Microsoft Torque brings a bit of Bing to Android Wear

Ok Google, how do you like them apples?
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If reports are true, we've only got a few weeks to wait until a fully fledged Microsoft smartwatch arrives but, for the time being, how about a bit of Bing action on your Android Wear device?

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That's what Microsoft Torque delivers. It's a new app born out of the just launched Microsoft Garage initiative. Garage is the Redmond company's answer to the old Google labs; a test bed for interns, employees, and teams to turn ideas into reality.

Torque is one of a number of new apps that were announced, with the new offerings spreading across smartphones, Xbox and smartwatches.

Torque gives you an alternative to the regular "Ok Google" voice control of Android Wear, allowing you to twist your wrist to make audio queries with results provided by Bing.

It's not groundbreaking by any stretch but, along with the Microsoft Analog Keyboard for Android Wear app that recently popped out of the Microsoft Research labs, it's certainly clear that the tech giant is taking a more practical platform agnostic approach under its new CEO Satya Nadella.

Torque is free and you can download it from Google Play now.

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Wareable Media Group co-CEO Paul launched Wareable with James Stables in 2014, after working for a variety of the UK's biggest and best consumer tech publications including Pocket-lint, Forbes, Electric Pig, Tech Digest, What Laptop, T3 and has been a judge for the TechRadar Awards. 

Prior to founding Wareable, and subsequently The Ambient, he was the senior editor of MSN Tech and has written for a range of publications.


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