Reports have come in that Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) is preparing to upgrade its Bing search engine to incorporate the ability to display instant search results as pioneered by Google (NASDAQ: GOOG). Winrumors suggested that "the instant search will allow page elements to automatically transition as the user types their search query into the Bing box." Among other features, this ability is expected to be made available as part of an HTML5 version of Bing, widely rumored to be unveiled in tandem with the rollout of Internet Explorer 9. 

Microsoft has declined to furnish more details about the new version of Bing, though it is understood that a preview version can be found at http://www.bing.com/peek. (The site appears to be having some issues at the time this article was published.) A couple of the features touted using bullet points on the preview site are "animations that make search come alive," and "seamless transitions between pages." For now, Internet Explorer 9 is expected to be unveiled at the MIX11 conference in April.

For more on this story:
- check out this article at eWeek
- check out this article at Fast Company
- check out this article at MSNBC

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