Monday 3 September 2012

Bing adds Facebook photo search function


Remember that cool photo your friend shared on Facebook last week? Can't find all her pictures from last week's party? It's no longer a problem, thanks to Bing. In the latest search feature involving a social network, Bing has now added the ability to search for photos shared by all your Facebook friends.

Bing has been integrating Facebook into search results for a while now. More recently, it added the ability to tag friends in search results. This new feature is actually an expansion of the photo features that launched with the social sidebar in May.

Initially, friend photos relevant to your search query were shown in the sidebar alongside results. The difference now is when friends' photos appear in the sidebar, with one click you can browse that friend's entire album right from within Bing.

Also new is the Bing Friends' Photos landing page. The page, located at bing.com/friendsphotos, shows all your friends' photos in one, infinite-scrolling page.

From that same portal page, you can also view photos you were tagged in as well as your own galleries. Clicking any image allows you to view the full-sized image with comments in a sidebar. From here you can also post a comment, like, or share the image.

Bing continues to stress privacy. Only the photos you have made viewable to others will be shared on Bing. Similarly, you will only see photos your friends share with you.

You'll also see all kinds of photos your friends shared that you otherwise may have missed. According to Facebook's own numbers earlier this year, only 16 percent of your friends actually see the things you post to your wall. This may be a better way of connecting with your friends.

Bing's improvements in search continue to help consumers do things more quickly. This latest Facebook feature addition shows just that.

While searching for topics, you can find relevant images from your friends. Although if you tangent off, you can get lost in browsing all the memories, too. But ADD aside, Bing once again has delivered on its brand promise of "Bing is for Doing." 

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