- Bing's image search offers infinite scroll in their results page with hover mouse info over thumbnails. Great tool to find what you want quicker and more effectively. Google must have thought so, too, because then they changed their image search results from this to this last July.
- Bing has convenient navigation tools on the left-hand side of the search results screen. In May of 2010, Google decided that they wanted to add navigation tools on their pages and said that they came up with the idea years ago. I'm not doubting they did, but their implementation of it all was timely.
- Bing uses technology from Farecast for its travel tool, which is quite intuitive. If you've never used it before, I suggest giving it a try. It will obviously give you airline ticket prices, but it also watches for trends and can predict when a fare will likely rise or fall in price. In July 2010, Google agreed to purchase travel-search software company ITA Software for $700 million to create their own travel search tool.
- When Bing was first launched, they featured daily, beautiful photos on their main page (and still do). Shortly after, Google started adding "background images" to theirs. Surprised? Oh well, they had to change up that stale white background at some point, right?
I love that when Google copies Bing, they "improved" something. Yet when Bing copies Google... watch out! "Microsoft should be ashamed!" "Bing sucks!" "They stole from them!" "Microsoft's monopoly will come to an end!" "This should be illegal!" This anti-Microsoft rhetoric litters the web these days and I don't understand why people can't see it.
Just like all of Google's "enhancements", their timing on bringing the Bing copying search results issue up is appropriate. Search engine market share has been rising for Bing. Google's accusations are further proof that this is true and that they might be a little worried about it. Personally, I don't think they need to worry, but I can't tell them what to do. I do know that they never seem to bother attacking other smaller search engines probably because they don't need to worry about them.
Of course working for Microsoft gives me a bias, but let me just say that I never use Bing search. Google is still my preferable search engine. They have better algorithms. I find what I want faster on Google than I do on Bing. Period. So, don't make this about me and how I'm just trying to defend the company I work for because that's not it. I just want to point out the hypocrisy of it all and how Apple fanboys and Googlebots just love to rip on Microsoft at any chance they get. When Windows 7 came out, people put it down as just another Vista. When Windows Phone 7 came out, people underrated it and did not give it the recognition it deserved. When Kinect came out, people said it wasn't going to sell well and that it was just a copy-cat of Wii without the controller. I love Apple products and I love Google, and I love Nintendo. For example, just the other day my sister-in-law asked me what phone she should buy and I told her to buy an iPhone even though I have Windows Phone 7 and love it. I just have the ability to recognize that, overall, the iPhone is still a better phone. I have no loyalty to any one company. So why must these other blogs and tech webzines say such negative things about the company?
Here is a list of products I currently prefer in certain categories:
Phone - Apple iPhone (might change to WP7 after the next update or two)
Operating System - Microsoft Windows 7/Windows Server 2008 R2
Gaming Console - Sony PlayStation 3
Web Browser - Mozilla Firefox
Music Store - Microsoft Zune
Music Player - Apple iPod Nano
Portable Gaming System - Nintendo DS
Video Player - VLC Player
Office Suite - Microsoft Office 2010
FWIW, here's Bing's response to all this, but it's not that important. They don't really admit to stealing, but they also don't deny it. For the sake of argument, let's just say Bing is indeed copying from Google. It won't be the first time and it certainly won't be the last. But the same goes for vice versa and with other companies, too. If you're going to hate on Microsoft, then you better hate on Google the next time it adds a Bing-like feature.
And let us not forget that competition is a good thing. Look at the spark that's ignited between AT&T and Verizon since the announcement of the iPhone being available soon on the latter's service. Prices are going down and data packages are improving. Competition always benefits the consumers in the end, and we can't really complain about that.
Yes, there is a certain hypocrisy to it. Search engines are just aggregating work that has been done by others. But wasn't there was just as big of a copycat uproar when Google changed their blank white layout? So it's not one sided MS-bashing, it's fair turnabout. And let's face it, page layout changes aren't rocket science, they're window dressing. So it says a lot more to a nerd-- and nerds are the ones who follow these stories.
ReplyDeleteI don't think there was nearly as big of an uproar when Google changed their background as there was with this. I think one reason is because Microsoft didn't really go after them and turn it into a huge debacle like Google has done. In fact, MSft kind of made fun of it and took it as a sign of flattery. The other reason I think there wasn't as much of an uproar is because the general tech public, or "nerds", have a predisposition with Microsoft. It reeks all over sites like Engadget, Gizmodo, Mashable, etc. When any one company reaches the top, people have this inclination to suddenly be against it. I'm sure there's a deeper psychology to it that I can't even touch on, but I guarantee you this... Apple is on top now and they will one day fall. And then they will be looked at in the same light Microsoft in seen in today. Already, I've noticed the tone change for Apple.
ReplyDeleteI guess I have a problem with wrongfully informing the public and that same public not really researching the matter on their own. The websites reporting this story should have some of the same facts I've listed in my post. They don't. I've had a couple people tell me that anyone not receiving a paycheck from Microsoft agrees that they're just this heartless monopoly that is stealing from other companies because of losing market share and profit. I actually see it as quite the opposite. I think anyone not receiving a paycheck from Microsoft has no right to judge the company on this type of level.
We do good things... great things. We raised more than $96 million for 16,000+ community organizations last year. Kinect is being explored and researched to help in non-gaming forms like in hospitals, as a radar, and real-time 3D. We sent aid to Haiti after the devastating earthquake last year, including posting options where the public could donate on Bing and MSN, and we continue to support the rebuilding of the country. So, it hurts and it's completely wrong when people call a company I work for evil, or deceptive, or just plain bad. I uphold the belief that I am working with some of the smartest people in the world who enjoy what they are doing. Sure, not everything Microsoft does turns out great, but it's all for that one common goal, to make this world a better place.
You won't get any disagreement from me there, Cam. There is some absurdity to the crowd that magnifies all of the big guys' mistakes while ignoring their own. And I have major respect for the charitable work.
ReplyDeleteI think if you want to point out Google's hypocrisy on this it might be more relevant to look back at news websites who complained that Goog was ripping their content and then profiting off of it. Or the controversy over scanning all those books without author permission... etc, etc!
If they were really smart, instead of making a PR stunt out of it though they should have found a way to poison the food traveling back to MS land. A nerd would appreciate that tactic more, I think. Although, at the end of the day I doubt either approach will have any effect on Bing's share of traffic.
Very true. Thanks so much for commenting!
ReplyDeleteInteresting commentary, Cam. I think you're right in that both have stolen ideas from each other. I don't see a bigger fuss being made over Bing's copying compared to Google's, though. Of course, it could be that I just haven't read the same articles.
ReplyDeleteHowever, if Google have indeed made a bigger deal about this, I can't see how you can say that Bing's gain in market share "proves" it! That's an assumption, not proof!
I agree, though, that Microsoft hate does exist out there, but I don't see it in Engadget...just 'cause they weren't blown away by Windows Phone 7 (neither were many sites/people - though as I said before, I really like it), doesn't mean they're biased!
Also, Microsoft was always the poster child for the monopoly/antitrust model...their business practices have been proven to be criminal in.some cases, so as they've fallen from number one, you have to expect some satisfaction from critics.
On the other hand, they've also been innovative, philanthropic (who would argue with Bill and Melinda's charity work and the money they've given away) and had the foresight to get in on the ground floor of something that would change the world forever.
I also agree that Apple, now on top, will feel the same backlash ( and probably deserve it more, IMO!!), as will Google if/when they get to number one (though Google hate is probably more rife than Apple hate at the moment).
(Oh, and I like your favorite electronics list...has inspired me to do a blog post of my own about it!)