Microsoft Corp. has picked up a new weapon in its Internet search duel with Google — full access to Twitter’s communications hotbed. The partnership announced Wednesday represents a coup for Microsoft as it tries to spice up its Internet search engine, Bing, in its long-running attempts to lure traffic from Google. A test version of Bing’s Twitter feature debuted Wednesday.
If the alliance pans out the way Microsoft envisions, Bing will become the best way outside of Twitter’s own Web site to find out what people are saying in their Twitter messages, or “tweets.” The messages, consisting of no more than 140 characters, can be posted from Internet-connected computers or mobile devices, enabling people to share mundane details about their lives or intriguing news and commentary from all over the world.
