| Microsoft will launch its newest search engine | | | | Unlike Google, related search results are placed in a |
| offering, Bing, soon. Rather than just another search | | | | left column instead of at the bottom of the page, |
| engine that dishes out results based on popularity as | | | | together with a bar of links running down the left |
| was its previous two attempts with Live Search and | | | | side of the search results page that aim to help |
| MSN Search, Bing is being reformatted as a 'decision | | | | organise results. It also keeps track of recent |
| engine'. | | | | searches and enables users to email links from that |
| It aims to clean up the smorgasbord of results | | | | search history or share them on Facebook. |
| thrown at users when searching for a solution on the | | | | Instead of being directed to another site based on |
| Web to allow users to make decisions to their | | | | the search results, users looking to shop or check |
| not-so-simple questions like 'Where to go for dinner?' | | | | airfares online will find the information they need on |
| Since drawing excitement as 'Kumo' with some of its | | | | the Bing result page itself. A search on airfare will |
| features revealed on the Microsoft blog in March, | | | | bring up results from Farecast which features the |
| Microsoft has since renamed their new search engine | | | | Price Predictor that charts the best time to buy an |
| Bing. "The name is short, it's easy to say, it works | | | | air ticket so as to get you the biggest savings. Bing |
| globally," quipped Microsoft CEO, Steve Ballmer. | | | | makes shopping a convenient experience by bringing |
| Bing might find it an insurmountable battle with search | | | | together price comparisons, images and reviews, not |
| engine giant Google though. According to research | | | | unlike What's more, it claims to get consumers cash |
| group comScore Inc, based on the US search queries | | | | backs from hundreds of online retailers. |
| in April, 65% of searches were ran on Google, with | | | | Bing also reassures the user looking for medical |
| Yahoo coming up a distant second with 20.4% and | | | | information online by providing results from the top |
| Microsoft managing a disappointing 8.2%. | | | | credible medical sources in the world which you can |
| Acknowledging the tough competition, Microsoft | | | | trust. It also refines the results on local searches and |
| hasn't set its sights on beating the giant. Instead, | | | | allows you to filter your results so you get what you |
| Mike Nichols, a general manager in the search | | | | want instead of having to sift through everything a |
| department said: "We want to capture a unique | | | | search engine would usually throw at you. |
| position in consumers' minds. They need to know | | | | Although the search engine market is already |
| why is it that they should use this product." | | | | saturated with big players like Google and Yahoo and |
| While chances are Microsoft will not get a bite of the | | | | country-specific search engines favourable with the |
| Google pie share, Bing might just succeed at | | | | locals, it remains to be seen if Microsoft Bing's fresh |
| attracting some of Yahoo's users. It aims to do so | | | | offerings have the ability to pave its way up the |
| with a set of features that makes it stand out | | | | charts to bring it face to face with Google. |
| against its competitors. | | | | |