Everybody knows about Microsoft's recent re-branding and re-engineering of Live Search, Bing, and how it has recently become available for the public to use. There was certainly a big fuss kicked up over this; there was an immense amount of speculation about 'Kumo' beforehand, and many people had their own ideas on what it could be. Now that everything is cleared up, the initial launch hype has died down a bit, and the rumors are gone, the question remains... how will Bing do against Google? Or, perhaps just as importantly... how do Google feel about it?Most people thought that since Google has the largest market share out of all search engines, to the point where people now say they will "Google" something instead of searching for it, that they would not be too worried about competitors; according to the New York Post, this is quite the opposite. Apparently, Google co-founder Sergey Brin is worried enough about the new competition from Microsoft that he has put together a team of top engineers, to begin making vast improvements to the web service starting immediately. Brin is the head of said team, and the project they will be working on is trying to determine how Bing's search algorithm is different from that of his own; an insider (who asked to remain anonymous) said that, "New search engines have come and gone in the past 10 years, but Bing seems to be of particular interest to Sergey."
Additionally, it is said to be rare that the Google founders join on the daily operations of the company, so having one of them back leading a team there must be quite significant. Bing launched with a hefty "$80 million [to] $100 million" advertising budget behind it, which could also be cause for concern for Google. The new "decision engine" has already reached a market share of 11% (though this was reported that it could just be from the initial influx of users testing it out), over half of Yahoo!'s 20%, though still far behind Google's 60%. Regardless of what's happening, these rumors do help nail in the fact that competition is most definitely a good thing... with companies wanting to push their products and services to be the best, consumers will never come off second best.
Image courtesy of the NY Times.
So, claiming Bing gained 11% market share in a month is flat out wrongo.
So, claiming Bing gained 11% market share in a month is flat out wrongo.
+1
So, claiming Bing gained 11% market share in a month is flat out wrongo.
Using the following as a source for figures (maybe slightly outdated)
http://statowl.com/search_engine_market_share.php
I disagree, as that would only convert the Windows Live Search Market Share to bing which would be 2.16%, so how do you account for the other 8.74%?
Bing is pulling in about 6% on its own.
Yep. People don't seem to realize this, but it's the same search engine as before, just improved.
Would you be complaining if a new version of Google's search engine that redirected from the old one gained 60% market share in a month?
Um, you're not including MSN.com's search engine is been Binged as well, etc. etc.
The point is that ALL of MS's OS/IE default search engines "became" Bing overnight.
So the date is BS, plain and simple.
Is it just me or Ballmer looks like a politician and Larry looks like a rock star. So which search engine do you think rocks. There is subliminal ad in there somewhere. Google is even better in advertisement.
The point is that ALL of MS's OS/IE default search engines "became" Bing overnight.
So the date is BS, plain and simple.
Agreed the data is false. It ads up all together. To seem more when it might be just a slight inkling on my part that its the same.
And if Bing is "good enough" after all this time, then users will make the special effort to move to Google by default less and less.
So yes, Google will ALWAYS be worried about whatever MS does...as they should be.
However, right now, Google CLEARLY has the database advantage over Bing. Bing return a FRACTION of the results that Google does for similar queries (especially image searches).
And I mean, Bing is not even close to Google in that regard.
It is already the default (live.com redirects to bing.com) yet people are still taking the time to change their default search engine to Google, so they must be doing something right
The same can be said for every 3rd party browser defaulting to Google and most of them can't be changed.
So, I fail to see your point.
Most of them can't be changed? What?
Got to admit, also changed my default from Google to Bing. They both to offer about the same results, with maybe a slight advantage going to Google, but the layout and ease of use with Bing is much, much better. Believe that Google can easily remedy this by updating or improving their user interface, but until then, I am using Bing. In other words, yeah, Google should be concerned.
hmm, i never knew that there was still Windows Live Search and MSN , in addition to Bing?
They have to be right every time for quite a while to cement user loyalty.
I tried a specific search (obscure character's name) and will note Bing was marginally better, but not in a world-shattering way.
Specifically, Google found about 900 social network profiles with people taking the name as their username, while Bing instead showed a lot of links to sites selling the source media.
Neither would be huge wins if you just want more info.
i think Bing is great for browsing nsfw content. Google can keep its share of office-friendly websites.
Google do that for a reason and always have - people just want search, so that's what they get. I've just gone to the Bing homepage and I've got a picture of a beach hut in the middle of the sea - what exactly has that got to do with search again?
I will periodically give Bing a go (if I ever remeber) but Google always finds me what I want.. if it's on the internet, I can find it with Google. If that's all I want from my search (fast, accurate results) then why would I want to try anything else? Microsoft need to, somehow, develop some killer new features here.
[...] people just want search, so that's what they get. I've just gone to the Bing homepage and I've got a picture of a beach hut in the middle of the sea - what exactly has that got to do with search again?
You can't speak for everyone, so please say "some people" or "most people", in future. I don't want what Google has, when searching. Their design is disgusting. You can create a minimal design without making it look horrible; Google obviously cannot, though.
I love Bing's design. I think it is pretty minimal and very clear anyway and it loads fast.
The background image, isn't needed, of course, but it makes my search experiences much more enjoyable, especially as I used it so often. It's nice to see a new beautiful picture every day.
Obviously, everybody knows there is more to a search engine than its 'look'. It's features are more important, but Bing has better features than Google (as explained below) as well as better relevancy (as far as I can tell and from my results in the Blind Search).
They have, which is why Sergay is worried. Bing has website previews, the built-in PowerSet technology (meaning, among other things, it casn bring Wikipedia articles, official health articles on conditions/deseases etc, into the actual search results page when you search for it. So there is no need to click on a load of links to find the right result - it knows what you are looking for. If it doesn't know what you are looking for, it will provide the links.
Also, try searching for "Translate hello" or "hello in spanish" etc. You'll see some fantastic and quick translation integration into the search. This is there, along with some basic and scientific calculations. Bing even has sin cos and tan calculations, unlike Google.
Each to their own, but I would suggest you try Bing because you can also get fast, accurate, results, but with a wider variety of useful features, like the ones I mentioned above. You cannot get that look you like with Bing, so you would have to use Google for that, but Bing is definately worth a try, for the features and for what I think is a much better look
Last edited by Calum on 15 Jun 2009 - 12:11
"I'm Binging it now" as opposed to "I'm Goggling it now"
Sounds weird somehow....
"I'm Binging it now" as opposed to "I'm Goggling it now"
Sounds weird somehow....
"Have you Bing it[sic]"
"I'm Goggling it now[sic]"
Well, it certainly sounds stoopid when you say it....
I Binged it? or I Bang it;-)
"I'm Binging it now" as opposed to "I'm Goggling it now"
Sounds weird somehow....
I think we're just kind of used to it. If Bing gets popular, no doubt that'll be phrased by people also.
I will still be using Bing in 3 months and yet I use products from a range of software companies - Apple, Microsoft, Adobe, Mozilla.
Therefore, your prediction is wrong.
ROFL! How can my three month prediction be wrong, just a few hours after making it? Oh, bless you... You are funny, in a quaint sort of way. You were really in that much of a hurry to defend Microsoft's honour, that you threw logic and sense right out the window, didn't you?
No, I didn't.
Your prediction is wrong.
You predicted that the only people muttering the word 'Bing' in terms of search, in three months time, would be those people who would chew on horse dung if Microsoft branded it for them.
I told you I would be using Bing, for searching, and muttering the word Bing, in 3 months time and also after that time. I am hardly one of those people you described, therefore, your prediction is completely wrong
Keeping in mind that other, better, products may possibly be released within 3 months, I can still guarantee (100%) that I will definately be using Bing in 3 months time, at least.
How is being logical, like I am, throwing sense and logic right out of the window?
The fact that you think I am defending a company's honour just because I am stating how good their search engine is, defies logical thinking. I am promoting the product, not the company.
However, I agree it is really annoying that they haven't given Europe half as good a product as the US have received.
There must be a reason for this and I would like to hear it!
PC USER 2: Google it!
PC USER 2: Google it!
PC 1: Where is "Google"?
PC 3: Yahoo it!
PC USER 2: Google it!
PC 1: Where is "Google"?
PC 3: Yahoo it!
PC USER 1: Why are these google jokes lame?
PC USER 10: Bing It
PC USER 2: Google it!
PC 1: Where is "Google"?
PC 3: Yahoo it!
PC1: I would but the crap page makes my eyes hurt there's so much text on it!
That's quite a stretch
I expect you think the same about your operating system as well then and every other website you visit? Yes? You would like everything to be plain white? The desktop, taskbar/dock, menus, explorer; with horrible blue links everywhere to access programs and features of the operating system?
Fair enough... each to their own. (If you do not think this, then why is a search engine any different? Just because the average person is not on it for as long, they tend to use them frequently. I see no reason why their search experience shouldn't be as enjoyable).
I find that Bing's beautiful interface, design and background image really do make my search experience more enjoyable
That's all I'm trying to figure out
Last edited by Calum on 15 Jun 2009 - 12:29
I never once mentioned the word 'Microsoft'. I never defended Microsoft, as a company. I spoke about their product, Bing, only. Also, I didn't reply to every comment, at all; I didn't even reply to half of the comments. I replied to some comments.
I stated my opinion on Microsoft's search engine, Bing and defended that product when it was needed.
A lot of people are not giving Bing a chance, with an open mind and many of these assume that Google is better, when they haven't even given Bing a chance.
I, as a consumer, would like Bing to do well and beat Google, because it is a much better search engine, so I don't see what's wrong with defending it when people state the opposite to what I believe? Isn't that what the comments section is for? Meaningful discussion?
Also, I do not work for Microsoft. I'm a software developer, currently working for a security-based software company.
I just realise the benefits in things and give new products a chance when they deserve it. Just like I originally gave Google and Yahoo! a chance.
MS announced a platform a while ago. It's called Live Mesh. What they just released was an update to their existing search engine.
Oh and I suggest you check out dev.live.com too.
Did you happen to try the Blind Search at all?
Did you happen to try the Blind Search at all?
In all my 5 trials, I picked google. But, bing was extremely close in my opinion. I am surprised.
The one thing that does it for me, is that because I'm in spain, bing will give me spains results. I have to change my location to the US (there isn't a "global" version, like there is with youtube, for example) in order to actually get efficient results.
That's a feature I've always hated in google as well, because it doesnt really make it easy for you to be able to tell where the hell you are searching stuff at. I was in finland, using a windows computer with spanish locales. The mix up between the spanish google, the finnish google, and the "google.COM in english" (which i consider to be the global one) was just too much. Bing at least lets you choose easily, but it lacks a global version.
If I use the default spanish bing page (even if the page it's in english, it's still results from spain), and make searches in english, it gives me totally unrelated results in spanish. Spanish google would show results in english, but with the wrong order, of course.
Btw, I've tried Bing, but it doesn't feel as clean and as trustfull as google search =\
Totally agree, if I need to search videos/images, I've been using Bing.
It's design the matters here to an extent. If they refine their search results a little more and remove some of the crap even better!
Their home page isn't even web standards compliant http://validator.w3.org/check?uri=http%3A%...=Inline&group=0
What a ridiculous thing to ask. Of course they are.
Just as Microsoft is worried that Google will keep their marketshare. Anyone who is in the game and isn't a moron knows they can't just build the "best" search and be done. It has to continually be improved. Though brand loyalty is a factor, every competitor has to work hard to maintain their regulars and to attract new ones.
I used to hate Live Search because when you where querying large subjects like "Bolivia" the first results would be little and unknown websites while Google would show Wikipedia.
But Bing is not just a re-branded Live Search. Some times ago, Microsoft bought Powerset which was a promising startup everyone talked about because of it's knew way to sort the web results. Now Powerset is part of Bing.
For what I've seen of Bing so far, it just rocks.
So I choose Bing over google.
Gameboy
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