The Next Web

Bing is live. I already know I’ll be sticking with Google.

By Zee
June 1, 2009
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Bing is live. I already know Ill be sticking with Google.[Visit here. You can also try Bing out for your own country TLD (.co.uk, .fr, .jp etc..). ]

After admittedly only trying the new Microsoft search engine for 20 minutes, there really is no question in my mind that whilst Bing may have it’s 15 minutes of fame, the majority of users will unquestionably remain with Google – as will I.

There are some neat little touches, such as the video playback, and results do show rather fast, but the fact is there really isn’t enough distinguishing the two services. Results, so far, are not unlike some of the results I’ve seen in better new search engines (like DuckDuckGo) – rather good, but still not good enough to break the habits of my nimble fingers or stubborn mind.

A friend asked if I could give him a few tips to promote his movie online this morning. I decided to Google it and Bing it to compare results, Bing and Google. The results really do speak for themselves, as they should.

However, irrespective of features, habits and results, there is one major obstacle which, for now at least, will keep Microsoft at bay…

Bing is live. I already know Ill be sticking with Google.

Family

Google have cleverly built a family of services, the majority of which put to shame anything that Microsoft has released online. The user retention levels (thanks to products like GMail, Docs, Gtalk, iGoogle, YouTube, Calendar) make Google a place where I spend 80% of my online time. One way or another, I’ll end up back on Google Search until I know for a fact – that another search engine is offering results I can’t find as easily on Google.

Seth Godin put it best recently when he said

“Microsoft really shouldn’t focus on being the ‘next’ Google but instead “try to be the other, the changer, the new. If Microsoft adds a few features and they prove popular, how long precisely will it take Google to mirror or even leapfrog those features?”

Microsoft will now reportedly launch a $100 million ad campaign to drive interest in the new search engine and if they’re lucky, a few “non geeks” will try it out for a minute or two, think “what a nice picture” when they type in their first search, might find what they’re looking for but realise they could have done the exact same thing with Google. With a $100 million, you could build something big, something special, something different, something potentially revolutionary…instead Microsoft are telling us to try something new with no difference in outcome.

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  • Mr False Name
    my test seach:
    How old is gordon brown

    Google: 58 years (1st entry)

    Bing
    Gordon Brown voted on.... bla bla

    Sorry, I am staying with google unless I have missed something important.
  • Mr False Name
    Had a look at the videos page and yes it is very fast and
    simple and a lot of good results.

    So maybe its a goer.
  • mahrain
    Is that a Snow Leopard i see there?
  • BestManEver
    I agree that video page is good.
  • BestManEver
    The images are good too. Fast, better displayed than google
    and more on one page. Impressive IMO.
  • BestManEver
    Why cannot they design a search engine that understands
    sentences - it can't be so damn difficult
    I am so so sick of reading inappropriate results to searches.
  • Search result quality is of course mission critical so MSFT will have to do better. Yet one feature I find very positive is the Quick Preview that shows content from sites that allow it. For people trying to decide which site to click on, all that extra info will potentially help a great deal. Just wrote about it in my blog.
  • Agreed, but its something Google could implement in a few hours and there are literally hundreds of extensions out there which provide similar functionality.
  • yes, valid point. Thats why my article says Google should pay attention. I'm sure they will too. The main point though is that Microsoft is actually starting to think intelligently, at least to the degree that's possible :-)
  • Well, I found some interesting results Binging (ugh) my own name. It does -in a way- provide a more allround picture of my online activities, including comments on blogs and mentions on other sites. It would be nice to have a real choce in search.

    It is not Google yet, but don't underestimate the power of $100 million spent on marketing. And expect it to show up on a windows desktop near you ;-)
  • When you search something on Bing...you´re still gonna use the term "I´m going to GOOGLE...". Therefore Bing will never be bigger than Google. No one will ever say: "I´m going to BING..."
  • Martin, I'm able to get there on My G1.
  • Ow. ok.
    So, why are they spending that amount on advertising and not on improving their results?
  • $100 million -> what about a decent Operating System?
  • jamesD
    Did you notice the presentation, organization of results? Much better than Google. In this front I think Bing makes Google look old and slow and boring.

    Also, did you check shopping? Kudos to cashback (finally someone is sharing the search revenue with the buyers!)
    And more, The farecast predictions are AWESOME! Just try “sea to sfo” and see the price chages in the next 30 days.
  • Peopleunit
    In the long haul, I think you'll find Bing to be faster. That and you're all just being silly passing judgment on Bing so early on. Also, I don't think its so much that people kick the tires and give Bing a short test drive, its more about convincing people to switch the search engine default in their browser. Furthermore, the cash back incentives of "Live" search still has potential and perhaps integrating that function into Bing, and simplifying the whole learning curve will help 'bring things into focus.'

    Like Zenith TV's (used to be anyway), it what's on the inside that counts.
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