After several months in the planning, Microsoft has finally taken the covers off its new web search engine, Bing. Set to go live in under a week, Bing is not just a re branding of Microsoft's previous search site Live Search but is a major update introducing new features and a new interface, touted as a "decision engine".Having been in internal testing for a while under the codename of Kumo, Bing was unveiled today - as expected - at the All Things Digital D7 conference by Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer. Bing is expected to start rolling out in the coming days with worldwide availability expected by June 3.
According to Microsoft, Bing will initially have four main search verticals: shopping around for products (with reviews and price comparisons to help you make your decision), travel planning (using technology from their acquisition of Farecast), researching health conditions (possibly linked to Microsoft HealthVault), and local business search (with integrated reviews and maps).
You may be wondering where such a strange name came from. Yusuf Mehdi, the Senior Vice President of the Online Audience Business Group who demoed Bing on stage at D7 today, reveals "We needed a brand that was as fresh and new [...] A name that was memorable, short, easy to spell, and that would function well as a URL around the world [...] the name needed to clearly communicate that this is something new, to invite you to come back, to re-introduce you to our new and improved service and encourage you to give it a try."
Along with the relaunch, the Virtual Earth mapping platform will now be known as Bing Maps for Enterprise, the advanced travel search features made available from Microsoft's acquisition of Farecast will be fully integrated as Bing Travel, and the Live Search cashback program will also be branded to Bing Cashback.
Will Bing be able to save Microsoft's ever-dwindling search share? The product will have to seriously impress consumers and become an excellent brand if it is going to reach anywhere near Google's search market and many believe that Bing could be aimed more at finally removing Yahoo! search from the competition. An advertising campaign for Bing, costing Microsoft up to $100 million, is expected soon as they try - yet again - to make larger inroads into the world of internet search.
-Have you bing yourself yet?
--No I have not bing myself yet!
well, I guess it sound better than Kumo yourself...lol
They need to change it if they want to be taken any serious.
They need to change it if they want to be taken any serious.
Each to their own, but I really disagree. I love the name. I actually think Google is an ugly name, but I love bing. Bing just rolls off the tongue, it's short and it has a bit of meaning to it. You search for something and "BING!" the answer is there
Its Catull my dear
If Wii can do it, Bing can do it too!
Why thank you, kind sir!
(Sorry had to do it)
Isn't it supposed to be "Ding"?
Bing will be officially rolled out to the public on 6/3 - next Wednesday.
Bing will be officially rolled out to the public on 6/3 - next Wednesday.
So why does the title say "Microsoft officially launches new search at Bing.com"
I don't know why the title says that, because in the second sentence of the first paragraph, it clearly states "Set to go live in under a week,"
how has live search failed exactly? or do you just think it sounds intelligent predicting something will fail for which you have no information or knowledge whatsoever?
Fail as in it's not Google. And I think he has every right to predict whether something will fail or not.
Not without any reasoning.
Last edited by Calum on 29 May 2009 - 02:18
The same thing was said about Yahoo when Google was a kid. The same thing was said about American made cars when Japanese cars like Toyota was just starting out. The same thing was said about foreign TV makers compared to RCA in the early days... See the trend?
It is always easy to see some big company as impossible to replace. Then you look back afterward and no one really thinks about the organization they dethroned anymore...
So don't call it out just yet. If the stuff turns out as good as the promo video I think Google is going to have to reinvent itself really fast. I have always hated web search because it doesn't take context into account. Bing is attempting to do that...
Exactly
I can finally stop using Google and can finally use a search engine which looks nice and is enjoyable to use.
Dude... *sigh* nm...
/multipass!
/multipass!
nice
I get the feeling that Live will mysteriously reappear. I don't think Bing will survive past 2009.
They should have stuck with Kumo as it's not THAT bad.
EDIT: I am pretty sure the tv series "Friends" made it pretty clear to the world that "Bing" was simply not a nice or cool name. For humans or search engines.
Last edited by jordanthegreat on 28 May 2009 - 18:34
Google is a similar name to Bing. In fact, I think Bing is much better. It's all about short words which can be 'verb-alised'.
Google is a similar name to Bing. In fact, I think Bing is much better. It's all about short words which can be 'verb-alised'.
Agreed. Google has never been a good name choice. It sounds like something fumbly and stupid.
True, apple is no more creative with their naming. But at least their iWhatevers roll off the tongue a bit better than Bing.
Google is a similar name to Bing. In fact, I think Bing is much better. It's all about short words which can be 'verb-alised'.
Google is based off of an actual english word. It is just an intentional misspelling of googol. There is probably some meaning to why they used that word as well. I am not sure the same can be said for Bing.
I do remember hearing that about Google.
I think Bing could have some meaning though. Bing is a sound sometimes played when somebody says something and something else says it's right or correct.
In this case, somebody searches for something and "BING!" the correct result which matches their query is displayed
You hope it fails because of the name? Seems a little extreme...
Yes, they could have improved the service without the name change, but it wouldn't get as much traffic as Bing has the potential to gain.
A name is everything when it comes to things like this.
Well then I think you may be missing a significant portion of the real world. Google is now, was always (as long as they've been hugely relevant, at least) and will always (probably) be Google. MSN Live Windows Live Live Search Butterfly Bing I can't keep up. Like Google or hate Google, like Microsoft ro hate Microsoft, they shot themselves in the foot one more time by failing to maintain a longstanding, common name. It's just confusing. Imagine if stores or brands changed name even half the amount they did. It's confusing!
You make it sound like they have changed the name of one product a lot. That's not right.
Microsoft have significantly changed the name of it's search product 4 times - MSN Search > Windows Live Search > Live Search > Bing. I see nothing wrong with that. It's all about evolving to get it right and competition is a very hard thing. They've tried different ways to compete with Google and now they are trying something even more different.
There is now a clear distinction between MSN, Windows Live and Bing. I don't see how any confusion can occur once Live Search has been fully changed over (by June 3)
EDIT - For the record, people still call Windows Live Messenger "MSN", but I've never heard of Live Search referred to as that... ever.
Last edited by Calum on 29 May 2009 - 04:19
The .NET glob was stupid, agreed. They should have left it with the framework.
....not really!
How isn't it?
I am completely clear about what Bing, MSN and Windows Live are in relation to being separate entities and identities.
Bing is for searching and decision making.
MSN is a content portal for news and other content.
Windows Live is a set of software and services which users can make use out of to help them in everyday life and which aid them in their social netowrking. E.g. Mail, Messenger, Spaces, Photos, SkyDrive etc.
I am completely clear about what Bing, MSN and Windows Live are in relation to being separate entities and identities.
Bing is for searching and decision making.
MSN is a content portal for news and other content.
Windows Live is a set of software and services which users can make use out of to help them in everyday life and which aid them in their social netowrking. E.g. Mail, Messenger, Spaces, Photos, SkyDrive etc.
And Google can do that all under ONE name.
I'm sure it will be called Bing Cashback when it's rolled out
wtf microsoft?
I think with calling it Bing it will end up being more popular than if it was called Kumo. It's all about the name a lot of the time.
Hhhmmm... that would probably explain their Search overhaul and new name.
Last edited by Calum on 29 May 2009 - 04:20
lol.... I like the bung it!
and so the bets begin
The videos look very promising!
I love that they've decided to market it as a "decision engine", I just hope the public can relate to that and their marketing campaign is an effective one.
Phil: Hi, how you doing? Thanks for watching.
[Starts to walk away]
Ned: Hey, hey! Now, don't you tell me you don't remember me because I sure as heckfire remember you.
Phil: Not a chance.
Ned: Ned... Ryerson. "Needlenose Ned"? "Ned the Head"? C'mon, buddy. Case Western High. Ned Ryerson: I did the whistling belly-button trick at the high school talent show? Bing! Ned Ryerson: got the shingles real bad senior year, almost didn't graduate? Bing, again. Ned Ryerson: I dated your sister Mary Pat a couple times until you told me not to anymore? Well?
Phil: Ned Ryerson?
Ned: Bing!
Phil: Bing.
Its doing something other engines wont do, display Information you want easy without opening millions of links.
and Stop Saying Google better and this and this. I don't know why you people fight whats better. if you want to search on google, search, want to search on bing easy search. i will use bing for finding out times for flights, info on hollywood stares, movie times etc, and google for google maps, google earth and finding millions of pages on a topic.
Haters use common scene whats microsoft trying to do. not with the Microsoft vs google nonsence
I thought live was ok -- I just didnt like the centered results
I can't wait to try it now and see if it is.
You can't possibly be serious.
Kumo actually sounded remotely cool.
Have you guys not heard someone saying Bingo!!!
That is the expression usually someone gives when they have found exactly what they were looking for....
I think the name Bing sounds pretty cool and very appropriate for a search engine...
Now I use the name google almost daily. Maybe I will be binging it from now on.
Meh!
Chandler Bing is the only thing that bing is good for
Definitely looking forward to trying this out.
name not
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