Announced at the end of January, Microsoft's Bing Vision service for Windows Phone has now arrived on UK handsets.

A Google Goggles rival, Bing Vision was built-in to the Windows Phone 7 Mango update and lets Lumia (other WP7 handsets are available) users scan a variety of products using the camera functionality to find information, reviews and prices online.

So, for example, point it at a DVD cover (using the barcode is easier) when you're on the High Street and you'll see if you can get it cheaper online and if reviewers think it's any good.

The results come courtesy of Ciao, the e-commerce platform for which Microsoft paid more than £300 million in 2008. There's also a text translation tool on board, although this seemed patchy when we tested it.

Microsoft has also announced that Bing Image Matching for Newspapers will hit the platform in March. This service will make it easier to find the digital version of a print magazine or newspaper article quickly by taking a photo of the article and scanning for it online. It offers access to more than 3,000 publications worldwide.

To get Bing Visioning on your handset, simply tap the Bing Search button and then the new eye icon.