Microsoft unleashes Bing app for iPhone

Technology Updates – Microsoft has unleashed its very own Bing app for iPhone. iPhone and iPod Touch users can download the app from the Apple’s App Store. The app comes equipped with cool features such as voice-based search, Seadragon powered mapping and location aware search. Full list of features provided below.

ing app for iPhone features

The app which is developed specifically for Apple’s premier phone brings the following interesting features:

• Voice search : Don’t like typing your search query. Well you can make your search by putting your voice to good use.
• Bing Maps: Mapping engine powered by Seadragon which supports zooming and panning..
• Location aware search: Say you are travelling in London, you will want to search for the nearest cinema within London. All you have to do is enabled this very feature.
• One finger Zoom-out button : The button is designed to support zooming out of the map requiring just a single finger touch
• Touch based search Swipe through search results including images as well
• Movie listings
• Flight Time : See arrival and departure time for different flight
• News : Keep yourself updated with the latest and hottest news around the globe.
• Daily image: High quality image with related trivia
• “Locate Me” functionality
• Ability to add pushpins and save locations
• Show multiple locations on a single map

How to Download

• Download it from the iTunes App Store right here
• From your iPhone’s browser navigate to m.bing.com which will automatically take you to the download page.

Correct me if I am wrong, with this Microsoft’s search engine app is available for Windows Mobile, BlackBerryand off course iPhone. Hang on where is the app for the Android platform? Will Microsoft be rolling out the Android version in the upcoming days as a Christmas gift?

Attention Zune Nation, Launch of Twitter App for Zune HD hours away

Remember a few months back, Zune team promised to launch Twitter and Facebook app for its latest multimedia player, Zune HD. Well it turns out that, you will finally be getting your very own Twitter app for Zune HD that will hopefully meet your micro-blogging and tweeting purposes. The much awaited app is expected to land within a few hours. This exciting news was discovered via a tweet from Microsoft’s ZuneTwitter account.

Unfortunately no word on the functionality that this overdue app will provide. Although I personally would be disappointed if it did not support the new retweet functionality. Anyhow, this little piece of news means that no longer you will be required to use the Zune HD’s browser to perform your Twitter activities.

One more thing, there is a high probability that this app like other apps will be available for free.

This news just makes you wonder when will the Zune team unleash the much awaited Facebook app? Any guesses?

What’s coming in Windows Live Messenger 2010

Neowin always has something interesting posted on its site. This time it’s no different. Infact, the news we are going to share with you is huge. An anonymous tipster has shared with Neowin, the screenshots of the upcoming and much awaited Windows Live Messenger 2010. In a nutshell, the upcoming version of Windows Live Messenger will bring the forever requested tabbed conversation feature and a socially rich  main messenger window . It wouldn’t be wrong to say that social networking is at the heart of the upcoming chat client from Microsoft.

• Two columns, the left one showcases the latest social updates from your Messenger contacts who clearly need to be subscribed to Twitter and Facebook.
• Quick links for the various contact categories such as other contacts, all and more.
• Rectangular share box in the top part of the window. I wonder if Microsoft intends to do more with this, may be allow us to post updates right from the Messenger to our Twitter or Facebook account. To add to the fun, it would really be nice to include a URL shortening service (please!). This is one thing that everyone which ofcourse includes bloggers will vote for this functionality.

I just wonder if the innovative Windows Live team are thinking of making this an all in one Messenger that will allow us to chat directly with our Facebook contacts.

The second change that Messenger 2010 will bring, is one that lot of users have been waiting impatiently for. Yes, tabbed conversations are finally a part of your favorite IM software.

Windows Live Messenger 2010 will be released as part of Wave 4. By the way you will be hearing more about Wave 4 expectedly in the Mix event as pointed out by Kip Kniskern of LiveSide.

Speaking of Windows Live Messenger, Nokia recently added Live Messenger support in its Nokia Messaging app.

Acer tops HTC in Android phone race, to roll out six handsets in first half of 2010

Acer has outlined its future plans for Android phones. The second largest PC vendor plans to release sixAndroid powered phones in the first half of 2010. This information was revealed by a company executive. With this announcement, Acer has left HTC behind, as the makers of HTC HD2 will be rolling out five phones for theAndroid platform in the first half of 2010.

(Image credit: BGR)

Regarding Acer’s plan for second half of 2010, Acer’s Roger Yuen said:

We’re still evaluating the second half

Yuen, who happens to be the  vice-president of Acer’s smartphone business in Asia said the Taiwanese based company will be releasing five or six Android phones in first half of 2010.

Acer intends to introduce three price levels for its Android version of mobile phones, in an attempt to target a diverse audience. The different price categories include top-end, mid and low end. To add to that, they want to release devices specific to business ended consumers, as shared by the Acer executive.

Acer during this week rolled out Acer Liquid, its first Android-based phone, in Hong Kong and Taiwan. Unfortunately, no word on the release date for the next Acer branded Android device. Hey what aboutWindows Mobile, does Acer intend to introduce mobile phones powered by the Microsoft’s mobile platform?

HTC’s 2010 roadmap for Android phone leaks out

It seems that HTC has inherited the leakage problem from Microsoft. I say this because HTC’s roadmap forAndroid phones has leaked out. First it was the leakage of a list that listed the future Android handsets that HTC planned and now this. According to the leaked roadmap, the OS independent handset makers will be releasing five Android handsets in the first half of 2010. This information was available via a leaked brochure that was distributed in Vienna, Austria, back in October 2009.

The 5 Android phones that will be released during the first 6 months of 2010 are:

• HTC Legend (Expected in March 2010)
• HTC Tide (Expected in April 2010)
• HTC Bravo (Expected in April 2010)
• HTC Buzz (Expected in May 2010)
• HTC Salsa (Expected in June 2010)

HTC has categorized these mobile phones, as it appears, into three categories namely

• Design / Lifestyle
• Social
• Performance

HTC Bravo belongs to the performance category, HTC Tide and HTC Buzz are touted to be social, whereasHTC Legend and HTC Salsa fall under the Design/ Lifestyle category.

We will be sharing with you the specs of each of these device as the day goes on. So stay tuned. More images coming up in a short while.