I updated my X'er today (Dec. 7th) to the new interface designed by Microsoft. I like it. It is very different from the old interface. It now supports the Kinect motion controller and Bing, Microsoft's own search engine.

Microsoft had to change the "Dashboard" so that Kinect customers could use their controllers in the menus. This also was a prime opportunity for Microsoft to push their search engine further into the marketplace. They know the difficulty and pressure to compete with the likes of Google in the web space.

With Microsoft's deep pockets, and control of the desktop, it can force itself on us, even if we don't prefer it. Did you notice that Internet Explorer 9, Microsoft's latest browser, does not allow you to install and run Google's search engine in the browser? It wants you, and almost forces you, to only use theirs; Bing. But, it's their browser and they don't have to allow the competition to run in their product if they don't want to. I get that, fair or not.

Now, Bing is good, it's very good. I think it matches Google, feature for feature. I was a devoted Google search user until I upgraded to IE9. That's when I realized that Microsoft had pulled a fast one, once again. If you didn't elect to download the IE9 upgrade yourself, Microsoft was going to make sure you upgraded, by slipping it into the Windows update. Once you realized you had it, the only way to get rid if it was to un-install it from the Control Panel. But, guess what? There it was again, included in the next Windows update.

So Bing is now in the new X'er Dashboard. Use it to find games, videos, music, and just about anything else you are looking for. But, if you have to use the Google search engine, you can always download Google's browser, Chrome.

Shoot you later