Tried to be google-less for the last to weeks ... failed :-(

[Luminatic]

@SnailUKTrue ... but as long as, in most peoples minds in my area (not only Switzerland, mind you) don't even know bing exists, they won't even consider using it. As I said in the thread before, "google = internet search" is hardwirded into so many minds, it's going to be hard to change, especially when google just works better for those people than other services.

 

[Chregu]

Surely its obvious. If nobody from a country bothers using bing why put effort into it? As people start using bing, they ramp it up, as they understand what people want to do.
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Your logic is flawed. Why should anybody switch to Bing if its much worse than Google, just that Microsoft can start to make it better after a while? And Microsoft doesn't have the greatest reputation around here anyway.

And if Microsoft doesn't want to provide a functional product, they should let me put Google onto WP's search button.

 

[Flagz]

Your logic is flawed. Why should anybody switch to Bing if its much worse than Google, just that Microsoft can start to make it better after a while? And Microsoft doesn't have the greatest reputation around here anyway.

And if Microsoft doesn't want to provide a functional product, they should let me put Google onto WP's search button.

everyone had to start somewhere. Google wouldn't have been able to optimize its search engine of no one searched using google right? Search engines are pretty smart, if you give it the time of day to search. Its gonna take a while to get Bing optimizes, but I'm glad to know that I'm one of the rare that are helping it optimize its searches.

 

[a5cent]

Switzerland is not an island, even though some Swiss believe so (But that's an entirely different subject) :wink:.

Yup... agree... and also another very interesting topic, but once I get started nobody can shut me up on that, so I'll spare you all :wink:

BTW, not being able to buy music via Zune is someting that had annoyed me as well ... .

WP8 brought Xbox Music Pass to Switzerland. That now works without any hacks. What I can't figure out is why audio search still isn't available. With access to Microsoft's online audio library, the last technical barrier was lifted. If you're going to write a letter to Microsoft don't forget to ask what's up with that! :wink:

I was able to switch that option on by adding a german hotmail account. But I'm not the average user, I'm not scared by technical terms and things. An average Swiss person would only notice that he can buy music in iTunes, but not in Zune. .

Great that you were able to get that crummy situation resolved. I've also solved it for myself, but I'm not going to describe my solution in public and it definitely isn't one I can generally recommend. Anyway, I absolutely agree with your assessment of iTunes vs. Zune. That is killing WP over here. Another example of how Apple is so much better at getting that sort of thing right everywhere in the world.

 

[Chregu]

everyone had to start somewhere. Google wouldn't have been able to optimize its search engine of no one searched using google right? Search engines are pretty smart, if you give it the time of day to search. Its gonna take a while to get Bing optimizes, but I'm glad to know that I'm one of the rare that are helping it optimize its searches.

Back in the days there were so many search engines and Google drove them all out because it provided something new in addition to good search results: A very simplistic interface with no commercials on the main page and no blinking banners and stuff.

Bing is very, very late and doesn't provide anything new or better (yeah, the pretty pictures are pretty, but who cares?) and the search results are worse. There's just no reason to switch to Bing, except if you have a Windows Phone and hope the 3th hardware button will become more useful when you do ;-) (And even then, you can just ignore the Search Button as do I...)

 

[Tahiti Bob]

I can't believe some people are claiming Bing needs time. Live Search launched in 2006 and MSN Search in 1998! In all this time, Microsoft has only managed to sort out the US (and not all of it from what I read here).

 

[Jalik]

Kilaj, what are your problems with the German keyboard? (Just out of interest)

Word prediction / auto correct. Very often it simply fails to deliver the most obvious suggestion but rather alot of related terms or just nonsense. I constantly have to delete and rewrite words. Not so much with the English keyboard ... I just now wrote complete garbage and it corrected everything. It's like day and night and even after one year with WP7 I still miss Swiftkey

 

[ammarmalik2011]

I can't believe some people are claiming Bing needs time. Live Search launched in 2006 and MSN Search in 1998! In all this time, Microsoft has only managed to sort out the US (and not all of it from what I read here).

Well people also say Windows Phone needs time, which has been out for over 2 years, which in smartphone terms is 20 years.

 

[Daniel Ratcliffe]

Well people also say Windows Phone needs time, which has been out for over 2 years, which in smartphone terms is 20 years.

Actually I would put two days as 20 billion years in smartphone terms

 

[pjs37]

I doubt I could ever go Google free. I have too much stuff tied up into google. But I have moved my email services to Microsoft for a more integrated experience. I still use Google for searches, Analytic's, AdSense, Google Reader for my RSS feeds etc.

 

[Mio_Ray]

Google Reader was what kept me hooked. Until now that is. The new update of Weave (not syncing with google reader) is just amazing. Won't be needing google anytime soon..
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[Coreldan]

For me it's not so much about trying to be Google-less, but more about wanting to support Microsoft specifically. That said, I do have to admit that I sorta do see Google as quite "evil", and I wont shed a tear for a customer they lost, but mostly for me it's me wanting to see Microsofts equivalents succeed.

Personally I switched everything Google I had to MS equivalents when I got a WP and I havnt looked back at all. There are still times when Bing just gives me some ******ed results (or no results), but as said, like 95% of the time I find what I want.

 

[Tahiti Bob]

If Microsoft wants my support, they just need to make their software less sh*t, simple. I can't force myself to use something sub-par just for support (specifically talking about Bing search here), I'm the one missing out, not Google.

 

[Chregu]

For me it's not so much about trying to be Google-less, but more about wanting to support Microsoft specifically. That said, I do have to admit that I sorta do see Google as quite "evil", and I wont shed a tear for a customer they lost, but mostly for me it's me wanting to see Microsofts equivalents succeed.

Google wants to make money, Microsoft wants to make money, Apple wants to make money (they are the worst with their "we love everybody, we love you, buy our products and spend a lot of money, just for our love!!!!"-shows) and I really see no difference in the amount of evil in these companies.

With all the free services, Microsoft wants to earn money with our data as much as Google is doing it. They don't just try to establish Bing because they want to be nice guys.

At least that is what I think...

Personally I switched everything Google I had to MS equivalents when I got a WP and I havnt looked back at all. There are still times when Bing just gives me some ******ed results (or no results), but as said, like 95% of the time I find what I want.

You're not from Switzerland then, I guess ;-)

 

[Tahiti Bob]

Google Reader was what kept me hooked. Until now that is. The new update of Weave (not syncing with google reader) is just amazing. Won't be needing google anytime soon..
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The magic of Google Reader is syncing across any device you have. If I read an article on my PC or tablet, then GR won't show it to me when I check my phone. It's convenience that no RSS reader can give you.

 

[Funky Cricket]

I just switched to bing last week for searching. Technical results are much harder to find. I do a lot of searching on server and network equipment errors, and so far it's been a bit harder to find what I want on bing.

 

[dtresca]

This thread has inspired me to try ditching Google, too. I've already made the switch to Outlook from GMail. Much more enjoyable experience. Going away from Google search and Chrome will prove to be the most difficult. Here goes...

 

[stmav]

For what I do Bing works for me just fine. I had switched to it a while back but didn't start doing the Bing rewards until recently. So since it does what I need it to, might as well get some free apps for my phone and Surface out of it.

 

[Luminatic]

Word prediction / auto correct. Very often it simply fails to deliver the most obvious suggestion but rather alot of related terms or just nonsense. I constantly have to delete and rewrite words. Not so much with the English keyboard ... I just now wrote complete garbage and it corrected everything. It's like day and night and even after one year with WP7 I still miss Swiftkey

Interesting. Word correction ion the Germam keyboard s the one thing that is working very well for me on WP. And others better in time as WP learns my specific vocabulary.

 

[ammarmalik2011]

Are people calling Google evil here not in the world in the 90s? Talk about turning a blind eye to what Microsoft was over a decade ago before Apple came along.