Any Bing-loving Android users out there? Check out Microsoft’s cturesque

BY GreenBot Staff

Published 2 Feb 2015

Microsoft new cturesque app takes another stab at the Android lock screen, this time with images, news, weather, search from Bing.

Much like Microsoft’s previous Next ck Screen app, cturesque replaces your phone’s default lock screen. But instead of emphasizing quick links to various tasks, the new app is all about serving up information. Background images come from Bing, you can cycle between them by shaking the phone or swiping to the right.

cturesque also provides a glance at news headlines, calendar appointments the weather, includes some quick toggles for -Fi, Bluetooth, G, audio the flashlight. Missed call message notifications will appear on the lock screen as well, with the option to quickly reply. And of course, there’s a shortcut to the phone’s camera from the main screen.

Both cturesque Next ck Screen are projects of Microsoft Garage, an effort within the company to create small-scale, experimental apps. In addition to the alternative lock screens, other Android projects include the urneys & Notes diary app a Bing search tool for Android ar smartwatches called Torque.

The story behind the story: Though Microsoft has been no stranger to Android lately, ’s increasingly tight control over the operating system makes it hard to integrate services like Bing. (Years ago, some phones had Bing pre-loaded, but this practice has largely stopped, to Microsoft’s dismay.) cturesque may be experimental, but it’s also a workaround, putting Microsoft’s search engine front center from the moment users turn on their phones. ether people actually want this is another question entirely.