On Monday of this week, the super secret stealth status was removed from Bing, Microsoft’s revamped search engine (formerly code named “Kumo”). The desktop rendition features a cleaner presentation of search results and several subtle refinements to both the user interface (UI) and the underlying search algorithm. As a result or efforts to transform the site from a “search engine” to a “decision engine” results are ranked more rationally and it is much easier for visitors to take control of their search experience by viewing “related searches” and keeping track of their “search history.” Word is that Microsoft is prepared to spend around $100 million to promote the new service starting tomorrow (June 3).

Monday also marked a much lower key launch for a rebranded (and renumbered) free automated Directory Assistance service, Bing 411. Details on the revamped service can be found here. There are many similarities between Bing411 and the erstwhile “Live Search 411” (which was accessed through the toll-free number 800-CALL411/800-225-5411) which, in turn, had leveraged much of the heavy lifting and automated speech application development that Tellme Networks had undertaken over the past five years or so. Yet there are many noteworthy, incremental and evolutionary improvements.

In the United States, Bing 411 (1-800-246-4411) enables callers to search for local businesses by either name or category. It can then connect callers directly to those businesses over the telephone or provide the business’s complete address. It then asks callers if they would like driving directions to the business – prompting them to provide an address as a point of origin. Turn-by-turn instructions are provided over the phone through automated speech resources. As an alternative, callers can request that the instructions be provided through a text message.

Bing 411 also serves up voice portal staples like weather, traffic conditions and movie show times. It also features some neat “sticky” features, like the ability to save “points” of origin – specifically the addresses of a caller’s home or work. It also provides the ability to share search results with specified friends or family.

The user experience is markedly different from other “free DA” services. For one thing, the automated voice is less robotic. More importantly, the responses are richer in terms of content. They include user ratings (one-to-five stars) which is consistent with the overall positioning of Bing as a “decision engine” rather than a “search engine.” Delivery of driving directions via voice or text is a very nice touch and user control of the read out (offering “repeat”, “next” or “go back” options) works pretty well.

Greg Sterling shows screen shots of the new Bing mobile Web site (m.bing.com) over on the localmobilesearch.net site.

Categories: Articles

Tags: Microsoft, Local Mobile Search, Kumo, Live Search, Bing