complaints about it (although I still use Google for most of my web searches), but today Microsoft is making the Smart Search feature a whole lot more powerful with natural language understanding so you can search for something, even if you’re not sure exactly what it is you’re looking for.

Continue reading →

Thanks to the likes of College Humor and Funny or Die there is no shortage of comical entertainment on the web these days. The former has got laughs before with a video showing what the web would be like if Google were actually a guy, and now it follows that success up with a sequel.

The new video contains the expected humorous search queries from everyday people, as each gets a turn to enter the office and pose a question. However, this time the comedy troop has given things a more modern twist.

Continue reading →

Rumors run rampant on the internet. A new one has surfaced recently that has a couple of trusted sources behind it, as both Tom Warren and Paul Thurrott point to the possibility of a version of Windows 8.1 with Bing -- a Bing OS if you will. It would be geared towards competing against Chrome OS, which has become an increasing concern for Microsoft.

Warren reports that "sources familiar with Microsoft’s plans tell The Verge that the company is building 'Windows 8.1 with Bing', a version that will bundle key Microsoft apps and services". Yes, "sources familiar" is not the first words in reliability of a report, but Thurrott also concurred, stating "Microsoft is testing whether it makes sense to provide a free version of Windows down the road. And while recent leaks have revealed the existence of something called Windows 8.1 with Bing, it's unclear what this bundling would mean to users", a somewhat less sure, and perhaps more realistic approach. As Paul points out though, a leaked version is already out, so the possibility is very real that this could see the light of day.

Continue reading →

When Microsoft was forced to change the name of its cloud storage from SkyDrive, many people thought it was unfair -- myself included. After all, SkyTV is an entirely different product. But oh well, what's done is done. Truth be told, I like the OneDrive name better; it was a blessing in disguise.

By default, the service comes with 7 GB -- more than enough for the average user to store documents. However, users can get an additional 3 GB for enabling auto-backup for pictures on their mobile device. Today though, Microsoft announces a way to get a 100GB for free, with Bing Rewards. That is a lot of space!

Continue reading →

Bing continues to expand its search options, as Microsoft takes on Google. It's an uphill battle, but not one that is completely out of the question. The search engine has many features to earn it recommendations, including a clean interface and easy access to locations and simple glance for local events.

Now the company is rolling out timelines, a way to get more information on your people searches. "We now show you important events in the timeline of influential or famous people’s lives. In the case of Henry Ford, we highlight several events of Henry’s life including his marriage and early career of farming and running a saw-mill in 1888, incorporating the Ford Motor Company in 1903, and his retirement from the company in 1918", Bing's Richard Qian states.

Continue reading →

Microsoft is expanding its collection of Bing apps on Windows Phone with the addition of Bing Health & Fitness. The offering, that debuted on Windows 8.1 last year, is meant for "Microsoft testing purposes only", but is available to download for other users as well, provided they want to eat healthy and stay in shape.

"The Bing Health & Fitness app helps you stay on top of health and fitness trends and provides the tools you need to support a healthy lifestyle. Designed for Windows Phone, the Health & Fitness app brings together great fitness, nutrition and health content, along with trackers, tools and other features", says the app's description. Now let's take a look at its features.

Continue reading →

As the world of technology evolves, so does money. People are paying for things using their smartphones and shunning cash. However, while services like Google Wallet use standard currencies, a new type has emerged from the depths of the internet -- Bitcoin.

This relatively new virtual currency is all the rage, being accepted at many businesses, including the Sacramento Kings -- an NBA franchise. If that isn't mainstream, I do not know what is. Today, Microsoft announces that it too is getting cozy with Bitcoin, by way of Bing.

Continue reading →

The Olympic games are a very special time, where the top athletes from around the world compete on behalf of their respective country. Sadly, this year, the winter games are tainted by terrorist threats and an anti-equality stance by the host country. Also, some visitors to Sochi, Russia are finding that the living conditions in the hotels are abhorrent -- undrinkable water, dirty rooms and more.

But enough about the bad stuff, Microsoft wants to help you focus on the positive things -- the actual sporting events, with the help of Bing. It may get the silver medal when it comes to search-engine market share, but that won't stop it from going for the gold in this respect.

Continue reading →

Google is the undisputed search king, but it is not the only player in town. Microsoft's Bing is a distant second, but some people prefer it. While I prefer Google's offering for search, I like Bing for one thing -- rewards.

Yes, Bing Rewards is pretty darn cool, as it provides perks to users for simply using the service. This is a win-win relationship as users earn points for searching and Microsoft gains search activity. Users can then redeem points for things like raffles and gift cards. Sadly though, the experience was not available for mobile -- until today. Microsoft releases Bing Rewards for iOS and Android. Shockingly, Windows Phone is not yet supported.

Continue reading →

When it comes to American Football, I am a big fan of the Jets. This is a great tragedy in my life, as this team has been consistently bad for many years. There is only one time a year that I will support a different team -- Superbowl Sunday.

Yes, I like to pick one of the two teams to root for during the big game. Typically, I pick it arbitrarily -- whoever has the prettier cheerleaders, cooler quarterback, etc. This year, I am rooting for the Denver Broncos, because I like Peyton Manning. As a Jets fan, I don't get many opportunities to root for a quality quarterback. However, according to Bing, I am in the minority, as the majority of my state, New York is rooting for the Seattle Seahawks.

Continue reading →

When it comes to news, I no longer bother with the television. Nowadays, I just visit the web for my daily fix of news stories. However, while some of the cable news companies such as CNN and MSNBC may do poorly in the ratings, Fox News actually does rather well and is typically number one. In other words, people are watching.

When it comes to search engines, Microsoft's Bing is a distant second to Google, but second nonetheless. With that said, the second rated search engine is teaming up with the top rated cable news company for real-time State of the Union polling.

Continue reading →

I have often wondered how many Windows Phone users are relying on Google Search, instead of Bing, to look things up on the InterWebs. The percentage should not be very high seeing as Microsoft deeply integrates Bing with the dedicated search button and makes it the default choice for processing queries from Internet Explorer. I can imagine the software giant saying "This time they will all bing it, not google it" and doing an evil laugh afterwards.

To use Google instead of Bing, Windows Phone users can change the default search engine in the Internet Explorer settings and/or navigate to its web page and look things up from there. Personally, I prefer the former route as it is more convenient and faster, though I would not be surprised to learn that there are people who are not familiar with this option. However, Microsoft does not allow users to change the default search engine when using the dedicated search button. As you can see, the odds favor Bing. It should, therefore, be the users' favorite by a long shot, shouldn't it? The answer is not so clear.

Continue reading →