In this new version, Bing introduces typeless searching, with the goal of reducing the amount of tapping, and copying and pasting that users of the iPad have to do to perform searches in a web browser like Mobile Safari. Does Bing accomplish its goal?

Typeless Searches

The most significant new feature of the 1.1 update of Bing is the ability for users to do typeless searches. When you come across a term, name, or phrase in Bing‘s web browser, you tap the search tool in the menu bar, and instead of copying and pasting the word, you draw a circle over the search term and release. From there, Bing will do the search for you.

In my test of about five different searches, I found that you don’t have to circle in the entire word in order to initiate the process. However, if say your search involves two or more words, drawing the circle is not that easy. And when you’re in search mode there’s no canceling the process and starting over. Bing will search whatever word gets captured in your circle.

So basically the new feature is not all that nifty. In many cases I found that simply pressing my finger on a term and selecting it, and then dragging the blue handles to select one or more words near it, is much easier than the circle method.

Bing also has voice search which is also probably faster than the new method. But try it for yourself and tell us what you think.

Source: Gizmodo

We also have reviewed a number of tools that run multiple searches at a time: Search Opener is a good example.

Today’s little collection includes best multi-feature web-based tools to search at least two search engines and see results side by side (either to compare  them or just to be able to see more search results at a time):

Search in Two Languages Side-by-Side

2Lingual is a web-based tool that works surprisingly fast and lets you search in two languages with one click.

The app uses Google translate to automatically recognize and translate your query into the second language (this feature can be turned off).

Where the fun is:..

Since this app was reviewed by MUO 2 years ago, there have been 2 important improvements:

• The tool now supports 45 languages;
• The tool now offers smooth “Instant” experience (it starts searching before you enter the full query. I wish it had Google Suggest support as well).

There is also Twitter Bilingual (also reviewed by MUO previously) search that works pretty much the same but sourcing results from Twitter real time results. It currently supports 21 languages.

Search Two Search Engines Side-by-Side

There are quite a few tools that let you compare two sets of results side by side. Not all of them offer a quick way to switch between the available search engines though.

The one app that does this job comparatively well is Googawho: just type your query, get the initial columns of results and click through search engines in the header to switch between the engines.

Supported search engines: Google, Yahoo!, Bing, Ask, InfoSpace, AltaVista, Lycos, Dogpile.

Where the fun is:..

• Open results in new tabs / windows by holding SHIFT while clicking the link;
• Click “Tabulizer!” button to open all supported search engine results in new tabs;
• Install Googawho search plugin to easily search from your browser.

Search Two Verticals Side-by-Side

Like the above tool, SearchBoth gives access to several search engines but there’s no easy way to switch between them. What the tool offers though is a handy option to click through vertical search sections, like:

• Images;
• Videos;
• Shopping results;
• News Search
• Blog search.

Note: Googawho does have links for “News”, “Images” and “Videos” as well but they didn’t always work for me.

The ability to search images in two engines simultaneously can really come in handy!

Where the fun is:..

• Hover over any part to enlarge it (or click the “lock” icon to fix the width);
• Navigate through various local tool versions to combine and compare search engines from your country.

Don’t forget to check out related search-productivity tools and tips:

• Easily switch between multiple search engines with FireFox addon Boounce (as well as these addons that let you jump from Google search results to other search engines);
• How To Load Google Search Results In A Preview Panel (On The Same Page): view search results without ever leaving the results page.

Have you ever played with any of the tools above? Do you have your own favorites? Please share your thoughts!

Image Credit: seosmarty

When a user makes a search, any results that can be linked to your Facebook friends will be displayed alongside the list of webpages. For example a search for “Make Use Of” will list friends who have recommended our website (clicked “Like”) or even individual articles, and a “London” search will display a list of Facebook friends living in that area. Occasionally search results may even display recommendations from people not on a user’s contact list to highlight the most popular shared articles.

According to Bing, 90% of shoppers will consult a friend before making a purchase, with 80% holding off buying until a friend approves the purchase. Microsoft reacted to the research by implementing a quick way of discussing potential purchases by selecting a few products and messaging a friend directly from your search results.

Just in case a particular webpage does not have a “Like” button, Microsoft have also refreshed the Bing Toolbar which now contains a dedicated Facebook “Like” button. The Bing Toolbar only works with Internet Explorer 7 or later on the Windows OS.

According to Microsoft, friends play an important part in online searches:

“Bing delivers a more personalized search experience by using the interests shown by your friends. Now you won’t miss potentially interesting information that may have been buried deep within the search results. Bing will surface results, which may typically have been on page three or four, higher in its results based on stuff your friends have liked.”

Read: Facebook Friends Now Fuelling Faster Decisions @ Bing

Is it a Google beater? Will social search really make that much difference to the way you use the web? Do you even care what your friends think? Let us know in the comments below.

With 504 votes collected, the results were: 49% voted for Firefox 4; 26% think Internet Explorer 9 was the most improved; 15% believe Chrome 10 is the most improved; 8% voted for Opera 11; while only 3% think Safari 5 was the most improved browser.

Full results and this week’s poll after the jump.

Firefox 4 and Internet Explorer 9 are considered the most improved browsers by MakeUseOf readers.

And now for a poll question from Ryan Dube asking for your opinion on the search giants.

This week’s poll question is: Will Bing Search Ever Catch Up With Google?

Google has the market right now, but some people are a little disgruntled with search results. Will Google’s purely algorithm-based search stay ahead of the emerging alternatives? Will Bing ever come out on top? What do you think?

Please feel free to elaborate on your answer in the comments! Which search engine do you use? Why will Bing/Google win in the end? What are the major factors at play? How long do you think it will take to find out?

When it comes to Bing Maps, how much do you really know about it? A lot of people avoid it simply because it’s Microsoft. However, if you read through some of our past Bing articles, like Evan’s on planning car trips and Steven’s on some of Bing’s cool map apps, then you know that Bing actually has a lot to offer.

One feature of online mapping sites that I really like is the overhead aerial view that utilizes satellite images and overhead or street photography. Up until now, I really thought that Google completely owned this area. However, it didn’t take very much playing around with Bing Maps aerial view to realize that Google may very well get a run for its money.

Zooming In On Bing Maps Aerial View

The moment I tried zooming far into one of Bing’s “Bird’s Eye” maps, I was stunned by the quality and level of detail when compared to Google.  To get to Bing Maps aerial view, all you have to do is go to Bing Maps, click on the drop-down near the zoom controls and choose “Bird’s eye.” (Notice that “show angled view” is enabled).

When you do, you’ll see the map transform to an overhead view that isn’t really that much different than what you’d find at Google or Mapquest. The differences aren’t really that apparent until you start clicking on that “+” zoom button a few times.

Once you get in close using Bing Maps aerial view, the level of detail becomes much more apparent. I believe this depth of imagery comes from something called “photogrammetry,” which according to the Microsoft News Center is taking the original satellite photographic images and developing geometric properties to produce 3D map images. Whatever it is that creates these impressive images – it adds a level of detail that you just can’t get from Google Maps at many locations.

Just check out this angled, 3D view of the Federal Reserve Bank in Boston, Massachusetts. As you can see, the view provides an angled, 3-dimensional view of the building, the cars and the surrounding land.

Here’s how this view looks on Google Maps aerial view.

As you can see, the amount of detail that you can make out from the angled overhead view is just much more impressive. When you enable the Photosynth feature, you can even take virtual 3D tours of some of these buildings that other users have added to the map.

Other Bing Maps Aerial View Apps

For other photographic views of an area, don’t forget about traffic cams, which you can also enable in the web apps area.

This app enables small icons of cameras throughout the map. All you have to do is hover your mouse over one of those cameras and you can see the most recent snapshot taken from that traffic camera. This is a pretty cool way to get a glimpse of what weather or traffic conditions look like on the road at that location.

Another cool aerial view feature is if you click the “traffic” icon (the traffic lights). This displays all of the roadways color-coded by the level of traffic. When a traffic disruption occurs, the map displays a warning icon. Hover your mouse over it to find out what incident is affecting traffic.

Another awesome feature of Bing aerial view is the user submitted “places.” You can get there by clicking on the “Places” icon (the star), and in the pop-up box, click on the “Explore” link. You’ll see the all of the user-generated “places” of interest highlighted both on the map and described in detail in the left pane.

This is an awesome feature to use when you’re planning an upcoming trip. The aerial view lets you see the landmarks and lay of the land around the places that you want to visit. All user submitted places are displayed as a numbered icon on the map, so all you have to do to plan your itinerary is click the icon and review what others wrote about the location.

Using Bing Maps for directions is another cool way to make use of Aerial view, because you can enable “walking directions” and see exactly what buildings or landmarks that you’ll pass as you walk the route from one tourist spot to another.

I also have to add that when you zoom down into the aerial view until you get to street level, you’ll be blown away by the clarity of many of the street level snapshots (depending where you are of course). The image below is the street level view of Boston Common.

Overall, while I can’t rightly say that Bing Maps dominates the world of overhead mapping, the quality of the maps have improved dramatically since I last tried using Bing Aerial View a while back. If you haven’t used it in a while, I highly recommend that you give Bing overhead maps another try. You may be pleasantly surprised.

Have you ever used Bing Maps aerial view? What do you think of it? Share your thoughts and insights in the comments section below.

Free games are great for achieving this because they hold your attention and are generally simple in concept. And as we all know, sometimes the simpler a game is the more addicting it can be.

There are a lot of places to play games for free online, but did you know that Bing has online games? Well they do, and they’re actually pretty high quality. You can even sign in with your Facebook account to see your friends’ game feeds. In this article, I’ll show you some of the top games on Bing, so get ready to start having fun.

Bing Has Online Games?

If you don’t believe me, you can see for yourself. In order to navigate to the games page, just go to Bing’s home page, click on Entertainment and then Games. If you never knew they existed, I do not blame you.

Bing online games are categorized into 6 categories–Action, Arcade, Puzzle, Card, Casino and Word. I’ll show you some of the best games you can find in these areas.

Fishdom H2O: Hidden Odyssey

Touted as the most popular game on Bing, I figure this is a safe place to start. Fishdom H2O: Hidden Odyssey lets you create a dream aquarium. You have to unearth various hidden objects to get points, which allow you to choose tank accessories, buy exotic creatures, and care for your underwater pets.

Bejeweled 2

You’ve undoubtedly played or at least seen Bejeweled before in some form or another. Bejeweled 2 is the sequel and is bigger and better than before. You play by swapping two adjacent pieces to make chains of identical sparkling gems. Put your brain to the test by trying the different game modes.

If you enjoy Bejeweled 2, also give Hexic a try. The concept is similar.

Zuma’s Revenge

Zuma’s Revenge is a game in which you get to shoot different colored balls into one another in order to shorten the chain and stop it from reaching the end. It’s a classic game that gets more difficult as you progress, but you do get help in the way of special shots and combos.

Talismania

In this game, your goal is to help Midas battle mythical monsters and break an ancient curse. You do this by rotating tiles and connecting Talismans to create coins. Fill the scale with coins to complete each level.

Plants vs. Zombies

In Plants vs. Zombies, you have to defend your home with zombie-zapping plants. Counterattack the undead by strategically and speedily planting peashooters, cherry bombs and other various plants throughout the board.

Gardenscapes

In other plant-related news, Gardenscapes lets you grow a gorgeous garden. You can sell hidden objects from a mansion estate to earn money and restore the landscape to its former glory. Design your lawn’s layout, customize with accessories, and compete in the “Best Garden” contest with the help of ‘Austin the Butler’.

Ranch Rush

Play Farmville much? In Ranch Rush, you get to help Sara turn three acres into a thriving Farmer’s Market Ranch.

8 Ball Champion

This is a deceptively addicting game. Enter the pool hall and put your skills to the test. The game works just like a regular game of 8-ball, that’s played on a computer of course. If you’re a sharp shooter, you’ll clear the table in no time.

Text Twist 2

Text Twist 2 is a word-based game that will test your vocabulary. See how many words you can make from a bunch of random letters. It’s tougher than it sounds.

Blackjack

If you’ve ever played Blackjack, you know how addicting it is. Make your bet, and you’re dealt two cards. If you think you can get closer to 21 without going over, have the dealer give you another. Are you feeling lucky?

Conclusion

What do you think? As I alluded to earlier, the graphics on these Bing online games aren’t too bad, and you can definitely kill some time playing them. A couple of the titles you should even be able to find in the app store on your phone, which speaks to their quality.

Considering how few people even know about Bing games, I’m curious to see how you feel about them.

What do you think of games on Bing? Leave your thoughts, ideas and comments below!

In Evan’s article, he mentioned a few of Bing’s Map Apps, like the distance calendar, parking finder, and hotel finder. This got me wondering about what other cool apps Bing offers on its map page.

In this article, I am going to show you some of Bing’s coolest Map Apps.

Where Can I Find Bing Map Apps?

To get started with Map Apps, just shoot over to Bing’s map page and click the Map Apps button at the bottom of the page. A grid will appear with all of the map applications for you to pick from. You can sort the results by recommended, newest, title, rating, and publisher. Here are my favorites:

My Friends

If you have Facebook, you need to check out the My Friends app. It works with Facebook Connect to retrieve all of your friends’ locations and it posts them on your map for you. It’s a great way to visualize where all of your friends are in the world and it even allows you to check your friends’ current status and post to their wall.

[Note]: Only friends with Current City on their profile will be listed.

Twitter Maps

If Bing’s got a Facebook app you know they’re gonna have a Twitter app too. Twitter maps is really cool because it allows you to see all of the tweets in a specific area visually. You can search by location, keywords, or people and you can opt to view tweets with photos only. Just click on a tweet to view it and you can share it with your followers if you like.

Foursquare Everywhere

If you’ve read any of my articles lately, you know I’m really into location-based apps like Foursquare. Well, Bing has a Foursquare app that lets you log into your account so you can see where your friends are, as well as what’s going on in different cities. You can search and view check-ins and tips at all venues.

Today’s Front Pages

If you’re into news, this app is really cool. Today’s Front Pages allows you to view the front page of the all the world’s newspapers. If you want to see what’s making front page news in a distant city or foreign land, just cruise on over to that region on the map and start clicking on icons. A really clear image is shown of the newspaper’s actual front page. Click on the image to view it in full-size.

Streetside Photos

Streetside Photos takes photos from Flickr and allows you to explore different cities. It works similar to Google maps’ street view, only it shows you exactly where the various photos you click on were taken. You can view the photos by themselves or incorporate the map to see the exact street location.

Urban Graffiti

Urban Graffiti works similar to Streetside Photos, only all of the pictures you will find on the map are of graffiti. This app offers you a really artistic view of some of the cities around the world, as you can view this “art” that you wouldn’t otherwise find on your own.

Roadside Attractions

Speaking of art you wouldn’t normally see, check out Roadside Attractions. This app has pictures posted on everything from the interesting to the bizarre. It will definitely keep you entertained as you stroll across the country and view all of the weird things spotted in towns and cities.

TrafficLand

For a more practical application, TrafficLand is pretty cool. It lets you view cameras of live traffic in various regions so you can see which roads are busy and where the traffic jams are. Click on an icon to see a still image and the time it was updated. This app works in conjunction with TrafficLand.com, so if you click on the image you will be taken to the site where you can view the traffic cam in real-time.

WeatherBug

To view weather on your maps, try the WeatherBug app. There are literally thousands of little icons that will appear and you can click on them to view the current weather in the area. WeatherBug will tell you the temperature, wind speed and direction, heat index, high and low temps, and time it was last updated.

Global Action Atlas

If you’re thinking globally, you should investigate the Global Action Atlas app. Here’s the official description:

National Geographic invites you to support efforts across the globe to help people in need, protect plants and animals, preserve diverse cultures, and more.

If you’re into helping out a great cause, you’ll find this app very helpful. You can use it for everything from exploration to finding humanitarian projects.

What do you think of the apps I’ve listed? Will you be spending some time on Bing Maps? Leave your thoughts, ideas, and comments below!

As for the quality of search, the results are comparable if not better than Google’s results in most cases. In any case, you can certainly expect Bing to stay around for quite some time unlike other search engines that have tried to challenge Google.

So while it is around, here are a few tips and tricks that you can use to search even better on the Bing search engine:

Turn Off The Background Image

If for any reason you want to turn off the background image, you can do so by visiting www.bing.com/?rb=0. For convenience you can also bookmark this page so that you are taken to it automatically the next time you want to search on Bing.

Generate An RSS Feed For Search Results

You can easily create an RSS feed for search results of any query by simply appending ‘&format=rss‘ at the end of the search query in the address bar of the browser.

Get A Weather Forecast

You can get weather forecasts from the Bing search box by typing the name of the city followed by weather or forecast. For example, New Delhi forecast would give you the weather forecast for New Delhi.

Additionally you can suffix units of measurement to get the results according to your preference. New Delhi weather celsius for example would give you the same result but in Celsius this time.

Calculations, Units & Currency Conversion

Google does it and now Bing does it as well. Nothing fancy about conversions. You key in the value or equation and the units and the Bing search engine will give you the solution as the result of the search query. 220 km in miles would return 137.76. Similarly currency conversions and mathematical equations work just as well.

Add Your Preference For A Particular Result Type

You can use the prefer:<keyword> option to give additional weightage to results that contain the keyword. Say you are looking for content management systems, but you are interested in PHP CMS(es) all the more. In such a case you can search for content management system prefer:php to refine your search and give more weightage or importance to PHP CMS(es).

Track Flights

Using Bing you can also track flights easily. All that is required is the airline name and the flight number. Enter ‘flight status‘ in the search box and Bing will prompt you for the airline and flight number. Key them in and click on get status to get the status of a flight.

Search Sites With A Specific Filetype

You can add contains:<fileExtension> to any search query to return results only from the sites that contain a file of the said extension. For example, mercurial guide contains:pdf would return results from sites which have a PDF file hosted on them.

Limit Search Results To A Specific Country

Search engines by default provide you with an option to search only pages from your country. Using the local version of Bing, I for example get the option to search only pages from India. But what if you want to search webpages from other countries?

You can use the ‘loc‘ operator to achieve this. archaeology loc:US for example will return pages containing archeology, but limit the results to pages from the US only.

Get Live Stock Quotes

You can enter the ticker symbol along with the word stock to get the stock quotes. AAPL stock for example would return the stock quote for Apple.

See If Your Site Is Indexed & How Many Pages

You can quickly check to see if your site has been indexed by Bing by using the “url” keyword. url:yoursite.com will let you see if your site has been indexed by Bing or not. On the other hand if you want to see how many pages of your site have been indexed you can use the “site” keyword along with your site name. site:yoursite.com would return all the pages from your site that are present in Bing’s index.

Its your turn now. You might have discovered little tricks of your own with the Bing search engine that have not been mentioned in the article. Feel free to share them with us in the comments. We would love to hear about them.