Bing Demystified! (not really)
Before I rushed to any snap judgment on Bing - Microsoft's newly unveiled search engine - I wanted to give it a fair shake and use it for a few weeks in order to render a fair verdict. While it's difficult not to compare every aspect of Bing to Google, the reality of the search world is that Google is the benchmark by which all engines shall be judged. That being said, here are a few of the Bing highlights (and lowlights) after spending a bit of time using it over the past month.
Let's start with the biggie - the results. The results are solid....and fast. I think their algorithms and "decision engine" lingo they are touting in their marketing are holding true. Point in case, a vanity search for my name "paul ten haken". Bing's first page includes my LinkedIn, Twitter, and Digg profiles, some news mentions, an old blog I used to author - all very relevant info to the search string. For Google, I get some of the same but a Classmates, Twitterholic, and Twellow entry make their way to the top 10. Enough with the stinkin' Twitter apps! And Classmates? Haven't done a thing there since 2002. Still top 10? C'mon.
Bing image search rocks. Nuff said. The endless scrolling, the sorting options, the rollover effects. Image search is fun again. Google, by comparison, continues to avoid the pagination issue and makes users click through page after page versus allowing for a much higher number on a single screen.
The interface. The look and feel of the Bing results page feels very Googleish. The Bing.com main page usually has a nice, shiny photo that capitvates the viewer...at least those like me that appreciate a nice, high res image. There is something to be said about Google's minimalistic start page, but the Bing imagery is refreshing. And as a 100% Dutchman, I continue to see pictures of windmills, Amsterdam, and other Dutch nostalgia. Coincidence or freaky hertiage image targeting? The related searches and search history on the left are also handy, whereas Google buries related searches at the bottom of the screen.
The buzz. Yes, this isn't exactly a feature of Bing. But the rollout of Bing has been a success thus far, from the outstanding TV spots ("search is sick, Bing is the cure") to the mostly postive Tweets flying around from a typically critical Twitterverse.
Overall. There's a lot more to be said about Bing. Overall, the engine is great and certainly is giving the Google execs a reason to be bit nervous. They obviously have a big hill to climb (as of last week, Bing owned about 5% ot total search volume). Will I depart from my Google loyalty? Maybe. Is Microsoft on the right track to getting me there? Absolutely.




