My Experience with Bing
I've been testing Microsoft's new Bing search engine against Google for the last several weeks and wanted to report my findings. My conclusion is that for relevancy of results, it’s truly a draw. Sometimes Google wins, sometimes Bing wins. However, when I look at the overall experience and user interface, Bing has the edge. The little perks in Bing add up to something that saves time while being easier on the eyes. Compare these searches: I’m impressed by how Bing anticipates the little things I need. Notice the left side navigation categories and phone numbers on the “fed ex” search. The user experience enhancements are also evident on Bing Videos, Travel, Images, and Shopping (with cash back options!). I've even found myself looking forward to seeing the new image on the Bing home page each day. When it comes to mapping, I am still a big fan of Google Maps. The “Search nearby” feature and Street View are outstanding and persuade me to use it over Bing Maps. After positive reviews for Bing by the New York Times and the tech press at large, people are now asking, "Will Bing's features actually make anyone switch?" Today, I read an article entitled “Survey Confirms: Bing Will Bomb” detailing the huge uphill climb Bing has in peeling away users from Google. Obviously it’s a monumental effort to compete with Google, costing hundreds of millions of dollars, but I don’t believe it’s impossible. Google will hold the lead for many years to come, but Bing’s opening month has proved that it's not just some flash-in-the-pan will suffer the same fate as other sites that have been oversold as “Google killers” by media organizations. Thinking back to my own switch to Google several years ago, I was an Altavista search user. I remember reading about this new search company with a funny name. Upon trying Google, I thought, “the results are better, I’m going to stick with it”. I’m having the same experience with Bing in 2009.
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