在新媒体web 2.0时代的今天，搜索的意义已经不止于找到问题的答案那么简单。对现代人而言，搜索的过程本身就是一种社交体验。例如，我们常常向朋友和同事寻求建议，希望得到更多的有效信息。Bing（必应）网站上这样讲，“研究表明，90%的人在做出一个决定之前会咨询朋友或有关专家——不管这个决定有多简单，比如，可以乘哪趟火车到住宅区，或Boulder附近最好的牙医是谁等等，总之，从外人那里得来的信息往往最能让他们信服。” Google早就发现了人们的这种心理，于是它让社交搜索成为现实，让人们可以从朋友+1的网站或文章中找到想要的答案。
今天，Bing宣布其已经做好了进军社交搜索领域的准备，并称接下来几周会推出Bing 的新一代产品“New Bing”。“New Bing”全新的用户界面分为三栏；搜索结果将包含一个快照视图（Snapshot）和一个社交工具条，整体看起来仿佛融入了Windows 8的设计理念。
搜索结果
还好，新Bing的基本算法并没有发生很大变化。正如对Bing描述的那样，“新搜索方法仍保持相关核心算法这一基本不变，不过最近更新可以把用户所期望的结果呈现出来。”这是打击竞争者的大好机会，Bing当然不会错过。它称“与其他网站搜索结果与社交更新无序地混淆在一起不同，Bing把重要搜索结果的简明扼要化放在了首位，为的就是方便我们的用户尽快找到那些最有用的链接。”Bing让用户清楚地知道，如果只是想享受社交搜索这个过程，那就需要去Bing的其他地方看看——但是重新设计之后的Bing人们一定会非常需要，因为它不像其他竞争对手（例如Google）那样把网站设计得不符合用户的使用习惯。
快照视图
快照视图的位置被设计在中间那一栏，正如Bing官方微博上描述的那样，快照视图的设计初衷是为了“在搜索结果的主要页面显示与用户搜索习惯匹配的相关信息和服务，内容包括地图、餐馆预定和评论，以方便用户做出选择。”这也是体现Bing更加智能化、比以前更懂用户的地方。快照视图不仅知道你需要知道的信息，它还能帮你做出决定——可能之前连你自己都不知道需要做出那样的决定。
社交化
重新设计之后的Bing，用户界面改变最大的部分在第三栏，这次真正实现了社交搜索的融合。Bing给它起名叫“工具条”，并称“有了工具条，Bing把网络上的专家及用户朋友所知道的最好资源集合在了一起，让用户做选择时对自己更有把握。这种全新的搜索方式实现了人们在网上分享信息、发现信息以及和朋友互动，就像在现实生活中那样。”这种社交工具条融合了Quora, Facebook, Twitter, Foursquare以及其他网站上的数据信息，因此，可以帮用户找到知道问题答案的朋友，这些朋友可能亲眼见过某个名人或专家，或亲耳听过该名人、专家关于此话题的看法。这种活动主要通过Facebook接入，因此，用户可以在Bing或Facebook上对某事发表评论，然后在Bing上就能看到结果。
Bing的新用户界面将在接下来几天向美国用户发布——如果你想成为第一个试用它的人，现在就可以访问www.bing.com/new，你会在适当的时候受到一封通知邮件。同时，你以后可能会目睹这个新版社交搜索引擎如何打败它的竞争对手，在激烈的竞争市场上获得更大的份额——那一定很有看头！
In today’s new media, web 2.0, SoLoMo (whatever that means) world, search is more than a simple query. Search has become a social experience, one in which we now rely upon our friends and colleagues for suggestions to boost relevant results. According to Bing, “research tells us that 90% of people consult with a friend or expert before making a decision –whether it’s something as simple as which train will take you uptown or who is the best dentist in Boulder, other people are often the most trusted source of information.” This is something Google has obviously known for awhile, implementing social search and returning results that are endorsed by friends who have +1’d that website or article.
Today, Bing has announced it’s ready to really play the social search game too, introducing the “New Bing” that will roll out over the next few weeks. The new UI will feature three columns; the search results, a “snapshot” view, and a social sidebar, which looks like something designed with Windows 8 in mind.
Search Results
Thankfully, not much is changing here. As Bing explains, “The bedrock of modern search remains core algorithmic relevance. With the latest updates, we are delivering the results you expect.” However, Bing misses no opportunity to throw stones at its competitors. “Instead of cluttering your results with social updates, we’re honoring the purity of the core web results making it easier to focus on the links you need to get things done.” Bing makes it clear if you want a social search experience, you’ll have to look elsewhere on Bing – but with this new design, they are aware they you do need it; just not in-your-face like its competitors (i.e.; Google) have designed.
Snapshot
This middle column is designed, as Bing’s blog explains to bring, to “relevant information and services related to your search to you right on the main results page including maps, restaurant reservations and reviews so you can take action.” This is where Bing is getting smarter and knows you better before. Not only does it know what you need to know, the Snapshot column is helping you to get those things done – before you even know you needed to do them.
Social
The third column of Bing’s new redesign is the major change to Bing’s UI, and where social search is really integrated. Called “sidebar”, Bing says, “With sidebar, Bing brings together the best of the web, with what experts and your friends know, giving you the confidence to act. This new way to search lets people share, discover, and interact with friends like they do in real life.” This social sidebar integrates data from Quora, Facebook, and Twitter and Foursquare and others to help you find friends from whom you can ask questions who see what influential users and experts are saying about relevant topics. Much of this activity is primarily connected via Facebook, so you can like or comment on something from either Bing or Facebook, and see the results on Bing.、
Bing’s new UI will be released within the next few days to users in the US – but if you want to be one of the first to try it out, you can visit www.bing.com/new, to receive an email notification when it’s available. And when it’s available, it will be interesting to see if this version of social search can drive away traffic from the competition – and gain more of that critical market share.
