June 1st, 2009
Bing
Remember Microsoft's "Live Search" engine? Of course you don't. It was slated to be Microsoft's Google killer, but turned out to be a lackluster piece of crap that nobody used. Yes, Microsoft actually tried to beat Google at the search engine game, and they didn't even really give the thing any stand-out features because, well, they're Microsoft. I think they just sort of assumed they might win if they funneled all their Internet Explorer users there by default.
Anyway, it now looks like they think that changing the name to something they think is "catchy" will make people want to use their search. You know, kind of like how Google is a made up word and look how successful that turned out to be! And supposedly they have a new algorithm too now, though they're going to need something far more drastically awesome than that if they even want to put the smallest of dents in Google's usage.
They now call it Bing. As in Chandler's last name from Friends. As in a rapper's jewelry but missing a letter. As in the marketing department tried way too hard to be hip. Oh, and Microsoft Live Search Club? That's now called Club Bing. Clubbing. Get it?
Microsoft is so pathetic it makes me want to cry.
