Microsoft Bing search gets a new look and features

Microsoft has announced that it has made some changes to its Bing search engine. Microsoft says that Bing search gets a new modern design focused on simplicity and speed to provide a better search experience. Microsoft notes that it heavily researched the new interface and evaluated different fonts, spacing, color, visual scan patterns, the search box, and the underlying code.

If you want to get a look at the new interface ahead of its widespread launch, Microsoft says you can go to Bing.com/new and have a look right now. Microsoft says that the code underlying the updated version of its search engine has also been improved to be able to respond more quickly to the web and changes on the web the future.

Last year Microsoft rolled out two major features called Snapshot and Sidebar. The redesign combines both of those features to give searchers supporting context for a specific search query. This allows Bing to provide information on search terms that combines information and actions about specific search queries. The example Microsoft provides is a search for Highway 1.

Bing will provide data returned such as factual data about the route including links, dates, and related places. It will also provide data on human interactions with the search query such as status updates from social networks, photos, tweets, check-ins, and expert opinions. This could be being extremely useful for searches about places such as tourist attractions and restaurants.

Bing also got a new function called Page Zero that helps users to get answers before the user sees the first results page. This is done by showing tasks associated with the query as the user types. When a search term is ambiguous and could have multiple results of different types users will be presented with multiple options. However, Microsoft says when it has a high confidence that a search inquiry means one thing that data will automatically be returned at the top of page the section called Pole Position.

The redesigned search engine has also been designed specifically to work the same no matter what size screen the searcher is using. The idea is to make the interface look just as good on your smartphone or the big-screen TV in your living room. Microsoft redesigned Bing looks interesting, whether or not changes help it gain on Google remain to be seen.

SOURCE: Bing