Microsoft launches Bing versus Google search challenge

SOFTWARE HOUSE Microsoft is hoping to show up Google by demonstrating that it beats it at internet search.

In a video and on a website the firm is asking people to try a side by side comparison search that it reckons will bring its Bing out as the winner.

The video, in which people are asked to bet things like their jumpers against an Xbox 360, goes well for Microsoft and Bing, but we have to say that we gave the test a go and found that Google won in our experience. That's okay though, because Microsoft was able to explain that away.

"Google may have won this round, but others picked Bing web search results over Google nearly 2 to 1 in blind comparison tests," it told us.

A blog post from Mike Nichols, who is corporate VP and chief marketing officer for Microsoft's Bing, says that in tests Bing "regularly [beats] Google in web search results quality".

He adds, "Since relevancy of search results is the #1 driver of search engine preference, the time is right for a wake-up call for searchers - better web search results are available at Bing.com.

"Today, we're asking people to click and choose which web search results they prefer via a fun, non-scientific blind comparison test called Bing It On. Our mission is to show people it's time to break the "Google habit" and that Bing has reached a quality level that will make it easy to switch. You can try it for yourself at Bingiton.com."

There is still a chance to win an Xbox 360, says Nichols, or a Surface tablet, or a Windows Phone. You do this by tweeting the results of your search experiments and hoping to get lucky. µ