Rumor: Bing to Get Its Clutches on Twitter's Feed Before Google
BY Kit EatonWed Oct 21, 2009 at 7:22 AM
We’ve heard suggestions like it before, but apparently Microsoft is now very close to securing a connection to Twitter’s digital data stream to get live Tweet search powers into Bing. Google’s execs will surely be foaming at the mouth at the news.
Bing and TwitterBack in July we reported on an experimental connection between Bing and Twitter that gave Bing users access to a real-time search on certain „prominent“ Tweep’s Tweets, and it was only a few weeks ago that more rumors popped up of talks between Google, Microsoft, and Twitter for a full access plan.
All of that seems to have concluded with a deal between MS and Twitter that’s absolutely ready to pop, according to AllThingsD’s sources. MS executives and engineers have apparently been busy chatting and problem-solving with Twitter right up to yesterday–all of which could point to an announcement at the Web2.0 conference which starts today.
It’s big news for Bing–even if Google follows not too far behind, since it’ll be beating its arch-rival to the real time data prize, garnering much press coverage and excitement along the way. And it represents a significant step for Twitter too, placing it as a significant player on the real-time data stage with enough negotiating power to avoid an exclusivity deal with Google, Bing or anyone else. The rumors seem to be suggesting that Twitter’s ad-avoiding plans may also be about to change, with embedded Bing or Google ads on Twitter’s site being a part of the deal.
Twitter’s clearly very much on the surge right now, though even while Comcast’s CEO is noting it’s such a powerful tool it’s „changed the culture“ of Comcast (thanks to consumer complaint Tweets) Twitter’s own CEO Ev Williams is carefully restating that Twitter’s business model is still not revenue-centric. Speaking to BusinessInsider, Williams remarked that the team was spending „97% of our efforts trying to improve the product“ with a view of building-in long term value. Letting Microsoft tap into the flow of Tweets will clearly generate cash for Twitter, but it tallies somewhat with what Williams is saying–it doesn’t require too much effort or front-end adaptation on Twitter’s behalf, which won’t distract from the business of pushing Twitter’s powers onwards and upwards.
http://www.fastcompany.com/blog/kit-eaton/technomix/rumor-bing-get-its-clutches-twitters-feed-google
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