by Just as iPad has become the default term for a commonly used tablet, Google is also applying it to web searches. That’s not necessarily wrong, and certainly, in a business like ours on Windows CentralGoogle search is an incredibly important tool that we would be hard pressed to live without.
However, Google is as close to a web search monopoly as it gets. The overwhelming market leader is the de facto choice. But it’s not a particularly pleasant experience to use either. Shopping results, ads, and all the other crap Google wants to deliver leaves me constantly frustrated. Because when I search on it, I have to browse it to find what I really want.
Bing isn’t perfect and has its own share of this type of guff that I just don’t want to watch. And, in all honesty, I’ve been disappointed in some of the results in the past. But it now has Bing Chat, and this unique feature finally changed my mind. For what? Because that’s what best allows me to search as I like to search.
Bing Chat cuts to the chase
I can’t avoid using Google search completely, unfortunately it’s a business hazard. But my personal search behavior is very different. Most of the time I’m looking for answers to questions, and that’s where Bing Chat is perfect.
The conversational nature of its results is primarily the reason I switched. For example, most of the time I’m looking for how to do something in a game I’m playing. Google snippets are ok, but honestly I found Bing Chat results to be better. With the possibility of course to continue the conversation with additional questions.
But I also really like how Bing Chat uses quotes. As it generates its answer from various sources, each piece of information is labeled with a number and its source is indicated at the end of the text. It always allows me to choose a potentially useful piece of content to read further for more information if the answer didn’t quite hit the mark.
There’s also the fact that you can talk to him in natural language. My heaviest use of Bing Chat right now is on my Surface Duo and iPhone, just tapping and talking. I’ve always loved using a secondary device to research while doing something on my PC or Xbox, and Bing Chat just took that to a whole new level.
And at least for now (I’m not saying it will never happen) there are no shopping results or ads or other junk cluttering the experience. I ask a question, I get the answer I want, I move on. Simple, effective, brilliant.
Microsoft Rewards comes second
It’s also worth thanking Microsoft Rewards. It really doesn’t take long to rack up a bunch of points if you take advantage of all the ways you can earn them, but using Bing really helps.
There are big chunks to be earned by completing tasks on Xbox, for example, but every day you search Bing you’ll earn points. And every day you open the Bing app on your phone, you can take little quizzes or surveys, or just check out a link and you’ll get a few points.
All of these dots then turn into something you want. You can donate to a good cause if you wish, which is always a good thing to do. However, many of my points are converted into vouchers to buy Xbox games. Makes it easier to buy the games my child wants when I get regular, free money from Microsoft!
Bing Chat is truly fantastic, and if you haven’t tried it yet, the waiting list seems to be over. So you can just sign up and take a tour. Maybe this will inspire you to trade from Google, as it did for me.
