Does anyone else think the search button is useless?

[Gergolos]

Zing!

your profile pic and your "Zing!" create an awesome match! haha

 

[iamtim]

your profile pic and your "Zing!" create an awesome match! haha

Hah!

 

[gsquared]

I just knew this was gonna be a "it should do xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, just like Android does." post. As others have pointed out that button is not as useless as you think. You just need to take off your blinders and see the value in it.

 

[michail71]

I was expecting it to be useless because I had an iPhone before. On an iPhone it's something you accidentally launch by pushing the home button one to many times but on WP8 I've been really happy with it. It even finds apps for you (installed and in the market).

 

[michail71]

I just knew this was gonna be a "it should do xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, just like Android does." post. As others have pointed out that button is not as useless as you think. You just need to take off your blinders and see the value in it.

Yes, I find many things in WP8 like that. Things are done a little differently. At first you many not "get it" but in the end it's better.

 

[radekhulan]

It should be contextual. In Outlook, it should search emails, etc. Not to mention Bing sucks for most non-US searches.

 

[avsef]

I've invoked it about a hundred times since I got the phone, meant to maybe 3 or 4 of those. How could the designers not have anticipated this? It is really useful, but they've got to do something about the accidental starts. Simply increasing the time you need to press the button from the current nanosecond to maybe 2 or 3 nanoseconds?

 

[blindfromthesun]

Admittedly I don't use search or people functionality all that much. Not that they aren't useful, just not the most intuitive applications for me. I'm definitely interested in using them more.

 

[eric12341]

Not useless at all, I use it quite a few times each and everyday and when I get my WP8 I'll probably use it more.

 

[iloveamystery]

I use it a lot. It's a nice convenience to have, and I still am on WP7, so I don't have the new Bing features.

 

[SOMEnameItried]

I know it's been said here already, and I agree with those statements. I would like to see it contextualized too. For having a background in UI, I feel that it makes little sense to have multiple search buttons. It would be great for it to search based up the app you are in.

If the buttons are supposed to be unique, then they should change the icons to be more meaningful.

Cheers,
Kelly

 

[xFalk]

Well I find the search button extremely useful. I particularly like the Local Scout integration. To some degree, I've used every feature that search provides including the QR/Bar code reader, music finder, local deals, app finder, image search and of course Bing web search. I like Bing better than Google anyway. I'm a search marketing professional by trade and know what makes a good search results page.

I would recommend that if you're a die hard Google user and find it hard to switch, try taking the Bing challenge and see which results pages you prefer. You may be surprised. If you've tried Bing in the past and were'nt thrilled by it, try it again. It really has improved a lot over the last year or so.

 

[windocks96]

Give it chance
Its a great way to leave google behind

 

[casab1anca]

Something else that hasn't been mentioned in this thread so far: from the browser, you can select some text and hit the search button to do a web search.

Also I made the switch from Google to Bing almost two years back and I've had no regrets. Plus Bing Rewards is a great way to get free Xbox Points.

 

[GOOTHRIE]

I was an android user and I think I use search button on WP ways more than on Android becuase on WP search button include everything I want; qr scan, music search, web search. So I think it's more productive comparing with Android.

 

[JamesTBurns]

They need to update the software so that the search button is contextual within an app once an app is opened, and goes to bing when you're at the home screen. That would be awesome.

 

[Duvi]

I don't use it, but I wouldn't say it's useless.

 

[derDaniel]

I use it every day for qr code and music search

 

[rockstarzzz]

It's the most used soft button on my phone. For music match, to grab songs from Xbox store, to grab apps off marketplace, local scouting, search, directions search, QR codes, scanning and translating texts!

You probably haven't used it at all in the way it is meant to be. It's not just a search button.

Try this:
Go to a spot and try and find something you know should be nearby for example if you want to look up solicitors' office in a certain area but you don't know what street etc. Just hit search button, type the name of solicitors, let it generate results. Now swipe to "local". It will be in the list. Tap, hit directions if you are driving - opens Nokia Drive for me and shows me route. Hit Map and opens Nokia Maps and shows me how I can walk it. I can call from there. I can see rating etc!

 

[Coreldan]

I don't think i used it once...i wish it was contextual search..

This for me as well. I've used it once when I needed to scan a QR code, but that was the only time. When I search, I usually just end up searching through IE.

How does the music match work? I tried to use it for that cos I heard it can do it, but I couldnt figure out any way to do it so I just installed Shazam..