Microsoft mobile services are a set of proprietary mobile services created specifically for mobile devices, they are typically offered through mobile applications and mobile browser for Windows Phone platforms, BREW, and Java. Microsoft's mobile services are typically connected with a Microsoft account and often come preinstalled on Microsoft's own mobile operating systems while they are offered via various means for other platforms. Microsoft started to develop for mobile computing platforms with the launch of Windows CE in 1996 and later added Microsoft's Pocket Office suite to their Handheld PC line of PDAs in April 2000. From December 2014 to June 2015, Microsoft made a number of corporate acquisitions, buying several of the top applications listed in Google Play and the App Store including Acompli, Sunrise Calendar, Datazen, Wunderlist, Echo Notification Lockscreen, and MileIQ.
Bing Mobile
Bing Mobile (previously Live Search Mobile) is a mobile website and collection of applications that serves as a central hub for Bing services and websites in the form of "cards" that present information in a similar manner as Google Now and enables Bing Rewards for US-based users. The Bing Mobile homepage shows the most popular search results in the form of a card, and can be personalised to show headlines based on the user's personal settings.
Bing for mobile browser - m.bing.com
Mobile browsing allows users to access Bing on their mobile devices through WAP or GPRS connection. The interface is optimized for viewing on mobile handsets. Users can:
Search the web for information
Get news information
Find local businesses in the user's local area
Get maps and driving directions
Get answers to questions
In the UK and Japan "Find My Location" to pinpoint a user's location
In the US on HTML-ready mobile devices such as iPhone, Android, and touch-screen Windows phones, further features are available: Automatic location detection (geolocation) Suggested local listings based on location and time of day Save listings to Favourites, and send that list to friends Movie listings with clips and trailers Sports scores and stats, with real-time updates during games
The Bing for mobile browser is available in 31 markets worldwide.
Bing for mobile application
The Mobile Application is available as a Java ME application for non-Windows phones, as a richer .NET Framework application for Windows Phones, and as an application for BlackBerry OS, Android, iOS, and Binary Runtime Environment for Wireless (BREW). It provides local listings, maps (road and aerial satellite), driving directions, and traffic conditions. Other features include:
Predictive text input
Browse and search through business categories
Image search and image exploration
Speech recognition search input
Search results include a phone number and address; users may click to call for an immediate connection Send search results to others using SMS Find maps for specific addresses Get directions to and from a destination Get turn by turn directions using a GPS receiver View traffic information for major roads in selected cities Get weather forecasts
View movie showtimes and theatres
Turn-by-turn navigation for Windows 6.x phones. A hub in Windows Phone 7.x and later devices. For Android it includes a built-in browser Bing Rewards The ability to set the device's lock screen based on Bing's daily images
The Bing app for iOS (iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad) includes these further features:
Barcode and cover art scanning
Enhanced product listings
Social updates from Facebook and Twitter
Social search see results from social network alongside web results
Share search results on Facebook, Twitter, or through email
The Bing app is available in the US on a variety of Windows phones, Android platform devices, all BlackBerry devices, several BREW devices, iPhone and iPod Touch, and Sidekick devices.
Bing 411
In the United States, Microsoft operated a toll-free number (1-800-BING-411 or 1-800-CALL-411) for directory assistance called Bing 411. This service used voice search technologies powered by Tellme. Users are able to find and connect for free to local shops and restaurants and obtain driving directions, traffic reports, sports scores, stock quotes, weather reports through this service. These numbers were discontinued on June 1, 2012.
As a replacement for the above numbers, a non-toll-free number was set up at 330-247-7411. This number has also since been discontinued, with callers directed to dial 408-752-8052 instead.