Just in time with the biggest shopping spree of the year, the Bing team has taken to their blog to highlight a number of ways you can use Microsoft’s technologies through Bing and Windows 10 to find some good holiday deals.
Microsoft Edge has replaced Internet Explorer as the default web browser on Windows 10. While Microsoft still has some work to do on stability and capabilities compared to other browsers like Chrome or Firefox, the new browser still sports a modern, streamlined interface and some neat features, chief among which the integration with Cortana, Microsoft’s virtual assistant in the veins of Siri or Google Now.
How does it help with your shopping then? When you visit a compatible retailer (more than 100 at the moment, including Macy’s, Target, and Toys “R” Us), Cortana will appear, all bouncy and excited like the happy circle it is, right on Edge’s address bar. You can then just click on it for a list of available coupons.
Another helpful feature that utilizes Bing in a more direct way is showing more data to a product image you search for on Bing Image, including prices of the same item from different stores, reviews, ratings, and store availability. This feature will definitely help you better plan that holiday budget: to use it, simply press on the shopping cart icon and look for “Place to Buy Beta” whenever you search for a product on Bing Image. Note that the feature “will be rolling out to desktop and mobile devices over the next few days”, so if you haven’t seen it, be patient.
Recently introduced in Beta form, the Bing Image Stream is also here to help you with your shopping. A quick recap: Image Stream shows you images you may like based on ones you already favorited on Bing Image (the favorite feature has existed for some time, now by clicking on the heart icon under an image you searched). Now those recommended images will also come with a shopping cart icon and price information, essential turning your image stream into a recommended shopping list. The feature is also now available for mobile.
Microsoft’s really doing some good work here in helping Windows and Bing users with their holiday shopping, and seeing that the big weekend is just a few days away, we’re also looking forward to testing out these new features and get some good deals in the process.
