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Bing introduces real time Twitter search results

Sean Bradford   on 02 July 2009 - 06:27 · 13 comments & 4462 views

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We knew it was going to happen; now even Microsoft is experimenting with the "phenomenon" called Twitter. Today Microsoft unveiled a fresh new feature that will list the two latest tweets from that user when you search for them on Bing.com.

Microsoft's Sean Suchter, General Manager at the Search Technology Center in Silicon Valley, announced that "Starting later today, when you search for these folks names in association with Twitter, you'll see their latest Tweets come up in real time on Bing's search results. For example, if you type "Kara Swisher Twitter" or "Kara Swisher Tweets" or even "@karaswisher" as your search query, you'll see something like the below. (Note this feature will be rolling out gradually over the course of the next few hours so you may not see it right away.)"

However after using the feature for awhile, users have noticed that the results really aren't real-time updates, which is what the Bing team was aiming for. Do a quick search for "Kara Swisher Twitter" and you will see the following:



However Kara Swisher's latest tweets are:



While Microsoft's attempt is one of the better implementations of Twitter's real time search API, it appears as if the feature needs a bit of work to provide users with real time tweets. Suchter also announced that Bing is not indexing all of Twitter at this time. Only a few thousand accounts are being shown in Bing's search results, and are coming from famous people.

Post a comment · Send to friend Comments · There are 13 additional comments
(4 replies) #1 andrewbares on 02 Jul 2009 - 06:36
haha. Her "Tweets" are pretty out-dated.

But this is going to be a cool feature, just one more reason why Bing is the best!
#1.1 Krome on 02 Jul 2009 - 06:40
Looks like Microsoft is getting things right for once.
#1.2 GP007 on 02 Jul 2009 - 07:27
Nice new feature.
#1.3 dimithrak on 02 Jul 2009 - 13:21
Not the best yet.. but yeah.. I wonder how long it would really take for Google to start sweating about this.. hmmm i say maybe another 5 years.. its just too hard to dent such a massive market share..
#1.4 CJ. on 02 Jul 2009 - 18:36
dimithrak said,
Not the best yet.. but yeah.. I wonder how long it would really take for Google to start sweating about this.. hmmm i say maybe another 5 years.. its just too hard to dent such a massive market share..

Just because it's going to be hard to beat Google, it doesn't mean Microsoft don't have the better product Bing has many features Google doesn't have, for example, the translation searches within the search engine (not just through the Bing Translator) and whilst Google also has a couple of features Bing doesn't have, I believe Bing's features are much more useful.

In my opinion, Bing far outshines Google in both features and relevancy of results
#2 Jugalator on 02 Jul 2009 - 07:38
Seems better to visit Twitter itself if it's that outdated?

Or do these twitter feeds appear if searching on other things than "Kara Switter [sic] Twitter", which makes it feel like it's just a way of going to an outdated mirror of twitter.com/karaswisher.
(2 replies) #3 RAID 0 on 02 Jul 2009 - 11:02
If you "twitter"... you need to die in a fire.
#3.1 dr spock on 02 Jul 2009 - 14:45
+1
#3.2 dimithrak on 02 Jul 2009 - 19:03
+100,000,000,000,000 ++ twitter is such a stupid waste of time for ppl who don't have proper careers..lol
#4 AnthoWin on 02 Jul 2009 - 12:26
"You've been Bing-ed!"
as opposed to "you've been twittered!"
#5 C_Guy on 02 Jul 2009 - 14:46
Microsoft must have missed the memo about Twitter being a very temporary fad.
#6 CJ. on 02 Jul 2009 - 18:38
Why the harsh comments about Twitter? If you don't like it, why comment? Many people do like it and use it daily; myself not included.

Back on topic, to the article in hand, this looks like quite a useful feature and even though it may not have fully rolled out yet, it appears it is only available in certain markets :/ Yet again, Microsoft continue with this stupid problem..
#7 Mike Chaliy on 02 Jul 2009 - 21:39
Hm, just typed "Kara Switter Twitter" to the bing and got exactly this page.... This is real time I bither about.

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