Microsoft has updated the mobile version of its Bing search engine. Now it (m.Bing.com) uses HTML5 for faster image search, real time directions, and App search for iPhone.
HTML5 is a language to present content on World Wide Web and is the latest revision of the Internet’s core technology. The main new features include support for incorporating video and audio in the webpages.
With the improved Bing, users can view transit routes in Google Maps, which however won’t display real time information. Also the facility is only available for some US cities at this point of time.
The shopping queries can now be answered faster by Bing with its newly designed interface as users can now also read user reviews on products and services.
A new feature, the Instant Answers and Weather Autosuggest, have been added to the Bing search bar itself.
On the feature, the Bing blog post says, “We also updated the Weather tab, to make it easier to avoid bad weather wherever you are. With four different forecast views, you have the option of seeing an overview for the day, an hourly forecast, a 10 day forecast or even the current weather pattern on a map”.
Search results for movie shows (available in US for the time being) are now organised by nearest theatre and the time of the show.
The feature that is probably going to be most popular would be the app store search for iPhone owners.
The HTML5 support is currently not available at Microsoft’s Windows Phone 7, therefore the WP7 devices would not give you improved Bing till the time Microsoft sends the next software upgrade to its phones, which will happen probably by the end of this year.
But the Bing updates are currently available for iPhone and Android handsets.