[experiment 626]

Just announced @ BBW. Microsoft's BING web browser will be the default search engine for all future BlackBerry products. Microsoft did this with Verizon a couple years ago on all their non-Droid Android devices and the results were generally disliked. RIM,please at least let us have the option to switch default search engines to Google if we wish.

[boldman4]

Wow, this is an interesting development, and makes me wonder if RIM will soon go the way of Nokia, and put WP7 on Blackberry phones in the next couple of years.

OS6>>OS7>>QNX>>WP7

One year on each OS.

[big_time2]

As long as there is an option to change it, I don't care.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[valorian]

Microsoft did this with Verizon a couple years ago on all their non-Droid Android devices and the results were generally disliked.

The Bing search Engine was not forced onto my phone. Just the link to install Bing. I just hid the icon and forgot about it.

I really do not see RIM making Bing the only search engine. My guess is you will still have the option to use Bing or some other search engine.

[Seijuro]

i want google for that
hopefully its optional

[Deathcommand]

No more context required.

[StaticFX]

The Bing search Engine was not forced onto my phone. Just the link to install Bing. I just hid the icon and forgot about it.

I really do not see RIM making Bing the only search engine. My guess is you will still have the option to use Bing or some other search engine.

when in your web browser... does it not use BING as the search? this was a force done by VZW because MS paid $500M to be exclusive with vz...
i guess RIM likes getting some MS cash too.....
sigh.

sorry.. but bing SUCKS on mobile compared to google imho.

[Seijuro]

i think and hope you can just use google
i really really think it'll be optional

[boldman4]

For all who think that RIM is doing fine and dandy, would this deal have been make if RIM were not in financial trouble? Why do they need cash from Micro$oft?

[howarmat]

VZW did this on the storm and it sucked. There was no way to change it to google. i hope they do allow for google as it is much better imo

[Seijuro]

its boldman4 again,
yay

...

[lnichols]

As long as I have the option to change it to Google then OK. I won't use BING.

[Seijuro]

As long as I have the option to change it to Google then OK. I won't use BING.

same here
make it optional, plz !

[LikeWebOS]

While I dislike Bing and hope that there is an option to use Google as well, I don't really think that'll happen for some reason.

[zorba3726]

What I read is that the BING Search will be integrated at OS level going ahead. Probably similar to how Google Search is integrated everywhere on Android. There should be a way to use Google Search on RIM's OS in future but it looks like it's hard to escape Bing completely.
Due to this Microsoft partnership if Silverlight support comes to PlayBook that would be a very positive development.

[kbz1960]

Humm, can't you just type www .google. com in your browser? I know that is too much work for some.

[Seijuro]

yes
indeed, it is

[experiment 626]

What I read is that the BING Search will be integrated at OS level going ahead.

I know that was true with the Samsung Fascinate.Everything was run thru BING's search engine either directly or indirectly,even if you went to Google's search site. I think the only way to have Google on the Fascinate was to root the device and flush out BING.

[jlb21]

Humm, can't you just type www .google. com in your browser? I know that is too much work for some.

Though I paid for Quicklaunch to get it integrated very nicely, I use the websearch function built into quicklaunch and have it set to Google by default.

Soooo, rather than go to the browser and either HAVING to use Bing Search or HAVING to type in Google, I do the following:

1) Hit <space> to activate QuickLaunch
2) Hit "G" (my shortcut key for WebSearch)
3) Enter my search terms into the dialog and hit return

Easy Peasy!!!

[iN8ter]

The Bing search Engine was not forced onto my phone. Just the link to install Bing. I just hid the icon and forgot about it.

I really do not see RIM making Bing the only search engine. My guess is you will still have the option to use Bing or some other search engine.

Bing will be integrated into Blackberry at the OS level.

Maps, Search, Voice Search, etc. will all be Bing.

It won't simply be some applications or icons you can hide...

Also, in the US, UK, and some other markets Bing is on par with Google. I really don't know why so many US residents are saying Google is so superior when they both give basically the same search results in almost the same exact order.

Google is great on something like Android when it is so deeply integrated into the OS and Google integrates their services everywhere, but no search engine really shines on an OS unless it's deeply integrated the way Google/Bing is on Android/WP7/Windows Mobile, IMO.

It only causes you to have contextually divergent search patterns on the device...

Perhaps they will also bring better Hotmail support to BIS as a result, or put ActiveSync in there...

[valorian]

when in your web browser... does it not use BING as the search? this was a force done by VZW because MS paid $500M to be exclusive with vz...
i guess RIM likes getting some MS cash too.....
sigh.

sorry.. but bing SUCKS on mobile compared to google imho.

When in the native browser Bing is not in there. My phone has Google in the native browser.

[lnichols]

I don't want Bing or any other M$ thing in my phone. They have a lame OS to push their garbage on already, don't put that crap on Blackberry!

[skyboxer]

Well RIM needed to have a search partner to do what they wanted the BB OS to do. Google would have been preferred by darn near anyone, but they may not have even been interested. They have their own very successful devices and just don't need RIM at this point. MS on the other hand has a mobile OS that nobody talks about much and they need more exposure in the mobile phone world.
As long as I can still do a google search somehow, I don't care. Right now I can use universal search and select the google mobile app and it takes me where I want to go.
I like the idea of Bing maps taking the place of BBmaps. Even the new BB maps isnt as nice as the offerings of google and bing.

[experiment 626]

I don't want Bing or any other M$ thing in my phone. They have a lame OS to push their garbage on already, don't put that crap on Blackberry!

Exactly,they can't get people to buy POS Windows Phones(except Nokia) so they buy their way into smartphones people actually like. What's next, WP "Tiles" on the BB homescreen?

[Forza4RE]

Does anyone actually use Bing? Other than people who never changed their IE homepage from msn.com?

There better be an option to change this...at the OS level doesn't sound good.