Microsoft today announced a new AI-powered Visual Search function for its Bing search engine that will pretty much directly compete with Google Lens. Visual Search will let users search the web and shop online through pictures they have taken or selected from their camera roll.
For example, you can find out more about a landmark or flower by capturing it through the Bing app or uploading it from your device memory. Visual Search will then identify the object in question and provide web links you can explore further.
In the same way, you can shop for fashion items or furniture. If you see an object you like, take or upload a photo of it and the system will reply with shopping options and pricing for similar-looking items.
The Bing team says Visual Search will be continuously improved and expanded but the current version is available today in the Bing app for iOS and Android as well as Microsoft Launcher and the Microsoft Edge browser for Android. It'll also be soon available in Microsoft Edge for iOS and on Bing.com.
For identifying landmarks, hope it'll be better than that of Google.
As the maintainer of a 8mm film scan archive (see https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL4_1cuziVtq8J3leMItMtr708Va6CKFsE ), I very often search for a specific location in the scanned footage. In only about 10% of the cases have I got a hit with Google - mostly with tourits stuff in Italy and the likes.
As I've saved all my "negative hit" 8mm framegrabs as well, I'll try to identify those locations with Bing too.
Hmmm.. sounds at first glance like it could be useful for someone wanting to identify e.g. a bird, butterfly, flower or animal that they've photographed. The problem is whether the AI software could accurately recognise it, and even expert biologists have problems distinguishing some species. Obviously this will takes several decades before it is able to identify wildlife accurately.
So, what can it actually do reliably? I'm not convinced it would recognise many landmarks unaided. Presumably then, the initial intention is to be able to "remember" a particular family member or model's face, so that once the first image is labelled, it can then locate and label all other images of the same person.
One would think that it could be programmed to classify things like beak shape, feather patterns, etc. perhaps at this point it has not been specifically adapted for such cases, and is going in more broad patterns only. Once an open “language” has been created for object classifation, researchers can contribute their knowledge to the algorithm. This could be applied to any subject matter where the identification can be made by inspecting certain features.
There are several apps that do identify wildlife, birds, and plants. Merlin identifies many birds and is adding more all the time. Audubon has an app that identifies many plant species.
desertsp & Nojo - Yes there are apps that can recognise a limited number of the more readily identifiable species of birds, animals, butterflies etc, but a high percentage of identifications require at the very least several photographs taken from different angles.
Many amphibians, reptiles and insects exhibit extreme intraspecific (within species) and geographical variation. Insects, except for a small number of veryy strongly patterned creatures, are particularly difficult, and many require microscopic examination.
So while current/near future apps may cope with a few common and easily recognisable creatures, it will be many years before they are able to reliably recognise a high enough percentage of creatures to fulfil the needs of scientists or anyone who needs/wants accurate identifications.
Did that really say "Bing app for Android"? Since it arrived, I have never seen anyone use Bing, and why is anyone going to want Bing on a Google Android device? Microsoft should have called it Zune Search, to indicate its relevance.
They ain't. The operating systems existed before even Bill Gates was born, even far more existed before Microsoft was founded! Heck, Bill Gates even bought their first OS to sell it to IBM, after they had made deal with IBM to provide them the OS.
Microsoft Office is nothing else than a copying others like Wordstar and WordPerfect, decade before Office and before Microsoft was founded even.
So who had the original thought? Not the Microsoft. Microsoft is not where it is now because they were creative, but because Bill Gates was shady and hard business dealer who just made it.
When the Fujifilm X-T2 arrived, it was more than just a modest upgrade to the already impressive X-T1. While the new X-T3 hasn't changed the overall design of the camera, this model is way more than an upgrade; rather, it's a quantum leap.
The Movie Maker is a compact, motorized slider designed for phones, action cams and small mirrorless cameras. We think it's a fun little kit and a good value proposition for the cost, provided you can work around a few of its weak points.
Nikon's Z7 is the first camera to use the all-new Z-mount, the company's first new full-frame mount since 1959. We've put together our first impressions based on quality shooting time with a pre-production camera - check out what we've found.
We got some hands-on time with a pre-production LX100 II to get a better feel for the improvements Panasonic's brought to the table. Here's a rundown of what's new – and what we think.
The instant camera market is heating up, and with four formats and 15+ cameras to choose from, we felt it was high time to examine them all and pick our favorite.
Whether you're hitting the beach in the Northern Hemisphere or the ski slopes in the Southern, a rugged compact camera makes a great companion. In this buying guide we've taken a look at seven current models and chosen our favorites.
What's the best camera for a parent? The best cameras for shooting kids and family must have fast autofocus, good low-light image quality and great video. In this buying guide we've rounded-up several great cameras for parents, and recommended the best.
What's the best camera for shooting landscapes? High resolution, weather-sealed bodies and wide dynamic range are all important. In this buying guide we've rounded-up several great cameras for shooting landscapes, and recommended the best.
What’s the best camera costing over $2000? The best high-end camera costing more than $2000 should have plenty of resolution, exceptional build quality, good 4K video capture and top-notch autofocus for advanced and professional users. In this buying guide we’ve rounded up all the current interchangeable lens cameras costing over $2000 and recommended the best.
Two years ago, CatLABS of JP announced a plan to save Packfilm from the dead. Now, it's announced it's giving up its efforts to better focus its resources elsewhere.
The GoPro Fusion is designed to make it easy to capture 360-degree video and stills. We took it out recently on a typically hot Seattle summer day to see what it can do.
Canon and Nikon finally entered the full-frame mirrorless market this summer with the brand-new RF and Z mounts. Now that we've had some time with the cameras, we wanted to revisit our earlier predictions and take stock.
Blackmagic Design has announced the public beta of its new Blackmagic RAW video codec. The company says the new format combines the benefits of shooting Raw video with the ease of use and smaller file sizes usually associated with non-Raw video files.
The Atomos Ninja V external video recorder and monitor will be ready to ship at the end of this month. The 5.2in Ninja V is designed to provide a smaller option, while still offering many of the features of the larger 7-inch models.
Having shot with the camera, spoken to Canon and read the tea leaves, here's what DPR Technical Editor Richard Butler thinks the EOS R tells us about Canon and the RF's mount's future.
After last week's teaser, lighting manufacturer Profoto has announced its 'small big' new product. The B10 is designed to be used as studio flash head but in a very small body, and has a powerful continuous light source for videographers as well.
Manfrotto has introduced a new two-in-one tripod to its Befree lineup. Called the Befree 2N1, this new addition is both a tripod and monopod in one and is available with both of Manfrotto's locking mechanisms.
Apple has unveiled the next generation of its iPhone X in the form of three variants: the 5.8" iPhone XS and 6.5" iPhone XS Max with OLED screens, and the 6.1" iPhone XR with an LCD and single rear camera.
Ahead of the launch of the CamRanger II the company has announced a mini version of its wireless remote control system that it says has a longer range than the original in a body half the size.
Lens manufacturer Sigma has announced a trio of fast cinema lenses for full-frame camera systems, that it says will also be available in the future in the LPL mount for Arri’s large format camera system.
LumaPod is a a new tripod being funded on Kickstarter that takes just four seconds to set up and uses patented tension technology to keep your shots steady in a compact design.
ExperimentalOptics has launched a Kickstarter campaign to fund its second lens design, a 35mm F2.7 lens it claims is the world's 'smallest fastest pancake lens.'
The new XF 8-16mm F2.8 R LM WR and XF 200mm F2 R LM OIS WR are aimed at enthusiasts and professionals, and add considerable versatility to Fujifilm's growing XF lens lineup. We've been taking a look.
CamRanger has announced the impending arrival of its CamRanger 2 wireless tethering and trigger system, complete with redesigned apps, updated wireless features, and support for select Sony and Fujifilm systems.
As well as high-resolution stills, the new Nikon Z7 also shoots 4K video and 120p HD video. We recently spent two days with director Chris Hershman, shooting a music video on the Z7 for pop artist Emily Blue.
London’s National Portrait Gallery has released the shortlist for its annual Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize, ahead of the winner being announced in October.
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