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Microsoft Patenting Celebrity-Shaped Bing'ing

Posted by Unknown on from the search-for-aliens-with-virtual-david-duchovny dept.

theodp writes "GeekWire reports that Microsoft is seeking a patent on the concept of applying the persona of a celebrity to Internet searches, allowing people to see search results shaped by the personalities and preferences of Hollywood celebrities like Miley Cyrus, Taylor Swift, Megan Fox, and Jessica Lange. A search for an evening dress using the persona of Jessica Lange, explains Microsoft, would return dresses that reflect the actress's 'style and/or fashion preferences,' including 'color, fit, designer, cut, etc.' Your move, Google."

6 of 123 comments (clear)

  1. Lets me guess, Paris Hilton returns.. by WarwickRyan · · Score: 5, Funny

    ..nothing?

  2. Google's move by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Google's move? I'm pretty sure it'll be a bewildered gaze followed by a light chuckle.

    1. Re:Google's move by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Yes. This.

      Unless Microsoft is getting a April Fool's joke in reeeeeally early, TFA represents one of the most retarded ideas I've heard in a long, long time.

  3. Re:Microsoft? Innovating on searching??? by ackthpt · · Score: 3, Funny

    Beats the hell out of copying Google's results.

    Soon to be followed by a patent on searching for LOLCat pix. Clearly Microsoft are scraping at the bottom of the barrel with bloody fingers.

    --

    A feeling of having made the same mistake before: Deja Foobar
  4. Re:Woooooooooow by corbettw · · Score: 3, Funny

    Let me guess, you don't even own a TV?

    --
    God invented whiskey so the Irish would not rule the world.
  5. Re:Microsoft? Innovating on searching??? by Gadget_Guy · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Beats the hell out of copying Google's results.

    Actually, Bing did bring some new ideas to the table that Google managed to borrow. For a while I used Google for my text searches and Bing for image searches because of extra features that Bing had. Google has all those features now so I stick with Google for everything again.

    More importantly for this story, this shows that patents can actually be used properly for good reasons. I have long been a critic of patents, but I think that Microsoft deserves some credit in this case. They have done an excellent job in patenting this concept to ensure that such a stupid idea will never be seen in public again.

    It is possible that Bing will implement it, but I think that counts as not being seen in public.