Microsoft Bing Search has a set of free, exposed REST APIs that has been very popular. It allows you to do a series of queries. But let me let the documentation do the talking:

Bing API Version 2.0 enables you to embed a flexible and powerful search engine as a custom search component in your sites and applications. The new version includes:

• HTTP endpoints with results in XML or JSON
• Enhanced support for SOAP
• A fully OpenSearch compliant RSS interface

Something you should know

If you are anxious to port your Windows Phone application using the Bing API, you should know that they will be discontinued on August 1, 2012. At that time, they will be ported from Bing to the Azure Data Marketplace. We’ll talk about that in a later article.

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So many of the cooler services out there have have free APIs. The data from those APIs can add considerable value to your application. Using these APIs can vary in complexity quite a bit. I have implemented a lot of these recently, and thought I would...

Metro developers building applications for Windows 8 have choices to make. A few weeks ago, I put together my top ten reasons to choose XAML. That really got me thinking. There are so many more than 10 good reasons why I prefer XAML. I thought I would...

Developer Daniel Sharp says that working with Windows 8 is simple and enjoyable, unlike the often unpredictable Android. I’ve just come from another testing meeting. Seven of us around a table looking at an Android app that’s in the mid-stages of development...

Over the Memorial Day weekend, Chris Hayes said a few untoward blunders on live television. Look, we all make mistakes – it’s how you handle your mistakes that matters. Is his apology sufficient? I don’t know. In fact, I don’t even care. But I do know...

As many of you know Windows 8 is Microsoft’s forthcoming Operating System. A significant upgrade to Windows 7 supporting new multi-touch devices with extended battery life. Windows 8 also offers new features for developers to develop excellent, immersive...

Windows 8 introduces Metro as a new a development paradigm on the Microsoft platform. I get asked which people should choose all the time. For me, I chose C#/XAML. Here I wanted to walk through some of the key reasons I did just that: 1. It’s a Nail It...

Windows 7 had one application scenario – desktop apps. Windows 8 has two application scenarios – desktop and Metro. Metro is the start menu, but also a shell in which app containers execute. Note: Metro developers can build native apps in JavaScript,...

An amazing thing happened last month. I was at DrupalCon in Denver. It’s a Woodstock of open source-oriented developers who reliably asked me, “What’s Microsoft doing here?” My answer was easy: Microsoft wants open source developers to know that open...

Windows Phone Unleashed is the premier developer event for Windows Phone. If you live in Denver, don’t miss your opportunity to get exposure to serious know-how, labs, peers, and prizes. What : Windows Phone Developer Camp Where : Microsoft Offices in...

In a recent ZDNet article by Emil Protalinski ( Apple ‘10 years behind Microsoft in terms of security’ ), he talks about history repeating. “Apple is now entering the same world as Microsoft has been in for more than 10 years: updates, security patches...

In a recent CNET article by Dan Farber ( Android not Critical to Google? Really? ), he talks about Google’s recent, strange comments about Android: During the Oracle v. Google trial , the value of the Android platform to the Internet giant has been a...

The Windows 8 Anchor Event @ Club Nokia in Los Angeles went off without a hitch on Monday. We were able to reach out to hundreds of developers locally and hundreds more online. If you were present @ the event, thank you for attending. The whole team of...

Visual Studio 11 is retooled for Metro development in Windows 8. However, there is *so* much more than that. Visual Studio 11 has a rich set of new features and capabilities. Here are some links to check out what new in the BETA: Visual Studio 11 BETA...

Windows 7 has Power Management features allowing you to impact power consumption. One feature is Standby (called S3); this puts your PC to bed – during which no code is executed. The resume time from S3 is very fast because the system has been suspended...

Students from around the country compete to solve problems with technology. Indeed, here’s their mission : Create real-world software applications using Microsoft technologies. Just remember, they must address the Imagine Cup 2012 theme: Imagine a world...

Hey, are you a Metro developer? What’s that? Windows 8 is still in beta? Great point, but already developers like you are starting to self-identify themselves as Metro Developers – they are becoming mobile-aware developers on the Microsoft platform: desktop...

Cliff Simpkins : I’m pleased to announce that the Windows Phone SDK 7.1.1 Update is now available for your download ; it’s the final version of the CTP we released last month, and enables Windows Phone developers to do two things: Develop apps that work...

So many people didn’t enjoy the love that the Windows key gave in Windows 7. To them, the Windows key was a useless key. To them, they simply didn’t know.

Now with Windows 8 there is even more love! Will you make the most of it or are you “one of those users”? My mom, by the way, is holding a user group next Thursday for those users – BYOB (bring your own bengay). ;)

Actually: my mom isn’t holding a user group next Thursday – if you are one of those users, then you are on your own!

Windows 7

My favorite use of the Windows key in Windows 7 was to use Windows key + Shift + the Left/Right arrows. This keystroke combination effortlessly relocated the current window from one monitor to another.

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Unwired View is reporting on a recent Nokia patenting looking into haptic tattoos to help you feel who is calling. Not satisfied with just getting its own flavor of slide-to-unlock patented , Nokia wants to take haptic feedback to a level you haven’t...

Windows development has been the prevue of CPP and managed developers (like C# and VB.Net). With the advent of Windows 8 metro applications, there’s continued support for CPP and managed code, but there’s new support for HTML5 developers for to write...

Windows 8 metro applications have a few things in common. One of them is typography. Segoe (pronounced “se-go” not “see-go” or anything else), specifically we’re talking about the Segoe UI font (or a derivative of it), is the standard san serif font in...

Windows 8 is full of groovy nuggets of innovation. One of my favorites is the Sematic Zoom . This control is a container of two other controls – usually list controls. The first declares the UI when zoomed out. The second declares the UI when zoomed in...

Metro is Microsoft’s design language. It is our specification for applications written for the Metro environment in Windows 8. But, fundamentally, it is our design language. What does that mean? There is more to Metro than sharp edges and clean typography...

Have you discovered WNS? Windows Push Notification Services, it is a Microsoft service for pushing items to Windows 8 Metro-style applications. WNS is free. WPNS is the similar service for Windows Phone applications. WNS is specifically for Windows 8...