Microsoft (NSDQ: MSFT) poked a little fun at itself in the Trekkie promo video introducing new search brand Bing at the D7 conference, including the brand they planned to launch in spring 2008: Yahoo! (NSDQ: YHOO) Bing won’t go public until June 3 and while the demo starts here, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer (pictured, right) quickly tried to tamp down expectations while the company works out some kinks. He also laid out a quick road map, explaining that more features are on the way. (My colleague Joseph Tartakoff reviews Bing after a week with the service.)
— What’s the most clicked-on thing in search? The back button, Ballmer says he learned — 25 percent of the time. So Ballmer and Yusuf Mehdi explain that the goal is to give the most accurate info right up. Drawing applause — seriously — is a feature that includes customer service numbers in any company search and puts flight info directly in the search results. From the peanut gallery behind me: “It’s really good. I don’t know if it will catch on but I’d switch tomorrow.”
— Artist pages: This is not an easy audience — and some like former Ask CEO Jim Lanzone are complaining about the promo on Twitter — but others are responding well, especially to bits like the artist results page that shows a human-and-computer curated left-hand tab of different entry points and plays videos as a user hovers over the image.
— Travel results: Ballmer is having way too much fun saying Bing!, it’s like walking through the kitchen at Emeril’s and hearing “Bam, Bam, Bam.” Microsoft has integrated its Farecast acquisition into what looks from here like a robust travel in-search travel offering with fares, fare predictions that advise whether or not to wait and more.
— Marketing: Microsft will spend to make Bing a brand. Ballmer: “I had a big gulp when I had to approve the budget. … It’s a badda-bing, We’ll spend behind it.” But Microsoft’s spending power and massive ad campaigns don’t always succeed. Interviewer Walt Mossberg raised the specter of Ask, the IAC (NSDQ: IACI) search engine that gets good reviews and has been marketed heavily with little to show.
Of course, the newest thing about Bing is the name but the response here was to the total experience in a demo — and it will all seem new to most users since Microsoft is a distant third in the search market. Mileage may vary when people finally get a hands-on look. (Microsoft switched gears on providing direct access for attendees before the launch.)
Photo Credit: Flickr/whatcounts
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