Maybe Eric Schmidt has a future as Microsoft PR guy if this whole Google thing doesn't work out. The Associated Press reports from Idaho that the Google CEO was coming up behind Bill Gates at the Allen & Co. media summit today just as a reporter asked the Microsoft chairman to opine on Google's planned Chrome operating system.

"It would be better if you didn't make that comment," Schmidt said.

In this case, the counsel wasn't needed. Gates was already giving his official "no comment." The Wall Street Journal reports that Gates and Schmidt shook hands and laughed before walking off together to lunch -- two likeminded tech executives, if only for a moment.

On a related note, photos from the scene show Gates, Schmidt and Nathan Myhrvold, Microsoft's former chief technology officer, talking together at the Sun Valley, Idaho, conference. Wonder if the Microsoft guys let Schmidt in on their wild idea for ending hurricanes.

Microsoft's newly launched Bing search engine posted market share of 5.25 percent in the U.S. in June, down from 5.46 percent for Microsoft's search intiatives in the same month last year -- and dwarfed by Google's 74 percent for last month, according to data released today by Hitwise. However, the research firm says Bing showed steady progress during the month, growing 25 percent each week. (Note: Bing's June market share corrected since original post. Thanks @robertmclaws.)

On the subject of Bing, Microsoft has added a new feature called "quick add" to Windows Live Hotmail that incorporates elements of the search engine into the interface of the company's Web mail program. The feature lets users search for maps, restaurants, images and other items from within the Hotmail inbox, then insert those items quickly into email messages.

Microsoft has released Silverlight 3, the latest version of its interactive Web technology, a day earlier than expected. Ars Technica's Emil Protalinski has details on the new version .

Clippy, the much-maligned former Microsoft Office virtual assistant, makes a funny appearance in the latest installment of the company's promotional video series for the upcoming Office 2010 software. Here's the video. (Via CNet News.com's Ina Fried.)