Search-off
Microsoft has rolled out the first Bing for Mobile Android app for Verizon customers including an image and voice search feature.
Microsoft is playing catch up to Google which already has Google Goggles and has recently added a voice search feature to its Android line-up. The search giant has also just acquired Like.com to add to its image searching prowess.
The Bing app's homepage features an image of the day with clickable hotspots and an image search feature.
There is also a mic option on the homepage so users can do voice searches for anything including map locations. According to Andy Chu, author of Bing for Mobile blog post, the voice search works particularly well for ‘instant answers' which gives fast answers when searching for things like movies, local listings of flight status updates.
"Just say 'movies,' for a quick result of movie listings, theaters and show times nearby, or say the flight information you are looking for, we will show you the departure, arrival, and other relevant information such as traffic, weather, news, and hotels details," he said.
The app also includes an improved mapping feature, finding a user's current location, then allowing them to search for places nearby by categories such as restaurants or banks etc. Users can then get walking or driving directions to their chosen spot.
Bearing more than a little resemblance to Google Maps for Android version 4.4, Bing's offering also includes local listing reviews, ratings and news.
