Verizon Users Only Showing Bing As Their Search Engine Choice?!?

This made me so mad I created a web site to replace the BlackBerry Browser home scree.

Check out MeStart.Mobi and if you like it, make it your home page. It's designed to have all the functionality of the original BlackBerry browser screen, with more search engines (Google and Bing included). It will save your recent URLs, bookmarks and you can pick your own search engines.

I'm actively upgrading / improving this so please let me know if you have any comments / questions / bugs.

I have Google, Live Search, Wikipedia, and Dictionary.com

I think this stinks. If they wanted to add Bing as another option I would have been fine with it. Reality is that Wikipedia and Google are the best/fastest ways to get info. Some jerk in an office decided to take this option away over a free lunch.

I too have lost my ability to select a search provider on my
Verizon STORM. While I don't mind them pushing an Icon for BING that I can hide, removing the function that was there when I purchased the software is WRONG. I've had multiple conversations with Vz wireless and customer service finally suggested that if I didn't like it I could file a complaint with my states Attorney General. This is very easy to do online. Go to your state's and search for Attorney General, their page as a FILE COMPLAINT selection and an online form. I'm in Texas but this is true for all states.

I know that we each have our own “FAVORITE”. The issue here is freedom of choice. I don’t mind if Verizon pushes an icon on my Blackberry — I can hide it. But to REMOVE a choice that I had when I bought the device is WRONG!

I loaded the .428 leak through a friend who is a little more computer savvy then me onto my storm2 and unfortunately I only have Bing, which sucks. I want Google back!

don't like to be forced to use something I don't like.
It is my phone and I did not agreed with the change.
It is a small thing but not acceptable. I'm in for a class action suit.

I have the icon but in my browser have the google choices I have had.
I have emailed Verizon because I am not happy about this happening, that eventually I will only have Bing. I don't like it have tried it on my notebook. I don't even use IE
I have Mozilla Firefox and google as my homepage. I don't like anything except google but I don't want a Droid phone.

I don't like how choices will be taken away from us.
We pay a lot for our BB service to be told we can only use Bing.

Bing was pushed to my phone but is not my only search/browser option. Friends of mine are only able to use bing but im still standing strong with google.

But I assume that after battery pulls, my search bar will change. I am not liking that fact. Especially since I have been outspoken about my dislike for the way Microsoft has attempted to monopolize the power of search, inching out Google that climbed up the ladder on their OWN merit. This is just one more way that Microsoft will be able to gain control. I will just have to put www.google.com as my home page.

If you'd like to help get Google (and the other search engine options) back on Verizon, please visit:

http://www.shameonyouverizonwireless.com

Thanks Crackberry Nation!

Heres why we got stuck with BING and not getting Google back.

"The move is part of the five-year search and advertising deal Verizon signed with Microsoft in January for a rumored $500m.

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/12/19/verizon_snuffs_google_for_bing/

Plus Crackberry id mentioned it the article.

First, I got shinned. (the Shins, worst pop band ever). Then I got binged by the evil Microsoft! Help!

I still have all the options I started with and in fact removed Bing from my phone. I have rebooted several times in the last couple weeks.

My Tour with original op sys. Rebooted and found bing icon, but still have original multiple search choices in browser.

Only Bing on my Storm 2. I HATE Bing! I want Google!

I wonder how many S2 owners installed Bing and still had multiple search options?

2 Storm 9530's w/latest 5.0 os and BBM installed. Did several battery pulls and still have all search options.

I have only one options as well... Bing. I just use my home as my main search browser. Not really a big deal to me :)

In southern california with a Tour and still have 4. No Bing thank God, Bing blows.

Well, it just happened to me, too. Up until today I still had all of the original Search options. But, as of this morning only Bing is provided. I have done no upgrades to cause this -- it's obviously being pushed out to everybody eventually.

I am NOT happy. Bah!

(Storm2 on VZW.)

I have Verizon and a Storm 1. Bing appeared last week but I still have all my bowser options on the default browser.

I'm on Verizon with the Blackberry Storm 1. Updated everything and did a battery pull. Still have the original search options. Wouldn't mind if Bing gets added. I actually like that browser. Sidenote, I really like the Bing App as well. The voice recognition works really well.

Just opened my browser and noticed I am forced to DL Bing. I am guessing this is so they can change my search provider to that crap.I have a 9530 with 5.0 official. But really we shouldnt be suprised Verizon has been crippling their phones for ever!! Only 6 months left in my contract then I can dump this crap phone and get an iPhone. Good job Verizon..........

Noticed the other day that I had a new Bing icon on my device...they pushed it to my phone (Verizon). I loaded it to check it out later...

As far as I can tell this has only happened on the 9550 Storm 2. My 9530 Storm still has all options available

BING is completely WORTHLESS if you don't have GPS support. I would gladly use this, but every time I try to do a local search, or try to locate myself on the BING map, it tells me to change GPS in Options to "Location On". IT IS ON!! ARRGGHH!

Did not see this show up until I did a reboot today after installing new BB Messenger (Storm2 - 5.0.0.320).

but I just clicked "I do not agree" and hid it. I still have my other options.

Small poll I did in my office (all VZW, running official OS)

2 Tour (4.7.1.61): No Bing default
1 8330 (4.5.0.77): No Bing default
1 8530 (5.0.0.337): Bing is default
2 Storm2 (5.0.0.320): Bing is default

So... a 5.0 OS thing? A non-Tour thing? Shows up on those who have rebooted recently? Hmmmmm

Reason I speculate is because I see a lot of Tour and Storm1 owners that haven't had this pushed to them yet.

No biggie, just thinkin' aloud.

I got that Bing icon pushed to my Storm2. I installed it to see what it was all about, didn't like it and un-installed it. Now I am left with only Bing in my browser's search box.

Stupid BingRizon!!

Bing ONLY here too!

had the storm 1 and it had all search options. Got the storm 2 and all it has is bing. Oh well, works for me.

Cadzilla. I was just thinking about that before I read your post. I have the bing app installed and my choices are fine... Crackberry guys I think its time for a poll

So I've tried everything to get it to switch. (its more of a get it done and over with mentality) but after several battery pulls and resending service books I still have all my choices. on a 9530 with 328

If you're paying more just to have Verizon, shouldn't you get more options instead of the least? Glad I ditched them and their BS.

I still have the option of searching from my browser with Google, Wikipedia, dictionary.com, and Live Search

Only Bing as of this AM (Verizon, Dayton, OH). At least Google bookmark isn't crippled.

My 4 choices are still there after a battery pull with Google as default. Perhaps because I installed the Bing app, which I actually like for certain things, my Browser default has been left alone.

I'd be curious to know, people who have only Bing as the browser default, did you install the Bing application?

I prefer google..

Google still shows up as my preferred search engine.

I like Bing a lot. It works great on my storm 9530. Voice is on the money as well. I do have all my other options but I actualy have been using Bing more than the other apps.

Storm 9530. I have Google, Live Search (no Bing lol), Wikipedia, and Dictionary.com. Obviously, Live Search is actually Bing, but I'm wondering why there isn't a Bing reference.

I had the Bing icon show up in my home folder. I tried installing and I got an error, so I hid the icon. Too bad because I actually like Bing. I often use it instead of Google these days.

Same Here only an option for Bing.. What going on????

Just upgraded to the leaked os now I'm stuck with bingaling ugghh

Still have the standard 4 on my Storm. I've rebooted (on purpose) 4 times today and resent the service books once and nothing has changed.

Just got a 9550 and immediately put the leaked os on it--BING! Google and everything else is gone. Wouldn't be a problem if Bing didn't suck so much.

They'd better fix this...

I still have all my search options, and no Bing.

My question is; Can you still use the serach shortcut from quicklaunch?

I have Google as my default and the other 3 choices...

I have a Tour and a Storm and both still have the "standard" four choices. Let's hope it stays that way as Viigo's memory leaking has my Storm down to under 5MB free (without Viigo running I hover around 20MB free forever). So I must battery pull (well, QuickPull) soon as just shutting down Viigo doesn't free up the leaked memory.

I don't have bing even as an option. Doesn't sound like it is Verizon related

Well, on Tuesday at around 10PM everything but Bing was gone... and now its Thursday and still no Google etc... Come on give them back to me!

google is still available to me on my 9530

...now you don't. Bing showed up on my Home Page, but I still had all my original browser choices. I deleted Bing (vis Options->Applications->Bing->Delete), and when my BB (Storm 9550)re-booted, Bing was back, as my *only* browser; the original 4 were gone. I went into my Applications page in Options and Bing wasn't even listed! Did a battery pull and the same thing. Google's Gone 8..(

No pushed home screen icon, and no Bing for a search choice. All is well. :)

I still have my search engine options, and bing is not on the list.

People who are doing battery pulls and still finding google... Try re-sending your service books, I "bet" bing will show right up...*i hope*

I saw the bing app pushed to me a while back, but my default in the browser is still Google (bing doesn't even show up in that list) ... so i just hid the bing app and i'm back to the way i was before :)

Google, Live Search, Wikipedia, and Dictionary.com.

I still have all 4 search options (Verizon, 9550) and I hope it stays that way. I still far prefer Google, but for now it's still my default search engine. If they force Bing on me, I'll start making lots of phone calls to Verizon.

This is just wrong, I noticed this today, and I want my options back. When using bing to do a search and you click on one of the links it returns, it gives me authenticaion failed. Does anyone know how to fix this if there is a fix for it? (9550)

I have Verizon and it changed yesterday to Bing only for browser choices on my S2

mine hasnt changed

I'm a Verizon customer and I still have all the other search engine choices.

I just reset my Storm and I still have 4 options.

Hey VZW, if I wanted any of Microsoft's garbage on my phone, I'd have gotten one of those loser Windows Mobile clunkers.

This is nonsensical why should Verizon force everyone to use BING, it’s unacceptable.

I did a battery pull and google is still there...

all the players are there... they just moved them to the "Bookmarks" and put Bing as the default... so ya take one more step but it is there on my Storm 2... and besides it didn't change till I upgraded to the leak...

F google

verizon wants you all to buy android devices before the new google phone comes out on t-mobile so everyone doesnt jump ship to them

all my regular options are still there, and Google is the default. If they change it I'll be pissed but I'll just load up google.com and search that way.

still have all options

I still have the 4 options on mine....any reason why the change for some verizon users and not others?

Tour 4.7.1.61
BBM 5.0.55
Quickpull @ 4:30am EST and no change.

Yes it is true. Bing is my only option. I don't mind it because I don't really use the native browser, I use Opera 5 but they should at least still give you a Google option. Wtf?

I still have google (and 3 otehrs)but I usualy search from Google app so in either way, not much difference to me... is there a service outage this morning? I haven't received a single email - just checked my work emails from home. There are as usual but not in my Tour... I am in Northern Colorado...

I still have all my options.

I guess I'm lucky. I deleted all that crap from my Storm1 when it first hit. I'm working with Google, Live Search, Wiki and Dictionary.com.

i still have all options on storm 1.. hope it dosent change.

I open my broswer and still have google.

No Bing as of yet on my Tour.

I have Verizon and I have all the normal options still...

I do not seem to be having this problem on my 8330

No badabing

8530, 5.0.0.337 (official OS) Bing is only the search engine in the browser.

Ironically, this is actually pretty similar to the crap that Google has pulled over the years, with embedding their Google Toolbar with the install of a lot of PC apps. That frustrated me, as does this VZW Bing fail.

...but I'm on BES not BIS. I noticed my wife's BB Storm (on BIS) gets all these extra unwanted icons like Bing, Slacker Radio, VZW Tones, etc...and I don't get it (on BES) until I do like a battery pull or something.

So sometimes my firm's IT Policy is a good thing!! Sometimes...LOL (a Big 4 accounting firm)

on my storm.

I have a storm 1 running 5.0.328 hybrid. I have all the search engines still.

I don't have Bing anywhere on my Tour. The Browser is the same as it's been. Still have the same options for a search. Google, Live Search, Wiki and Dictionary.com

OS 4.7.1.61

Also have done 2 Battery Pulls over the last 12 hours.

I don't think I ever had bing as an option (Good!)
Tour on 4.7

Google
Live Search
Wikipedia
Dictionary.com

I am running latest official firmware

Tour 9630 here with Stock OS.

Usual suspects still there, Google, Live Search, Wikipedia, Dictionary.com.

No bing.

VZW charges us big money and tells us what we can do and what we can use.
Not buying new till they get there shit together. also going to suspend service for a time because of this . I will just have to make due with my 35 dollar unlimited voice and text that vzw has to honor. Will save 300+ Dollars .

Not sure if it was pushed with the new OS, but Bing is my only choice...

That sucks....

The icon appeared on my Storm2 last weekend, but I still had all my choices in the Blackberry browser. But after doing a QuickPull reset, the only choice in the Blackberry browser is Bing. Not a big deal since I use Bolt. But I really don't like the idea of Verizon pushing these kinds of changes to my device without asking.

yes bing is the only option i got wtf

I only have Bing. So I just use QuickLauncher and have the other options set up in it. I think it sucks though that Verizon has done this.

I still have Google, but hearing about this is disappointing and hopefully some fluke or bug and not policy. Big Red needs to stop installing stuff on our phones without our knowledge (well, until we hear about it on crackberry.com). I didn't want the bing shortcut, nor the Slacker Radio, YouTube, My Verizon, V Cast Videos, or VzwTones icons, which I've hidden (and even for those items that are installed, they are in the Applications folder). Have they forgotten that these are OUR phones and we should have control over what gets installed on them?

Verizon Blackberry Storm 9530 sans bing take-over.

Spoke to an ever so helpful man named Darren. I was told that my only option should be Bing, as that is what Verizon uses.

I inquired as to as of when, and he told me "Always." He didn't seem to enjoy hearing that I had four options up until last night, and his only reply to that was that I should always have only had Bing.

When I told him that Bing sucks, his solution was to go to www.google.com in the mobile browser address bar. Thanks buddy, if I hadn't figured out that I could do that by now, I might as well just shoot myself for being a moron...I just want to be able to search google quickly. As I've done for a year.

I hate verizon pushing app we dont want. they should just let costimize it.

Still have all my options.

No bing.

PS: bing= worst... search option... ever.

I just checked my Storm 1 and I have 4 search options on my browser. Bing is not even listed as an option.

bc it will happen to us next...i still have options too....but its only a matter of time

bing=bung

As far as I'm concerned this is a breach of service. They took away something I was used to having, and replaced it with some POS search engine. Who even uses "bing"? And this, from verizon, huge supporters of the google experience, droids, etc...

I'm calling tomorrow, either finding out how to get google back, or telling them to take back this storm 2 they just upgraded me to (for free ;) from storm 1) and give me a droid.

I still have all the regular browsers...

I have the Storm 2 with Verizon and on a BES. So, I am not sure if that has any effect because when I saw BING show up on my wife's phone it never did on mine :).

i just installed bing yesterday. it works good and is pleasant to look at. i'll know more after i use it a little.i am a google user for years so the eye candy won't do a lot for me, but we'll see. so far everything is working good though

Don't restrict us...sheesh!!!

For the moment.. Google and Options..

hello

spy pen camera
wholesale baby monitors
cheap security cameras

I still have options. I have Google set as my default home page.

I'm also using an 8330 Curve.

hello

spy pen camera
wholesale baby monitors
cheap security cameras

Yeh thats a really gud device

spy pen camera
wholesale baby monitors
cheap security cameras

Thanks Verizon.... Guess I will have to download the quick google search app now.

All my options are here.... Knock on wood

Still have choices good thing I tried Bing and was not impressed at all.

ive got google

I still have all my options, after several battery pulls!

Carriers have been doing this for a while now with the smartphone devices. AT&T did the same thing with the BlackBerry maps. They took out the option of using it and basically forced users to go to the paid subscription AT&T navigator. It was only a matter of time before Verizon did something similar. It sucks, but it is going to continue to happen.

And that's after a physical battery pull. Google FTW!

running Beta 5.0.0.230 on 9630 Tour
and Bing is NOT even one of my choices. My choices are:
GOOGLE
WIKIPEDIA
LIVE SEARCH
DICTIONARY.COM

I'm able to get other search engines so far. Hope it stays that way.

I have all the regular options and Bing isn't one of them. Maybe I'm lucky? Like someone else said though, I'm dreading the next battery pull now! Tell you what though, if I end up with just Bing someone at Verizon is going to have a Storm 9530 stuck in their azz!!!

Hey its 3:27 and I actually have all my search options.

I checked and still had the same four options. I then deleted all of my service books and re-register with the network and still have the same four.

I re sent my service books to see if I would get bing on my s2 and sure enough. I now have bing. Bing is horrible. What a waste of a perfectly good browser...

Stock search on the url page of the stock browser is still google. All is well.
Side Note: I really do enjoy the voice search of the bing app, its VERY good.
http://timscouten.wordpress.com/

I updated to 428 and was siked with the os upgrade, the keyboard popup keys and all that good stuff. But this morning I did a battery pull after entering my unlock code and BAMMM... Bing became my only browser search option. I don't mind opening google.com and doing a search from there, but it was so quick and convenient to just have it in the browser. I want it back.

I still have the four options. I haven't received any pushed content from verizon since I started shrinking my OS's. Could this have something to do with it? If that's the case, then this is just another great reason to shrink your OS.

I had a choice until about two hours ago. No my only choice is Bing. I'm very disappointed with Verizon right now!!

I still have the original 4 options on both my Storm2 and Tour, but we shall see what happens after the next battery pull or OS update.

I use the Google Mobile app for searching anyway so this would be more annoying than anything. I have upon occasion used this option to search WikiPedia.

Cant you just set mobile Google as your homepage & use that??

verzion and still have google =)

Just did a battery pull to uninstall an app and I still have my choices. Are you all saying that after SEVERAL battery pulls the choices will go away?

Nothing here. Just did a battery pull. On a 9530 with .328. If Verizon wants to pull this ***t you bet I'm going to call and demand them change it back...

Nope still got Bing-free

Still have all my options on my Tour with the new bbm and running the leaked .230 OS.

Are the people that are getting Bing as the only choice all on a official OS or is it happing on both official and leaked OS's?

I have a storm 2 and just noticed that... I havent payed any attention to my browser for 2 reasons. For some reason my battery life sucks. And I use the Opera Mini 5 beta 2. I want my options back though. Verizon just gangsterd my shit

Yet, but if this does come to fruition, I will be escalating my way up the Verizon customer service chain.

Still have all my options.

This is rather annoying

And I'm NOT happy about it. You know, if they want to make Bing the default, I'd be ok with that. But to make it the ONLY??? I want my choices back...YESTERDAY...and have sent a letter to VZW telling them so.

Bing a ding ding no like bing I want my google

My browser still has four choices... Though now I'm dreading what I may find with the next battery pull...

Mines has Google, Live, Wiki, and dictionary.

Bango.. (sry had to do it)

I still have my options.. who use's bing anyways?

Odd that was not like that until I pluged into Desktop Manager for an update tryout. Now its just Bing... I want my Google back!!! LOL... hope it clears up quick.

After a battery pull, I noticed that Bing is now my one and only search engine choice. I don't understand why it couldn't have just been added to the list, instead of replacing it entirely. I liked being able to search Wikipedia as well as Google and the Dictionary. Never used Bing, never had any interest in it, certainly will do my utmost to refrain from using it in light of this. This is not cool...but coming from Verizon, I'm not entirely surprised by this move.

On my new Storm2 with the official 5.0, my only search engine in the browser is Bing. No more dictionary,google, etc...

After a few battery pulls your choices will be gone.

No change (yet) still have Google.

I did a complete rebuild a couple of days ago and noticed this.

Google is my homepage - so whatver verizon and microsoft are brewing... is just wishful thinking.

Gotta love 'em.

My options are Google, Live Search, Wikipedia, Dictionary.com

All good here still have all my options. Didn't install os leak but running bbm .55

I have all the choices

Man, I thought I was the only one. I thought it was me who did something to screw up my browser. I'm seriously pissed because I hate Bing and I never use Bing. I don't like the fact that it's being forced down my throat.

I have all my search engine options still intact.

I only have bing. I would prefer verizon to give an option of using bing or google not to just remove google from the browser quick search feature.

I have all my original options, no Bing here (thank Jeezus)

No Bing showing up thankfully... And I upgraded to the latest BBM so don't think that causes it...

Subject to change I suppose but I also have no change in choices. Google still is primary with options of wiki, bing, and dictionary.com

I noticed today that bing, was my only choice for web search. My personal preference is google, and am a little ticked that MY choice was taken away from me. If that's the case I'll tell VZW to go pound sand and get a CB or Ham Radio...

I also have the bing curse with no other options. I hope it is just some sort of glitch and will be fixed soon

I still have google, wiki, dictionary.com as my search options. No bing.

When I use "Go to..." Google is still the default.

I did NOT upgrade to the latest BBM release FWIW...

Still Google, Dictionary, Wiki, and Live Search. BTW RIM can we have a 9530 .428 Leak?

yea when you go to search in the internet browser it shows up as the primary search browser....

I don't have bing on mine. I still have options :D

I don't seem to have Bing at the moment...

My Storm Browser still has Google, but a little while back a Bing icon appeared. It's just a shortcut to load Bing. I ran the installer and tried it out. It's not Storm friendly so I removed and hid the shortcut.

I don't mind Bing showing up, but I HATE that it's my only option right now.

Everything still good... no Bing

lol AT&T gives u options

just looked on my browser and there is only the option for Bing. very interesting.

I only have Bing now...no bing deal. Oops! Pun!