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Bing 2.0 brings better Facebook integration and the impressive Streetside to iPhone (video)
Microsoft just released -- or should we say, Apple just approved -- version 2.0 of the Bing search app for iOS devices. In addition to several other new features including integrated Facebook Likes on search results (really!?) and in-app checkins to Facebook and Foursquare, Bing now comes packing Streetside, something that first blew us away as Street Slide when it was still in the labs at Microsoft Research. Unlike Google's Streetview that requires a lot of forward- and back-clicking and turning in order to get a feel for a location, Streetslide provides a more comprehensive view of the shops and businesses in an area by letting you strafe down the sidewalk while zooming in and out of the buildings located on each side of the street. We took it for a brief spin (literally) and came away impressed. You won't find Streetside implemented for all locations yet (for example, San Francisco's Make-out Room was found on Streetside but the Slanted Door restaurant wasn't) but they do seem to have large swaths of major cities covered based on our brief testing of Chicago, Seattle, New York, and San Francisco. Sorry, nothing yet in London and Amsterdam but maybe you'll have better success searching your own neighborhoods. See the full list of what's new after the break in addition to a Streetside demo from Bing's architect Blaise Aguera y Arcas -- unfortunately, we're not seeing the impressive Panaroma feature he mentions in this release. Update: We've been told that Facebook Likes, like Panaroma, like totally didn't make it into the app release. It's a web search results feature only for the time being.
Bing's detailed mall directory maps improve Paul Blart's livelihood, should be on mobile
Mall maps integrated into an online mapping system? It's not exactly a minty fresh concept, but Microsoft has managed to seriously up the game with its Bingified mall directory maps. These zoomable, highly detailed maps help you see the layout and store count at a glance, with each click inside of a store yielding an exact address, phone number and links to 'Directions' / 'Send to Mobile.' Heck, you can even use 'em to discover the best place to park. Only problem? They aren't exactly mobile friendly just yet, which all but defeats the purpose. Except, of course, if you've got the photographic memory that every stressed-out college student in existence longs for. Hit the source link to see if your nearby shopping complex is one of the 22 listed -- if not, you can only pray that it's added prior to December 24th.
HTC Merge accessories in the wild -- nope, still not official yet
Here's what we know about the HTC Merge: it's also been known as the Lexicon, it's a dual-mode phone with GSM and CDMA heading to Verizon, it's got a slide-out QWERTY, an 800MHz processor, Bing and Bing Maps (a popular trend these days), and now we know, too, that it has a Body Glove snap on cover available to protect its metallic exterior. Here's what we don't know: why no one's yet to officially acknowledged this phone.
HTC Merge emerges on Verizon site a little early
Far be it from us to tell Verizon how to do a product launch, but showing off a 360-degree view of the HTC Merge before the phone's even been announced doesn't seem like the soundest strategy to us. Of course, we doubt anyone intended for this Flash module to have become public knowledge like it has, but sure enough, a forum member over at Android Central spotted it among VZW's web properties and now we can all take a multidimensional look at this upcoming Android handset. Yes, that includes seeing it with its sliding QWERTY keyboard open -- you can find more imagery of that after the break -- though the pivotal questions of when, for how much, and "can you disable Bing?" remain unanswered for the time being. Ah well, let's just enjoy the eye candy.
LG Vortex puts a Verizon spin on budget Android -- yes, Bing's there, too
It's not exactly the Optimus T / S we saw hit T-Mobile and Sprint, respectively, but for all intents and purposes, it's a fraternal twin. The LG Vortex for Verizon brings with it Android 2.2, a 3.2-inch touchscreen, 3G Mobile HotSpot capability, Skype, Swype, a suite of pre-installed carrier / manufacturer apps (e.g. VZ Navigator), and as you might've guessed from it being a non-Droid Verizon Android phone, Bing Search and Bing Maps. Despite being a later arrival, this one's actually the most expensive of the three -- $80 on contract after $100 mail-in rebate. November 18th, if you want to mark a calendar.
Screen Grabs: Bing it, Danno
Screen Grabs chronicles the uses (and misuses) of real-world gadgets in today's movies and TV. Send in your sightings (with screen grab!) to screengrabs at engadget dt com. Well, it looks like The Vampire Diaries isn't the only show that's hopped on the Windows Phone 7 bandwagon -- what appears to be an LG Optimus 7 turned up in the latest episode of Hawaii Five-0, where it was used in yet another awkward attempt to introduce the phrase "Bing it" to a dumbfounded audience. What would Jack Lord think? Head on past the break to check out the ad clip in question. [Thanks, Nathan]
Google Search App bungs Bing on Windows Phone 7 Marketplace
Bing not meeting your needs? Don't fret, Google just pushed its Google Search app for Windows Phone 7 live in Marketplace. A move the mirrors the Bing app availability on the Android Market. The Google Search app utilizes your location to provide local search results and features suggestions as your type and a search history to quickly repeat any previous queries. While there's no way to reassign Google Search to the dedicated search "button" on WP7 devices, you could always pin the app to the Start screen. Unfortunately, we're still not seeing it populated in the UK Marketplace (search for "Google Search") but that should be remedied anytime now.
LG Vortex to be free on contract with Verizon (update: T-Mobile's Optimus T free in black now, too)
Thought the Optimus S was a good deal at $50 on contract? Or the Optimus T at $30? Well, Verizon's got its own version of the LG Android device in the wings -- the rumored (and now official) Vortex -- and they'll be charging a big fat zero for it. Well, that's not quite true -- you'll need to pay $100 upfront, it seems, then get mailed a $100 debit card, but at the end of the day you're no better or worse financially than when you started. Of course, the big downside with this one is that it's expected to feature Bing in place of Google services, but if you can tolerate that, this could be a good way to get Android-ified on Big Red's airwaves for minimal cost. [Thanks, Devon] Update: Though you're paying $30 still for the fancy burgundy shade, it seems T-Mobile's running a special where you can get the black version for free -- which makes it an obvious choice over the considerably lower-end Comet.
Google opens Android database at former phone store URL, but only for devices using Google services
Remember when Google opened up its own portal for purchasing the Nexus One? It was January 2010, and the URL was as simple as www.google.com/phone -- ah, those were the days. Of course, the store has been down since late July when the phone sold out (permanently), so what's the company to do with such a catchy web address? Simple: make a database of devices running your über-popular Android OS and help customers both compare and find where to buy. Only, it's not just any devices running the platform: according to the Official Google Mobile blog, "all the phones in the gallery include Android Market, Google Search, and other Google Mobile services such as Gmail, Maps, and YouTube." In other words, no phones that meddle with the Android Vision by opting for Bing or Yahoo instead. Maybe Fascinate can join the ranks after that purported Android 2.2 launch, but for now it's conspicuously absent. Them's the breaks -- still, it's fun to explore and draw up side-by-side comparison charts. Go on, give it a whirl, why don't ya? [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
HTC Merge for Verizon gets snapped: another Android phone with Bing
We're not sure exactly what Verizon is up to with these high-end Android phones that aren't Droids and feature Bing over Google, but it looks like the Fascinate is about to get a friend: BGR just got these snaps of the HTC ADR6325, which appears to be the Merge we've heard so much about, and the same dual-mode set we saw at the FCC. Nothing's confirmed specs-wise except a five megapixel camera, microSD slot, and SIM slot for global roaming, but we're still pretty sure this thing will basically be the CDMA version of the Desire Z / T-Mobile G2 and feature a Qualcomm MSM7630 processor with 4GB of onboard storage. And then there's that Bing logo on the homescreen -- we don't know how thoroughly it's integrated into Sense, but here's hoping it's better than what Samsung accomplished with TouchWiz on the Fascinate -- hardware this promising shouldn't be saddled with carrier-wrecked firmware.
Apple, Google extend deal for iOS
Business Insider is reporting that Apple and Google have extended the deal that brought Google search to the iOS. In a recent interview with Charlie Rose, Google CEO Eric Schmidt mentioned that his company's arrangement with Apple has been "recently extended." "Apple is a company we both partner and compete with. We do a search deal with them, recently extended, and we're doing all sorts of things in maps and things like that." That should extinguish any lingering rumors that Bing will become the default search engine on future iOS devices/updates. Presently, Bing is an option on the iOS, but Google is the default. [Via Macsimum News]
Bing offers Microsoft Points in search rewards program
Microsoft recently launched a tempting partner program for its Bing search engine. By installing the Bing toolbar (which appears to only be compatible with Windows rigs running Internet Explorer) and using it to search or taking part in daily promotions, you can earn Reward points. Notably, this form of fake currency can be easily exchanged for another: Microsoft Points. The program allows you to trade in Reward points for Microsoft Points in 100-point denominations -- though it's unclear how quickly one can accumulate these points. We do know that installing the Bing toolbar earns you 250 points from the get-go, of which 200 can immediately be exchanged for $2.50 worth of Xbox bucks. So what's the catch? There doesn't appear to be one.
Samsung Fascinate's Google-less existence solvable with minimum drama
We'd previously heard from Verizon that you'd be able to install Google search functionality once Android 2.2 gets rolled out (in other words, they wouldn't actively block the app that's supposed to be available on any device running Froyo), but if you can't stand Bing, it turns out that you can fast-track the process in the current 2.1 firmware with very little effort. Basically, you download Google's enhanced search APK -- which is blocked from the Market in 2.1, so you need to download it and install it outside the Market proper -- then use a third-party launcher like LauncherPro to add the widget and reassign the search button. Voice search still requires root to get working properly, but it is possible, so yeah -- user community, one; Verizon-Bing search deal, zero.
Debunk: Bing not replacing Google on all Verizon Android devices
There's a rumor going around today that Verizon is stripping Google services out of its Android devices going forward in favor of their Bing equivalents (much the same way that AT&T has gone with Yahoo on some phones), but the company says this afternoon that it's simply false: "...that is not true. We have a relationship with Microsoft and Bing is the search engine on our multi-media phones but we have never said it would be exclusive on all of our devices." We think the wording here is pretty important: "on our multi-media phones." We take this to mean that Verizon's looking at using Bing on its high-end featurephones and its midrange smartphones, possibly keeping the end-to-end Google experience exclusive to its cream of the crop -- which would also explain why the recently-launched Fascinate didn't get the coveted Droid brand as a part of its name. On a related note, we're hearing from a tipster today that an upcoming low-end Android device for Verizon from LG is loaded with Bing services, which strengthens the case -- it looks like Bing is the "cheap" experience for Big Red right now. We've gotta admit, we're wondering how Microsoft feels about that positioning. Update: Microsoft is basically corroborating Verizon's statement, saying that "the deal for Verizon Android devices is not exclusive." Update 2: Verizon is additionally saying that Google's revamped search box that includes its new voice action capabilities will be available for download once the Fascinate hits Android 2.2 -- in other words, they're not explicitly blocking Google services from being installed on the device. Of course, that doesn't solve the root problem, which is that Bing is baked into the shipping ROM -- but it's something, we suppose.
Bing Maps' Taxi Fare Calculator keeps your lollygagging cab driver in check
We've all been there -- you step into a cab in a foreign place, ask your driver to head to your destination, and then he / she asks you if you'd rather take the highway or go direct. Or, worse still, senses your innocence and proceeds to head the wrong direction for two or three miles. In an effort to give desperate travelers a better sense of how much it'll cost to get from point A to point B D in a cab, Bing Maps' new Taxi Fare Calculator was created. Turns out, this add-in for the mapping service was built by someone hankering to win the King of Bing Maps competition, and while it's only capable of calculating routes around a few dozens cities right now, we get the impression that this could soon grow into a monster of its own. Hey Microsoft, when's the (badly needed) optimized-for-mobile version coming out?
BlueAnt Q2 Bluetooth headset enables noise-free calls during Usain Bolt's sprints
It's not guaranteed to make you any smarter, but having such an intelligent little bird upside your ear may at least give you a minor boost in confidence. A full 1.5 years after the original Q1 made its debut, BlueAnt is introducing its Q2 Smart Bluetooth Headset. Aside from being able to cancel out noise while traveling at up to 22mph (read: Usain Bolt's average walking speed), the Q2 also touts a fully integrated text-to-speech feature that belts out news, weather, sports and the latest gossip from Microsoft's Bing 411. And if you just so happen to use a smartphone with Android 2.0 or newer, it'll actually read your text messages and emails aloud without you having to fish your handset out of your britches. It's available now at AT&T stores for $129, and just in case you're wondering, you can freak mall walkers out for five solid hours without needing a recharge. Not that we'd encourage such behavior. [Original image courtesy of Ryan Pierse/Getty Images]
Microsoft Street Slide: it's electric! (video)
Remember the first time you used Google Street View? Amazing, right? Thing is, traversing a busy urban street in a 360-degree photographic bubble can be disorienting, especially when searching for a specific address or business. So check this: Microsoft Research has developed a rather nifty solution it calls Street Slide. Zoom out of your panoramic bubble and the street is presented as a dynamic, multi-perspective "strip" giving you an instant visual summary of the surroundings -- similar to viewing the entire street from a distance. Fortunately, Microsoft took advantage of what would otherwise be the unused letterboxed screen above and below the strip to add navigational and informational aids like clickable business logos and building numbers. Pretty impressive, and Microsoft is already working on taking Street Slide mobile with an iPhone port, and no doubt a version for the upcoming Windows Phone 7 series of devices. Unfortunately, don't expect this to be released anytime soon as the team has only processed about 2400 panoramas so far covering just 4 kilometers of streets. Check the video after the break, you'll be glad you did.
New Microsoft brand logos, company tagline revealed at MGX event? (update: no new logos, tagline is a go)
It looks like Microsoft may have revealed something big at its annual MGX (Microsoft Global Exchange) event, namely... new logos for its main brands and a fresh brand motto. "Be What's Next" touts a teaser which has been posted on YouTube, along with a fast moving sequence of morphing logos, shuffling from Windows, to Windows Phone, Xbox, Bing, and finally the familiar Office logo that's been kicking around for a little longer. It's unclear if these are just treatments used for a promo at the event, or if this is a signal that Redmond is dumping its familiar (and frankly dated) iconography for something a little looser, leaner, and hipper, but we can't say it would be a bad thing. It would certainly make sense against a backdrop of potential comeback in the mobile space, gains in search, and the seemingly successful (or at least satisfying) Windows 7 launch. One thing is for sure, MGX is a corporate, non-public opportunity for the Microsoft faithful to cheer the brand (Ballmer received a 30 year commemoration at MGX 2010), so this would definitely be the place to unfurl some new branding. Check the video after the break to see the new style, and hit the gallery below for a bigger look. Update: So... the YouTube video has been pulled. Fear not, we've got our own copy! Update 2: We've just been contacted by Microsoft and told that these are not new logos which will be used on products, rather a standalone treatment to show the flexibility of joined brands. However, the "Be What's Next" tagline is real, and will be showing up here and there. [Thanks, Anonymous] %Gallery-97972%
iPad 3.2.1 update released
On the heels of the iOS 4.0.1 update, the iPad software has been updated to version 3.2.1. The update notes: Improved Wi-Fi connectivity Fixed an issue that stops the copy/paste of single-page PDFs in Mail Addressed issues that causes video playback to freeze Improved reliability involving the video-out using the iPad Dock Connector to VGA Adapter Added Bing to Safari's search options The update is compatible with both iPad Wi-Fi and 3G, and is now available through iTunes. Hook up your iPad, then click the Update button on the Summary tab to update the software. Enjoy!
Bing to bring full-featured client to Android 'within next six weeks'
Microsoft's Bing and Google's Android aren't exactly complete strangers (hello, Moto), but now the company is saying it'll bring a full-featured client to the platform sometime within the next six weeks. Not much is known, but according to PC World (via Yahoo! News), it'll at least include desktop-parity with features such as web, image, and news search (in addition to maps, of course). ¿Está tu Nexus One listo para los links?
