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Bing shows lyrics in search results to help you avoid karaoke disasters
Bing can not only help you do math homework or write history papers; thanks to its latest update, it can also keep you from having a Phoebe moment (where you mishear a song verse). The Bing Team has just announced that the website now displays full lyrics right on the results page whenever you search for a copy. You don't even have to choose what link to click anymore -- you'll see the lyrics (a "good quality" one, the team promises) as a top result, along with a box that displays song and album details. So the next time a "friend" signs you up for a spot at an open mic or karaoke bar as a prank, you can easily check if Alicia Keys was really singing about concrete jungle wet dream tomatoes. [Image credit: Getty/Paul Bradbury]
MSN's simpler, mobile-savvy homepage is rolling out to everyone
Well, that was quick -- after just a few weeks in preview mode, the revamped MSN homepage is rolling out to everyone. You should see Microsoft's simple, desktop-like web portal in your browser sometime within the next three days. If you're using Windows devices, you'll also see updated Bing and MSN apps that draw on the site's many services; the Food & Drink app will keep track of your recipes, for instance. Windows Phone users get a few perks on their lock screens in the process. The Health and Fitness app will show pedometer stats if you're using a Lumia 630, 635 or 1520, while Weather will show your local forecast. You'll still have to wait for MSN apps on Android and iOS, but all the other pieces of Microsoft's grand vision are otherwise in place.
MSN homepage reborn as a blend of news portal and online desktop
Visit the MSN portal right now and you'll get a straightforward news site. It's informative, but it's busy, inflexible and doesn't give you easy access to Microsoft services -- a bit odd when it's frequently your initial homepage on a shiny new Windows PC. Thankfully, Microsoft is aware that it needs to shake things up a bit if it wants to keep you coming back. It just launched a preview of a redesigned MSN that it hopes will not only be easier to browse, but should serve as a kind of web-based desktop that lets you accomplish many of your daily tasks. Read on to see what I mean.
Windows Phone's Cortana assistant now predicts NFL football games
Windows Phone's Cortana assistant raised some eyebrows during the World Cup, when it accurately predicted all but one of the knockout matches (that Germany-Brazil upset caught nearly everyone off-guard). Microsoft was clearly happy with that result, as it's now applying those oracle-like abilities to NFL football games. Ask Cortana (or Bing on the web) who's likely to win an upcoming match and you'll quickly get a favorite. You sadly won't be told why that team will emerge victorious, although the Bing crew notes that the decision is based on a combination of stats, previous match-ups, and subtler criteria like stadium conditions. It'll be a long while before we know whether Cortana is as good at predicting American football as it is the international kind, but you can at least get her prognostications right away.
Bing Maps spices up more than 100 cities with 3D and Streetside views
Bing Maps just got much, much better if you're tired of looking at plain old satellite pictures. Microsoft has just added either 3D maps, Streetside views or both to more than 100 cities, many of which you'll definitely recognize. You can now see what it's like on the ground near the Chicago Theater or San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge; if you have the Bing Maps Preview app for Windows, you can go on a 3D flight through famous places like Disney World or the Las Vegas Strip. You'll want to hit the source link for the full upgrade list, but most of the additions are in the US. If you've wanted to tour America from the comfort of your couch, you're going to have a field day.
Bing now lets you ask follow-up questions after your searches
Google sometimes lets you ask follow-up questions when a search doesn't provide all the answers. Bing, however, has required that you phrase each query as if you're starting fresh -- a bit of a headache if you're the curious sort. That won't be a problem for much longer, as Microsoft is rolling out a Bing update that adds conversational, context-aware searching to the mix. If you ask who President Obama's wife is, for example, you can then ask "how tall is she?" (spoiler: fairly tall) without having to mention Michelle by name -- the engine knows who you're referring to. The feature doesn't appear to be available everywhere just yet, but it shouldn't take long before you're holding short chats in your web browser.
Yelp's iOS app now translates reviews you don't understand
Itching to squeeze in a last minute summer holiday? You may want to bring Yelp's updated iOS app with you as you traipse through the streets of Stockholm -- it now lets you translate foreign reviews on the fly with just a touch, thanks to a little help from Microsoft's Bing Translator. That means that reviews and recommendations left in any of the 15 languages Yelp supports (English, Czech, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, German, Spanish, Italian, Norwegian, French, Polish, Portuguese, Swedish, Turkish and Japanese, if you were curious) are now fair game, perfect for making sure you don't venture into the wrong kebab joint.
Microsoft lets the EU exercise its 'right to be forgotten' on Bing
Microsoft is clearly taking a cautious stance on the European Union's "right to be forgotten;" several weeks after Google started accepting requests to scrub yourself out of search results, you can finally ask for the same treatment on Bing. The company has posted a form that walks EU residents through the request process, giving them a relatively easy way to block offending pages from showing up in queries.
Bing and Cortana will make it easier to research your school papers
Microsoft might just give you a little help finishing your next term paper. The company is integrating academic data into Bing and services that use it, like Cortana in Windows Phone 8.1. When the upgrade hits in the fall, you should have an easier time tracking down articles on given subjects, finding an author's other works or following news from a conference. Importantly, you won't have to visit a separate page to see academic info front and center, as you do with Google Scholar. If all goes well, you'll have the luxury of starting research on a big report from your Windows Phone; just don't expect Cortana to bail you out hours before the due date.
Some new Windows Phones won't let you change your web search provider
If you're picking up a shiny new Lumia 630 or 930 in the near future, you may be in for an unwelcome surprise. The Verge has discovered that at least some unlocked versions of either Windows Phone won't let you switch Internet Explorer's default search provider to Google; it's either Bing or nothing. Some European models of the same phones do let you change the provider, though, so this clearly isn't a platform-wide policy. We've asked Microsoft if it can share more about what's going on, and we'll let you know if it has more to add. The move likely won't cause that much consternation given that many Windows Phone users are inclined to use Bing, but it's bad news if you like to use Google services on Microsoft platforms.
Microsoft kills off 'Streets & Trips,' hopes you'll use Bing Maps instead
Microsoft MapPoint has been around a long time. How long? So long that a stock-image search pulled up this gem from 2005 -- a photo of "Streets & Trips" running on a Pocket PC. In fact, the mapping platform is even older than that: It was first created by a company called NextBase in 1988, which MIcrosoft later acquired in 1994. Incredibly, it's lived on, even long after people stopped storing maps on CD-ROMs. Finally, though, the software is going the way of the floppy disk: The company has discontinued MapPoint, Streets & Trips, and AutoRoute, with users encouraged to use Bing Maps instead. And, ya know, that kind of makes sense, considering CEO Satya Nadella only yesterday posted an open letter describing Microsoft as a mobile- and cloud first company. Somehow, knowing Engadget readers, we suspect this won't affect you much, but in the event that you do still use Streets & Trips, you'll continue to have support through at least July 2015. After that, you may need to get with the times. Image credit: Associated Press
How to Disappear (almost) Completely: a practical guide
Maybe you've seen Into the Wild, or (gasp) have actually read it. It's the true story of an ordinary person who, one day, decided to abandon society, pack some rice and a rifle into a bag and head off into the wilderness never to return. It's the sort of drastic move you rarely hear about in our modern life. But in next week's final installment of How to Disappear, we'll meet some people who've literally done just that: gone "off the grid." For now, though, let's take a (tongue-in-cheek) look at how you can take some first steps toward undoing the digital ties that bind, and get a little closer to the exit door.
Twitter expands Bing-powered translations for iOS and the web
Twitter's been experimenting with Bing's translation services for quite some time, but now it's making it available to more people on a wider range of devices. As spotted by CNET, the company has begun outfitting its iOS app with translation buttons powered by Microsoft's search service. It's also making things clearer on the web by displaying a small globe icon beside tweets that aren't written in English. Results are mixed, as you can see from the image above. Twitter first brought Bing's services to Windows Phone on mobile and has displayed Bing translation tools inside the detailed tweet view on Twitter.com. Today's changes make things easier for users who follow non-English accounts or might see more foreign-language tweets in their stream following the start of the World Cup.
Microsoft expands its pledge not to sell ads against your private data
Microsoft constantly reminds us that Google scans email in order to sell ads. Now it's adapting its policies to specifically state that it won't engage in the same practices as its rival. Well, not all of them. In an effort to be more transparent and build trust, the company has updated its service agreement and privacy policy to make it clear that it will not access your content to sell ads. "We do not use what you say in email, chat, video calls, or voicemail to target advertising to you," Microsoft notes. "Nor do we use your documents, photos, or other personal files to target advertising to you." However, the policy, which covers most of Microsoft's online services, including Bing, Outlook and OneDrive, won't come into effect until July 31st. To be clear, however, Microsoft isn't ignoring your data completely, and there are still a few clauses to be aware of.
How to avoid the tech support search engine trap
Recently, a friend of mine was having troubles with his Epson scanner. He Googled Epson tech support and wound up talking to a technician who logged into his Mac and claimed to find viruses that were affecting the scanner's performance. He offered to fix the problems on the spot for US$200. My friend didn't call me in time, becoming a victim of search engine ranking that can give top search billing to firms that are often not what they appear to be -- in this case, Epson's tech support team -- and more often, simply con men. Ultimately, my friend's problem was misconfigured software. He shouldn't have let someone log into his Mac, but he thought -- mistakenly -- that he was talking to Epson. It's a common problem. Even doing a Google search on iPhone tech support gave me three non-Apple firms as results. Yes, most of us look at the web address of the link, but many people don't, and that makes this kind of scam profitable. And sure, there are third-party technicians who show up in the results and are often members of the Apple Consultants Network who could provide top-notch support. But many people have no idea who is genuine or bogus until it's too late. It's not just Google. I ran the same search on Bing and got similar results. While Google at least highlights the third parties as ads, Bing's page layout doesn't exactly make it easy to see what are ads and what are real search results. In fact, Epson's support page was the fifth item on the list of Bing results. I had a similar experience while trying to book hotel reservations. I wanted a room with a national chain, and the top search result looked legitimate. It wasn't, and all kinds of fees were added to what should have been an inexpensive set of rooms. I cancelled, booked with the chain directly, and saved $175.00. Many of our readers know this, but others do not. Search engines are in business to make money, and search results can be skewed by companies paying search providers for featured listings. If you need tech support for your devices, be sure to contact the manufacturer directly. And if you need local hands-on help, look for providers who are certified by a manufacturer. You'll often see the same misleading search results when looking for manuals and instructions. There are third parties that lead the search engines links, but then they want your email address for who knows what purpose, or you may be asked to pay for something you can download directly for free. Almost every manufacturer makes up-to-date manuals and instruction sheets available at no cost, so don't fall for scams that charge a fee for what could be outdated information. Both Google and Bing will show you the web addresses on your search. If a given result doesn't appear to be pointed to an actual manufacturer's web site, look for the proper link to save yourself frustration and potentially some money. If you have had similar experiences, be sure to share them with our readers. For more information about how web search works, there is a solid academic paper at the Stanford University website. And yes, I found it using Google.
Apple picks Bing over Google to power Spotlight search on OS X Yosemite and iOS 8
While Google is the 800-pound gorilla when it comes to search, Apple is becoming increasingly flirtatious with Microsoft's Bing. While it wasn't necessarily clear during Monday's keynote, Microsoft has since confirmed that Bing will be the default search engine in Spotlight for both OS X Yosemite and iOS 8. Google certainly can't be too thrilled with this as the bulk of its revenue is tied to search-based advertising, a fact certainly not lost on Apple. In a statement provided to Search Engine Land on the matter, Microsoft said: Last year Bing became the default web search for Siri, and will now also be the default web search provider in the redesigned Spotlight search feature for the next generation of iOS and OS X. We're excited about extending the Bing platform to help iOS and Mac customers find what they need to get things done. And while Google will remain the default search engine in Safari, Apple is adding the privacy-focused DuckDuckGo search engine as an option for the first time.
New Windows 8.1 version is cheaper for device makers, with a catch
Microsoft has just announced Windows 8.1 with Bing, confirming rumors about a lower-cost Windows version for OEM manufacturers only. As suspected, Redmond is attempting to recoup the lost revenue with ads by forcing suppliers to keep Internet Explorer with Bing search as the default browser. However, end-users will be able to change those settings so that Microsoft won't arouse the wrath of European regulators (again). Rumblings about a discounted version of Windows 8.1 began cropping up earlier in the year, and Microsoft recently announced that Windows Phone 8.1 would be free for 9-inch or smaller devices. Other than the Bing and IE defaults, the new OS is reportedly identical to the standard version of Windows 8.1. However, the OEM cost will reportedly drop from $50 to $15, so don't be surprised to see a new crop of cheaper Windows devices arriving soon.
Microsoft says 'shwmae' to the Welsh language
If you've ever struggled to understand what Cymru am byth means, you'll have found that few web translators are prepared to help you out. That's changed now, thanks to a deal between Microsoft and the Welsh Assembly, which teamed up to bring the language to Office, Bing and the Windows and Windows Phone translator apps. The country's national body passed a law back in 2012 requiring public bodies to treat both English and Welsh equally, but didn't have the tech necessary to ensure all employees had access to translation gear. Both parties are keen to stress that, despite the official involvement, it's just as (un)reliable as translators for other languages, but hey, at least one or two kids might avoid our childhood fate of having gau'r drws barked us by an annoyed Grandmother and not knowing what the hell it meant.
Windows will let you search your computer using everyday language
If you've ever searched a computer's apps or settings, you know how frustrating it can be to guess the keywords you'll need to get a result -- why can't you just say what you want and let the PC figure it out? Microsoft must have asked itself that same question, as it's rolling out an update to Windows 8.1 that introduces natural language searches for common tasks. You only have to phrase your statement in a way that a human could understand to get useful links. Gripe that "my screen is too bright," for example, and you'll get a shortcut to the display settings. The new search feature won't help you find everything you'd want, but it could save you precious time when it reaches Windows systems this week.
Bing's kid-friendly search is now available to every grade school in the US
Your kid's in-school web searches may soon be much safer and smarter: Microsoft has just expanded availability of its Bing school program (now Bing in the Classroom) to all K-12 institutions in the US. The move lets any school fill out a form to remove ads, get daily lesson plans and keep adult content filters switched on. As part of the launch, Microsoft is also making it easier for parents to both check if a school is using Bing and see how close it is toward earning free Surface tablets through search credits.
