Microsoft’s overhauled Bing adds social features to search results

Microsoft yesterday, brought out an upgraded Bing that incorporates insights from Twitter and Facebook in the most extensive overhaul of the search service since its launch three years ago.

"Most things in life are better with people you trust," Microsoft said in a release announcing that the changes promised in May had arrived.

"The new social features in Bing make it easy to exchange ideas, share opinions and take action, giving searchers the same confidence they get from bouncing an idea off a friend."

Google, in January, added posts from its social network to search results in a similar belief that people valued input from friends or others they respect.

The new version of Bing would come with a "social sidebar" listing Facebook friends who may know something about a query topic, according to Microsoft.

Microsoft has been intently working to net a greater share of the lucrative internet search market dominated for years by California-based Google.