Windows 10: Google making search results more local and relevant

Source: Making search results more local and relevant

:)

 

** UPDATED** Bing Maps POI & search results serious issues!!

From Vancouver, BC Canada. I just upgraded from Iphone 3G to the Samsung Focus on Roger's network.

Eg. if I search for "Best Buy" on the iphone, Google maps would search and feed back results for local POI

Using bing maps on the windows phone I can't find any local relevant POI in my area. "No Results" We couldn't find any matches for your search."

If I do a similar search on bing maps using the browser on the phone it has no trouble finding POI.



After further investigation:





****UPDATE*****

WOW really strange:



Results generated from having my initial location on my home in Richmond, BC (a suburb of Vancouver).

(I noticed that Bing more so than google maps is more restrictive in feeding back results based on where you are)



I kept all settings to region English (Canada)

Except I changed the Browser & Search Engine Language with these results:



Searching for "sushi"



On the iPhone - Google Maps: Gets me 8 local results

On Windows Phone 7 Bing Maps



English (Canada): Gets me 1 result... Sushi, Russia!!!!

English (United States): Gets me 5 local results

English (United Kingdom): gets me 10 local results - Bing does better here



Searching for "Best Buy"



On the iPhone - Google Maps: Gets me 10 local results

On Windows Phone 7 Bing Maps




English (Canada): Gets me 0 Results!!!!

English (United States): Gets me 0 results!!!!

English (United Kingdom): gets me 10 local results looks identical to the Google maps results

There is a city to the east called Langley where there's a Best Buy. When I search "Best Buy Langley" on the iPhone in Google maps it gets me that location. Correct!

If I search for "Best Buy Langley" under Bing.. (English (United Kingdom)) it gives me Langley, VA... frustrating......
If I search for "Best Buy Langley" under Bing Maps the Website and not the app it gives me the correct listing.

Searching for "Park"

On the iPhone - Google Maps: Gets me 9 local results

On Windows Phone 7 Bing Maps

English (Canada): Gets me 2 Results... Park, Kansas and Park, Neatherlands

English (United States): Gets me 10 results.. a bit haphazard... most results outside of my city and one in the USA

English (United Kingdom): gets me 9 local results... similar to iPhone

Searching for "Stanley Park" a famous park in Vancouver

On the iPhone - Google Maps: Zoomed in on my house Gets me 1 result. Stanley park, Colorado *weird*
Zoomed out to include Vancouver gets me 1 result the correct one Stanley Park, BC

On Windows Phone 7 Bing Maps

English (Canada): gets me 1 result... the most relevant: the park itself.

English (United States): Gets me 2 results. a hotel near the park, and a Bike rentals shop close to the park.. but not the park
English (United Kingdom): gets me 1 result... the most relevant: the park itself.

As you can see the English (United Kingdom) Language for Browser & Search Language seems to provide the best results.... Can someone try this in the USA to see if it's affecting you as well.

MS please fix this!! This is highly erratic and strange that I am not getting the correct results with the correct Language.. English (Canada)
It seems that if you can have the search results match the results generated from Bing Maps Website database all will be fine.
The Maps app has some serious issues....


** UPDATE 2 **

I have defaulted to English (United Kingdom) for Browser and Search Language for now.. however.. this has it's own set of challenges..

Eg. If you do a "Bing" search for pizza from the start screen using the hardware button

The results fed back from the "Local" tab shows local Pizza restaurants.. however when you scroll to the "Web" tab it gives UK results. eg. www.pizzahut.co.uk, www.dominoes.co.uk



If you switch to English (Canada) and do a "Bing" search for Pizza... it shows "Web" and "News" tabs but no local search results with map and locations

If you switch to English (USA).. you get Local, Web, News tabs



** UPDATE 3 **

With English (United Kingdom) enabled as Search & Browser Languge

I searched for my parent's address with just "1234 200st Langley".. it gave me cities in the UK called Langley

if I am more specific and search "1234 200st Langley, BC" I get the correct address.



If I change to English (Canada) for search and Browser Language

and I search by "1234 200st Langley"... I get the correct address although I'm not being more specific with the Province...



SIGH..

 

GPS tracking

Hello Laura Ha, the kind of tracking you are asking about is not a feature of the KIN. Your KIN wireless device has applications that can access and use your current location to provide enhanced and more relevant services and features. If you have allowed
the Search application to access and use your current location, when you make a "Near Me" search in the search application, your current location data is sent to Microsoft along with the search request to provide local search results and search ads based on
your current location.