Pretty Bing gets a facelift with Microsoft update: Can it outshine Yahoo?
The Bing search engine just became a little more interesting following the latest Microsoft update, which consists of image captions, an information carousel, high-definition (1920×1080) backgrounds and a new menu for Office Online.
Microsoft reported that the move comes after Bing users had requested such features through feedback channels. Some of that feedback included, “Wouldn’t it be nice if the Bing homepage picture had a higher resolution so that it actually fills the entire screen for those with large screens?” This comment, along with others, Microsoft said “inspired” them to make the changes to their already dressy background images on the Bing homepage.
It’s not all about looking good, either. The image captions allow users to read details about each particular picture. By moving your mouse over an information button, an image caption will be revealed. Click on that and you not only have the option to download the image and use it for your personal wallpaper, but facts about the image will become available. A carousel of customizable topics will also be travelling at the bottom of the preferred image. If that makes your head spin, there’s also a minimizing option.
The Office Online update means that from the Bing homepage, users are now able to access Word, Excel, PowerPoint, People, Calendar, OneDrive and OneNote.
Bing might be belle of the ball, but Google is by far the most popular stud in the search engine sphere, according to statistics. While Bing is a distant fourth, only a fraction behind its partner Yahoo! Inc., the Yahoo deal with the Mozilla Foundation might change the way things look in terms of rankings. The latest reports on market shares state that Google holds a massive 69.69 percent of the market, with Yahoo at 6.74 percent and Bing at 6.22 percent. The Chinese web company Baidu, Inc, is the second most popular search engine taking 17.17 percent of web searches.
Even though Google is by far the most popular, much of this might be simply down to the habits of users and superior marketing acumen, more than just quality of service. In an opinion poll on Debate.org 75 percent percent of people said that Bing was the better search engine. It remains to be seen if Microsoft, or Yahoo, will ever even get close to Google.
Photo credit: SEOPlanter via photopin cc
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