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BetaNews.Com (11 non lus)

Google Maps for Android improves navigation for cyclists and drivers

Publié: juillet 18, 2014, 7:37pm CEST par Nick Peers

Google has started to roll out Google Maps for Android 8.2, focusing its attention of cyclists with the addition of some handy new features.

The app also introduces voice control for vehicle navigation, effectively turning the user’s Android mobile or tablet into a GPS navigation system.

When cyclists opt to use Google Maps for navigational purposes, the app will now provide an estimate of elevation along each part of the route, using a line chart to indicate the elevation at the start and end points of the chosen route, complete with elevation changes throughout it.

The feature will prove especially beneficial to those looking for ways to avoid steep uphill climbs, although as yet there’s no way to specify this as an option when looking for alternatives.

Version 8.2 also adds voice commands for the vehicle navigation route. Users can now tap the new mic button in the navigation interface to control Google Maps, with available commands including asking for directions, checking traffic along the route and bringing up a list of alternative routes.

Early feedback suggests the voice recognition is still quite fuzzy, so try to be as precise as possible when issuing commands.

Other changes include a new Your Places shortcut in the main Google Maps menu (swipe right from the left-hand edge of the screen to access), which provides a convenient shortcut to previously saved and recently accessed searches.

The update, which should roll out across most devices over the next few days, was preceded a week ago by Google Maps for iOS 3.2.0. That provided improvements to viewing search results on a map, plus added the ability to view reservations and events from Gmail on the map. It also saw the Explore local guide feature make its bow.

Google Maps for Android 8.2 is rolling out now for tablets and phones running Android 4.1 or later. Also available for iPad, iPhone and iPod touch running iOS 6 or later is Google Maps for iOS 3.2.0.
Best Windows 8 apps this week

Publié: juillet 18, 2014, 4:29pm CEST par Martin Brinkmann
Ninetieth in a series. Welcome to this week's selection of the best apps and games that have been released in the past seven days for Windows 8.

Several important applications were updated this week. The official Skype application for Windows 8 supports free group calls in the latest version while the popular Twitter client Tweetium better filtering of blocked users and discounts if you subscribe for a year.

The title of app of the week goes to Reddit ReddHubV2 which is not new but a complete make over of the application.

As always, if I missed an app or game that has been released this week that you believe is particularly good, let me know in the comments below or notify me via email instead.

Here is this week's selection of apps and games

Red Stripe Deals

Six apps and games are discounted by at least 50 percent each week. The following applications are available at a discount this week.
- Dragon's Lair, the classic arcade game for $4.99
- Spectral Souls (ENG), a tactical role-playing game for $5.99
- Fairway Solitaire by Big Fish (Full), a card game for $0.99
- Red Crow Mysteries: Legion Full, an adventure game for $3.49
- Draw a Stickman: EPIC, a drawing game for $1.49
- Drawboard PDF, a PDF reader and management app for $4.99
App of the week

Reddit ReddHubV2

The completely redesigned application provides you with the means to browse the popular site Reddit as a guest or as a member of it.

The app divides the screen into three parts. The left sidebar is used to browse to different subreddits, search Reddit, sign in or out, and access your inbox.

The second sidebar next to it displays the threads of the selected location, e.g. frontpage. Each thread is listed with its title, source, subreddit, number of comments and points that it has received so far.

The large area on the right displays the currently selected thread. What is interesting here is that external pages get loaded right here as well.

If a thread links to a newspaper or blog article, it will be displayed right here by the app.

There are also options to zoom in or out, download images that got posted to Reddit, or vote or leave a comment if you are logged in.

Other apps

Total Defense 3D ($1.99, free trial available)

Defeat your base against attacking hordes of enemy vehicles in this tower defense game.

You have four different towers at your disposal that you can place strategically on the map.

Each tower has distinct features, such as slowing enemies or area splash damage, that help you defeat all enemy waves.

Towers gain experience during each level which in turn enables you to upgrade them to make them more powerful.

You earn skill points by winning battles which you can invest in skills that make your tower more powerful or benefit you in other ways.

The main distinguishing factor of the game is its 3D design which not many tower defense games make use of.

4EPOS ($9.99, free trial available)

A point of sale application for retail outlets that runs on Windows 8 compatible devices.

The app features a unique, mostly intuitive, interface that can create and store invoices, receipts and delivery notes.

It supports different currencies and tax rates, supports barcode scanning, and be updated when new stock arrives to reflect that.

It creates sales summaries and keeps track of all transactions and tax details. These information can be exported to XML files.

The app requires no Internet connection for its functionality.

Pencil Blade

Cut fruit using the mouse or keyboard in this popular game that has been ported from Windows Phone.

The game supports various modes that you need to unlock to proceed including a Gangnam Style mode. Modes differ in many aspects from the main mode including the type of extras that you can collect.

The game works exceptionally well on touch-devices.

Shoggoth Rising ($0.99, free trial available)

Shoggoth Rising is an arcade game in which you defend your lighthouse against frog-like creatures that try to climb it.

You have ranged and melee weapons at your disposal to keep them at bay, and need to rotate around the lighthouse so that none slip by.

The game is ideal for touch devices but can be played with the mouse as well.

FilmOn Kids

The new FilmOn application for Windows 8 lets children watch live kids' TV.

As is the case with all FilmOn apps, the majority of channels and shows are available for free in SD format while you need to subscribe if you want to watch them in HD instead.

Shows include Sesame Street and channels such as Kartoon Klassics or FilmOn Kids, or Animal Atlas featuring various shows suitable for children.

Archery Blitz

The game falls into the Angry Birds category, but instead of firing birds, you are shooting arrows at zombies.

Game mechanics are similar to those of Angry Birds though. Rotate your character to change the angle of your shot and release it once you are satisfied with it.

Depending on arrow type, it will either fly on its own from then on or may be manipulated using touch or a mouse click. This is, for instance, the case when you shoot three arrows at once as you split them in mid-air when you click a second time.

Ape of Steel

Fight against giant insects and robots in this 3D arcade game. You move your character around with the WASD keys on the keyboard and use the mouse buttons to shoot and jump around the level.

The graphics of the game are beautiful and you can either play an endless mode or advance one level at a time.
Dashlane revamps user interface, unveils new shared features

Publié: juillet 18, 2014, 4:21pm CEST par Nick Peers

Dashlane, Inc has released Dashlane 3.0 for Windows and Mac, a major new build of its secure password management tool. The new release is joined by Dashlane 2.7 for iOS, which has been updated to work with version 3.

Version 3 sports a completely redesigned user interface, adds a number of new tools, including a Sharing Center, Emergency Contacts section and a simpler way of viewing password histories.

The new Sharing Center, which is accessible from Dashlane’s main menu, is designed to allow users to both create and manage shared passwords and notes. Users get an at-a-glance view of what’s shared with whom, and can filter the list a number of ways.

As well as viewing current access rights, users can manage each shared item directly from the Sharing Center panel. Two levels of sharing -- full and limited -- are available, and the tool allows users to share sensitive information securely rather than via email or other unencrypted channels. Target users will, however, need their own Dashlane account to use the feature.

The feature is joined by a new Emergency Contacts section -- here users can select people for the express purpose of sharing data only in emergencies. Trusted contacts can be given provisional access to all or part of the user’s passwords and notes.

The feature allows users to share data in specific circumstances, and can also be used as a failsafe if they forget their master password without actually having to disclose it to anyone else.

Contacts can then request access to the data -- typically at the user’s behest -- which is granted only after a set period has elapsed. That period is three days by default, but can be anything up to three months.

Users are notified of the request, which they can either allow or block at any time during the waiting period. If the waiting period expires however, the contact is given access to the user’s data. Once granted, users can revoke access at any time.

Version 3 also adds two new options to the Tools menu: View Password History for easy access to previously used passwords, and Refresh Website Icons for updating icons in the user’s Password List.

PC users also gain a button for selecting all items in a category with one click, quick-action buttons that appear when rolling the mouse over credentials and improved display on high DPI screens. Mac users gain revamped search results.

The update is rounded off with unspecified "major enhancements to speed and performance".

The new iOS version adds compatibility with Dashlane 3 and fixes issues related to data syncing between devices. The latest Android build -- released a month ago -- already supports the new version of Dashlane.

Dashlane 3.0 is available as a freeware download for Windows and Mac, while Dashlane 2.7 for iOS is also available free for iOS 7-powered iPhone, iPad and iPod touch. Also available is Dashlane for Android 2.5.12. A premium account is also available, with prices currently $29.99 per year for secure account backup, sync across all devices, unlimited secure sharing, access to your passwords through a web browser and priority support.
Kindle Unlimited brings endless reading and listening to customers

Publié: juillet 18, 2014, 3:00pm CEST par Alan Buckingham

Amazon already gives Prime customers access to a Kindle lending library, allowing the user to "borrow" books each month. But for some of the more voracious types, this may not provide enough material for a month's worth of entertainment.

For those customers, the retail giant has unveiled Kindle Unlimited, bringing all of the reading and listening needed to satisfy anyone, regardless of how fast he or she can read.

"With Kindle Unlimited, you won’t have to think twice before you try a new author or genre -- you can just start reading and listening", says Russ Grandinetti, senior vice president of Kindle. "In addition to offering over 600,000 eBooks, Kindle Unlimited is also by far the most cost-effective way to enjoy audiobooks and eBooks together. With thousands of Whispersync for Voice-enabled audiobooks to choose from, you can easily switch between reading and listening to a book, allowing the story to continue even when your eyes are busy. We hope you take advantage of the 30-day free trial and try it for yourself".

This isn't just another freebie thrown in for Prime customers, as music recently was. Instead, customers will need to sign up for a subscription, coming with a price tag of $9.99 per month. Along with this fee comes a free three-month subscription to Amazon subsidiary Audible, which produces quality audio versions of books, with excellent readers, including the occasional author or actor.

You will not need a Kindle for this, as it's cross-platform compatible. Customers can use Android, Blackberry, iOS, PC and Mac. Head over here to take a peek at the service.
Mozilla takes Firefox OS to new markets and devices, including India

Publié: juillet 18, 2014, 1:09pm CEST par Alan Buckingham

Not to be outdone by Google's Android operating system, Mozilla wishes to push its own mobile platform out to customers. The organization is aiming mostly at the low-end market, but that will be expanding in the future.

The mobile platform initially debuted on just two devices, but Mozilla has managed to scare up a few more partners to produce its product.

"Firefox OS has emerged out of the 'other' category as one of the top platforms for the global smartphone industry”, says Neil Mawston, Executive Director, Global Wireless Practice at Strategy Analytics. "Strong interest from major operators and hardware makers has enabled Firefox OS to make headway in key regions and challenge established software players".

New markets will include Croatia, Czech Republic, Macedonia, Montenegro, Germany, France, Argentina, Ecuador, the whole of Central America, Taiwan, India, and various locations around Asia.

Mozilla also plans to begin producing higher-end devices running its operating system -- a departure from the original direction. "To accelerate the design, development and testing of the Firefox OS ecosystem, Mozilla has partnered with Thundersoft to manufacture and distribute the Firefox OS Flame reference phone", the organization states. This device is now available for purchase.

Additionally, Mozilla has designs for the living room, announcing it will be moving its platform to Smart TVs and Abitcool will be releasing a Chromecast-like streaming device later in 2014.

All of this means Mozilla is moving forward quickly, despite fighting somewhat of a serious uphill battle against existing platforms.
BBM for Windows Phone available to beta testers

Publié: juillet 18, 2014, 12:12pm CEST par Mihaita Bamburic

You may recall that, earlier this month, BBM finally made its way to Windows Phone Store, after arriving on Android and iOS last year. It was not made publicly available, as BlackBerry chose to conduct a beta testing trial before its official launch.

As one of the folks who quickly signed up for the beta program, I just received an email from BlackBerry detailing what sort of features are available to test, what the known problems are, and how to provide feedback. Here is what fellow beta testers can expect.

BlackBerry wants BBM for Windows Phone beta testers to focus on the core features of its messaging service, like the ability to create a profile, manage settings, use Groups and so on, as well as some platform-specific features, and possible issues, like the ability to pin live tiles from the app and receive notifications. The Canadian maker wants to insure that typical BBM features work as expected come launch time.

BlackBerry is aware that Windows Phone users may encounter some issues with the available BBM beta release, like problems sending invites and acceptances while outside of Wi-Fi coverage, some improperly rendered emoticons and the voice call availability while the feature is not even supported at this stage. As you can probably imagine, these are issues BlackBerry wants beta testers not to report.

Since I last discussed BBM for Windows Phone, BlackBerry released an update, today, which brings the app to version 1.0.0.3 (with the Beta label next to it). There is no changelog provided.

BBM is available to download from Windows Phone Store.
RE: Was it good for you? -- 8 percent of people check emails after sex

Publié: juillet 18, 2014, 11:35am CEST par Ian Barker

Email is often cited as the killer app which popularized the internet. You might think that by now we'd have moved on but a new survey of 1,000 US email users from mail app provider My.com suggests we're just as in love with our inboxes as ever.

There are currently around 3.9 billion email accounts worldwide and the number is expected to increase by around 27 percent this year. We're also spending more time on our email these days with 46 percent of users admitting to spending an hour or more a day reading their messages.

We have more accounts too. Only 33 percent of respondents have a single account with 27 percent having three or more.

Mobile devices of course means you can be in touch with your email at all times and 70 percent of those surveyed check their mail on mobile devices with 67 percent using push notifications to get instant alerts.

It seems we check our mail more often too. 74 percent check their email first thing in the morning, which is fair enough, but email also intrudes on our other activities. 48 percent check during lunch, 27 percent check during dinner, 33 percent during movies and 56 percent check before going to bed. Then there's the 8 percent who admit to checking straight "after sex" -- though there's no indication of how many of these also checked before they went to bed.

The main problem with email of course has always been spam and that isn't going away either. Despite improved filtering 60 percent of respondents admit to losing important messages due to spam. Also a remarkable 64 percent say they've closed an email account in frustration because of excessive spam.

You can check out a more detailed summary of the findings in infographic form below.

Photo Credit: Shumilina Maria/Shutterstock
[Updated] Lenovo ends sales of small-screen Windows tablets in US due to lack of interest

Publié: juillet 18, 2014, 9:40am CEST par Wayne Williams

Microsoft is keen to get its tiled OS on as many devices, from as many hardware makers, as possible. It introduced the license-free Windows with Bing back in May as part of this push, but prior to that, at Build 2014, it announced it would be offering Windows for free to OEMs and ODMs on all tablets smaller than nine inches.

The dream of an army of smaller devices running Windows 8.1 has suffered a major setback now though with news that one of the largest Windows device makers, Lenovo, has decided to kill off its smaller tablets in the US, citing lack of interest.

Lenovo has confirmed it be withdrawing the ThinkPad 8, and Miix 2 8 tablets from American stores, with immediate effect, and diverting the stock to other countries.

Lenovo spokesperson Ray Gorman says, "In North America, we're seeing stronger interest in the larger screen sizes for Windows tablets and are pleased with initial customer demand for the ThinkPad 10. In other markets, particularly Brazil, China, and Japan, the demand for ThinkPad 8 has been much stronger, so we are adjusting our ThinkPad 8 inventories to meet increasing demand in those markets. If market demand for ThinkPad 8 changes, we will re-evaluate our strategy".

Brian Fagioli reviewed both Lenovo tablets. In February, he covered the Miix 2 8, which is powered by an Intel Atom Z3740 Processor and 2GB memory/64GB eMMC, and said it was a "Windows 8.1 tablet with an 8-inch screen done right". In April, he described the ThinkPad 8, which features an Intel Atom Z3770 processor and 2GB memory/64GB eMMC, as "the Rolls Royce of small Windows tablets".

Sadly, for American buyers, neither tablet is going to be available for much longer, although Microsoft currently has both devices for sale in its online store. The ThinkPad 8 is priced at $399 and Miix 2 8 is $299.

Update: Ray Gorman, Executive Director, External Communications, Lenovo, has clarified the company's position and has good news for fans of small Windows tablets.

We will continue to bring new Windows devices to market across different screen sizes, including a new 8-inch tablet and 10-inch tablet coming this holiday. Our model mix changes as per customer demand, and although we are no longer selling ThinkPad 8 in the US, and we have sold out of Miix 8-inch, we are not getting out of the small-screen Windows tablet business as was reported by the media. In short, we will continue to sell both 8 and 10 inch Windows tablets in both the US and non-US markets.
Honda's Asimo robot can now run, jump and recognize voices

Publié: juillet 18, 2014, 9:38am CEST par Barclay Ballard

The latest upgrade to Honda's Asimo has given the robot enhanced intelligence, the ability to run 5.6mph and enabled it to perform complex sign language.

Asimo was first introduced in 2000 and is seen as one of the leading attempts at creating a humanoid robot.

As well as giving Asimo enhance artificial intelligence, the most recent upgrades allow it to change its actions depending on what happens around it.

The ultimate goal is for Asimo, which stands for Advanced Step in Innovation Mobility, to provide assistance to various people in need, be it the elderly or those in disaster zones.

The four foot tall robot is not yet available to buy however.

Elements of Asimo's technology have already been successfully used to assist clean-up efforts at Japan's Fukushima nuclear plant.

Asimo's upgrades, which were revealed in Belgium on Wednesday, focus on enabling the robot to better understand the world around it and include the ability to distinguish different voices in a room, even when multiple people are speaking at the same time.

However, some have questioned the viability of Asimo as a helper robot, particular with its current development costs.

"It's great to see the results of research in human-robot interaction that Honda is doing, but the reality is that Asimo needs to be a lot cheaper before it's a household robot," said Andra Keay, managing director of Silicon Valley Robotics and a columnist for Robohub.

Keay thinks simpler robots, such as Jibo, a lamp-like household assistant, will hit the market sooner.

"Perhaps the direction that Jibo has taken is the most appropriate one right now -- minimum viable robot product to get maximal learning from human interaction. We're entering a rich age for deep machine learning from humans".

Published under license from ITProPortal.com, a Net Communities Ltd Publication. All rights reserved.

Dell Latitude E5540: a well-specified corporate laptop [Review]

Publié: juillet 18, 2014, 9:33am CEST par James Morris

Dell-Latitude-E5540-header_contentfullwidth

In all the furor over super-slim Ultrabooks and magically transforming hybrids, it's sometimes easy to forget that some people just need a basic portable. The Dell Latitude E5540 is aimed at those people. It's not a fundamentally exciting notebook by any stretch of the imagination, but it could be just what your company needs as a standard-issue everyday workhorse.

The design of the E5540 is decidedly inconspicuous, with matte black plastic the order of the day all round. This is very much a sober corporate notebook that won't cause any commotion in the meeting room. The full width of the 15in chassis has been used to provide a separate keypad alongside the keyboard, as well as discrete volume control buttons at the top. The keys are full-sized and have a comfortably firm action, making touch typing for long durations very pleasant. However, the keyboard isn't backlit, which is an unusual omission for a work-oriented laptop.

The foremost luxury aspect of our E5540 review sample is the full HD screen, although you can specify a more pedestrian 1,366 x 768 unit and save around £100. However, we reckon this would be a false economy now that screens are pushing to 4K, so the 1,920 x 1,080 option is definitely worth the extra expense. The screen has plenty of detail and reasonably bright color, whilst the matte anti-glare finish means that there is little problem with unwanted reflections in bright lighting. However, viewing angles are merely adequate. Also, this is not a touchscreen, although our sample was supplied with Windows 7 so this was no loss whatsoever, and we remain skeptical about touchscreens on non-hybrid laptops.

Otherwise, the E5540's specification is contemporary but unexceptional. The system is based around a Haswell-generation Intel Core i5 4300U, which runs at a nominal 1.9GHz, but Turbo Boost as usual makes this specification rather unimportant. It allows a single core to lift to 2.9GHz when required, and both cores to run at 800MHz, where the processor decreases its consumption from 15W to 11.5W. The two physical cores are split into four virtual ones thanks to Hyper-Threading. So this is a capable and flexible low-power CPU.

However, Dell has chosen to partner the Core i5 with just 4GB of 1,600MHz DDR3 SDRAM, which is a bit meager now that even Ultrabooks are beginning to standardize on 8GB. The RAM is not user-upgradeable, either, and incredibly you can't even specify a larger quantity at the time of purchase, which is a rather surprising drawback.

Although the Core i5 processor has Intel's HD Graphics 4400 built in, this only comes into play when very light 3D acceleration is required, or none at all. When more serious acceleration is needed, Nvidia's Optimus technology brings a discrete GeForce GT 720M chipset into play. However, this is right at the bottom of Nvidia's mobile 7-series offerings, and based on the previous-generation Fermi architecture rather than the latest Kepler tech. As such, it only sports 96 CUDA cores, although it comes with its own 2GB supply of DDR3 memory. So its abilities will far exceed the Intel HD Graphics 4400, but won't provide hugely potent professional or gaming acceleration.

Dell-Latitude-E5540-side_fullwidth Dell has taken a sensible price-sensitive route when it comes to storage, providing a Seagate Solid State Hybrid Drive that combines a 500GB 5,400rpm hard disk with 8GB of flash memory. This acts as a cache so that there is faster access to frequently used data, and the mechanical portion can spin down to conserve power occasionally. There's also a TSSTcorp SU-208CB DVD rewriter, so disc-based software can be installed and DVD movies viewed.

Dell makes good use of the chassis size when it comes to connectivity. The left side houses a full-sized HDMI port, USB 3.0, an SD card reader as well as a slot for a smart card. A wireless radio switch is also available on this side, next to the power connection. This will be handy when traveling by air. The right-hand side is home to the tray-loading optical drive, plus a combined headphone and microphone minijack, USB 3.0 port, and VGA. There is also a single USB 2.0 port and wired LAN port on the rear, one in each of the two hinge areas, plus a USB 3.0 port on the right-hand corner. The E5540 is well endowed for wireless connectivity, too. The Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 7260 chipset supports the latest 802.11ac as well as 802.11a/b/g/n, with a 2x2 configuration. There's also Bluetooth 4.0 LE available.

The E5540 provides a performance level that’s pretty much as we would expect from its specification. Despite the chassis size, however, the processor is more akin to an Ultrabook’s, so this laptop performs accordingly. The result of 2.54 in Maxon Cinebench R11.5's render test is on par for a Core i5 4300U, although the OpenGL score of 28.29 is about 50 per cent more than the processor's integrated graphics could manage, thanks to the GeForce GT 720M. In Maxon Cinebench R15, the rendering result of 246 and OpenGL result of 34.68 tell a similar story. The scores of 1,329 in Futuremark's 3DMark11 and 769 in the Firestrike 1.1 portion of 3DMark show abilities beyond integrated graphics as well, but not hugely so.

Dell-Latitude-E5540-rear_fullwidth

The Futuremark PC Mark 8 Home result of 2,195 is exactly what we would expect of this CPU, but the Work score of 3,249 is a little above. So this system will be perfectly able to cope with everyday business activities, although it's no software powerhouse.

Battery life is a significant disappointment, however. The E5540 only managed 183 minutes of PC Mark 8's Home test, and 150 minutes of our grueling Battery Eater Pro test. So it won't last you a whole work day, which is rather a drawback for what is otherwise a capable mainstream business all-rounder. Fortunately, the battery is removable and there is a 97Whr option. Our sample came with the 65WHr alternative, so the larger battery should deliver around 50 percent more time away from the power socket, which is much more respectable.

Verdict

The Dell Latitude E5540 is a well-specified corporate laptop with a reasonable price tag. It sports a good screen, plenty of storage, and all the ports and wireless connections you are likely to need. However, the non-upgradeable 4GB of RAM will reduce this notebook's useful working life, and we would recommend the larger 97Wh battery option if you do want to take it out of the office for extended periods, although it is rather large and heavy to be a true road warrior.

Specifications

Manufacturer and Model	Dell Latitude E5540
Processor	1.9GHz Intel Core i5-4300U
RAM	4GB 1600MHz DDR3 SDRAM
Graphics	Intel HD Graphics 4400 and Nvidia GeForce GT 720M
Hard disk	500GB Seagate ST500LM0 5,400rpm solid state hybrid disk
Optical disc	TSSTcorp SU-208CB DVD-RW
Display	15.6in Wide View LED backlit TFT with 1,920 x 1,080 pixels
Networking	Gigabit Ethernet, 802.11a/b/g/n/ac Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0 LE
Interfaces	3 x USB 3.0, 1 x USB 2.0, HDMI, VGA, combo headphone / microphone, LAN, SD card reader.
Width x Depth x Height	379 x 250.5 x 29.7mm
Weight	2.3kg
Warranty	3 years NBD on-site

Bing offers complainers a right to be forgotten from search results

Publié: juillet 18, 2014, 12:26am CEST par Mark Wilson

If you live in Europe and don't like the fact that Binging yourself throws up results you'd rather didn’t appear, Microsoft has created a form you can use to request removal of these links from searches. (Yeah, ok…Bing doesn't really work as a verb in the same way as Google. Lesson learned.) Not all that long ago, Google was forced to consider censoring search results that people considered to be out of date, incorrect or irrelevant -- it's a ruling that has been dubbed the right to be forgotten. A form was set up to make it easier for people with complaints to get in touch, and now Microsoft has followed suit and created a Request to Block Bing Search Results In Europe form.

Filling in the form is absolutely no guarantee that a search result will be removed -- and it is important to remember that this is only about removing links from search results, not removing actual content. Or, as Microsoft puts it in the form:

We encourage you to provide complete and relevant information for each applicable question on this form. We will use the information that you provide to evaluate your request. We may also consider other sources of information beyond this form to verify or supplement the information you provide. This information will help us to consider the balance between your individual privacy interest and the public interest in protecting free expression and the free availability of information, consistent with European law. As a result, making a request does not guarantee that a particular search result will be blocked.

If you have a complaint, you'll need to prove who you are and that you are an EU resident. Interestingly, the form also asks complainants "are you a public figure (politician, celebrity, etc.)?" and "Do you have a role or expect to have a role in your local community or more broadly that involves leadership, trust or safety". It's not clear how much of a bearing this information has on how a request is dealt with, but there are just four reasons a block request can be made: if information is inaccurate or false, it is incomplete or inadequate, it is out-of-date or no longer relevant, or it is excessive or otherwise inappropriate.

Photo credit: Gustavo Frazao/Shutterstock