14 DAY TRIAL // Enhanced search capabilities right at the fingertips of iPad users. This is what Microsoft is bringing with the version 1.1 update to the Bing for iPad application. The Bing for iPad app is making great use of the form factor’s natural user interface to seamlessly blend in new search functionality.
It should be natural for iPad users to give up copying and pasting query terms in a browser’s search box when they can now perform a search from the Bing app with just a touch of the screen and a small gesture designed to highlight a specific portion of text.
“In this release we made some improvements that you asked for and are excited to introduce a new feature called Lasso. Designed for touch-friendly devices, Lasso is a new way to search with the touch of a finger,” revealed Tony Chor, Group Program Manager, Bing.
“From our research, we know that many searches are inspired by things people see on the web. Today, it can be somewhat painful to search on a tablet when you’re engaged in reading something; just copying and pasting pieces of text from a webpage to a search box can take up to nine steps on the iPad. With Lasso you can circle and search in just two steps.”
The video embedded below shows the new touch friendly search functionality that the Redmond company is making possible on the iPad.
According to Microsoft, the Bing for iPad app has already received much love from users, and I suspect that as of version 1.1, the love will only get stronger.
“This release also includes: an improved movie experience that now lets you view multiple showtime days and theaters, the ability to swipe through the last six Bing homepage images, and hundreds of quality and performance improvements based on what we heard from you,” Chor added.
Obviously, the Lasso NUI search feature should be offered to more customers beyond those running iPads.