There are many reasons why I prefer to use Google over other search engines. First of all, I am a creature of habit, and old habits die hard. I have always used Google because I think it is simply better than other search engines; I feel like I ought to use Google if I want to see the most/best results. Secondly, consumer-wise, I am a very loyal person. As great examples, since I like McDonald’s, I never go to Burger King and since I prefer Coke, I never buy Pepsi. I don’t believe that I have ever used anything but Google in the decade or so that I have been using computers; Google has always been my homepage. So therefore I must admit I am a Google guy.
Google Search
When I need information, I use Google. I like the fact that they list thousands of sites I could potentially find the information I’m looking for on even though I couldn’t possibly look at all of them. The fact that Google provides me with more sites that I could possibly surf in one session is as comforting as it is perplexing.
Google News
When I want to catch up on current events, I always go to Google News. I think of myself as a current events expert. I love conversing about news so I always make sure I am caught up with the very latest tidbits. I have a need to know about what everyone is talking about, I guess. While there are plenty of news platforms I read, I usually get there via Google News. I love being able to choose which headline I want to read and which headline is the newest.
Google Images
The same can be said for Google Images. If my wife mentions some young movie star I have never heard of, I take it upon myself to find out at least what this star looks like so that I feel somewhat informed. I also use Google Images to identify rocks, plants, birds, and other wildlife I may find on any of my weekend hikes into the Catskill Mountains.
Google Videos
Lastly when I want to hear a song I don’t own, Google Videos provides me with the song. I love that I can get anything from the Grateful Dead’s Touch of Grey to Tool’s 46 & 2. Google has it all!
Google Maps and Bing Maps
So I was eerily surprised when my father recently told me that Google Maps doesn’t hold a candle to Bing Maps. He has a point. Without getting into Google Earth, Bing’s maps have an amazing degree of detail compared to Google’s. I can literally see my office’s windows. Also, the view point is not from directly overhead, so a user can see the façade of a building instead of only its roof. Below you can see the difference. The two images are similar in how far you can zoom in and they are of the same block, the block in Uptown Kingston, NY where DragonSearch is located.
Bing Map
Google Map
I still can’t get over the difference in clarity. So from now on when you use a maps feature will you use Bing?
