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It’s amazing to see how packaging makes such a huge difference. What does Bing have that Live Search didn’t? You can say it’s pretty much the same soul, just in a different body, and this time branded as “new”!

Bing actually has picked some existing features from Microsoft’s Live Search, features that no body even cared to take notice of till Bing was launched, features that are now catching everyone’s attention.

Apparently, even Microsoft has publicly admitted how poorly it had marketed and packaged their old search engine- Live Search. Now that Bing has been rolled out, people would realize how unacquainted they were with the features of Live Search.
Features that exist on Live Search already

Indiatimes covers 5 such features that already exist on Live Search:

1. Smart Motion Previews

Lately, there has been a lot of noise and controversy around this video search feature that allows you to preview videos by mouse hovering over thumbnails. Apparently, with the help of this feature, minors get easy access to porn without them actually having to go to a porn site.

The funny part is that this feature has existed on Live Search for over a year now, and no body took notice… even if some people did, at least it really never made any news! :D


2. Stunning photos on the home page

You see some beautiful photos on the home page of Bing that change every day. These photos not only make the home page more appealing but also makes you want to come again the next day for more.





However, this is not something new.

You’d be interested to know that Microsoft had introduced photo front pages on Live Search back in June 2008.

3. The buzz around Bing 411


Bing 411 lets users call a number for free to get local information like audio directions, traffic conditions, weather reports, movie timings, finding local shops and restaurants, etc.
On the face of it, this features has existed under the name Live Search 411 since October 2007.

4. Bing Mobile
This feature has gotten a lot of attention recently. As part of the Bing search engine, Bing Mobile is a search tool for mobile devices. It can be accessed via SMS (Text Messaging), Mobile Browsing, and Mobile Application.

But, Microsoft themselves admit to the fact that their Bing mobile version doesn’t include any new features.

5. Local Business Center
People now have also started to notice how Bing has a Local Business Center. But, it already existed in Live Search!

This just goes to show how crucial packaging is for any product coming into the market. If, at the first look, something doesn’t appeal to the audience, no one bothers to dig in deeper, like was the case with Microsoft’s Live Search as opposed to Bing!