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HTML5 played a key role in the latest upgrade introduced to the Bing for Mobile browse (m.bing.com) experience, with the smartphone flavor of the decision engine evolving to help users access and view information right on their device.
For the time being, owners of iPhone and Android phones will be able to enjoy the enhanced m.bing.com, but Windows Phone 7 users will also get their chance later this year when Microsoft plans to release Internet Explorer 9 (IE9) Mobile.
“New features in this update include better and faster image search, real-time transit and directions, app search for the iPhone, and more,” revealed Andy Chu, Director of Product Management Bing for Mobile.
Make sure to watch the two videos embedded at the bottom of this article in order to see demos of the new m.bing.com.
Users of m.bing.com can now access real-time transit information, provided they’re located in Boston, San Francisco, Seattle, Chicago, or Los Angeles. Bing supplies info on the duration of any trip, whether users choose to walk or opt for public transportation, in which case transit schedule data is also available.
“We’ve improved Image Search making it faster and smoother, allowing you to quickly search through thousands of images that interest you,” Chu said.
“Get your shopping questions answered faster with the new re-organized shopping experience designed to make it easier for you to get your shopping questions answered, comparison shop, and discover product details and user reviews while on the go.”
m.bing.com is also an excellent source of weather updates. With such features as Weather Autosuggest and Instant Answers, Bing is capable of offering the forecast for a particular location even before users stop typing their query.
At the same time, Bing is making sure that customers get access to a range of information via the updated Weather tab. According to Microsoft, forecasts are presented hourly, for the entire day, 10 days in advance, with the option to view a weather pattern on a map also available.
“Have an iPhone and want to search for Apps? Now, when searching on m.bing.com with your iPhone, Bing will return a list of relevant iPhone apps that fit your specifications, in addition to the normal search results. This is a great way to serendipitously discover great new apps,” Chu stated.
“Trying to decide what movie to go see this weekend? Now, when searching for movies, Bing has organized them by time and nearest theatre, along with reviews, synopsis, trailers and additional information to help you decide what movie fits your mood.”
Video: The Bing for Mobile Browse Experience Gets Even Better