Searching Google With Your SMS Mobile Phone

Did you know you could conduct google searches using your SMS enabled phone? You can search for Driving Directions, Business or Personal Listings, Prices on Froogle, and more.. Any handset with SMS capability can access Google SMS. However, Google SMS only works on major wireless providers in the US including: Sprint PCS, At&t, Cingular, Nextel, T-Mobile, and Verizon Wireless.

Now google SMS can give you directions & mobile.google.com goes live!


Here is some cool stuff that you can do with google. Post any tips/tricks/apps that you have found here..

Google SMS (Get google searches with your phone!)

# Enter your query as a text message. See some sample queries.
# Send the message to the US shortcode 46645 (GOOGL on most phones).
# Receive a text message (or messages) with your results, usually within a minute. Results may be labeled as "1of3", "2of3", etc.
# To get Google SMS help info sent directly to your phone, send the word 'help' as a text message to 46645.

Sample Queries:

Driving Directions from Google Local
*UPDATE 4/12/05 There is now access to driving directions. Send a text message query with your start address, the word 'to' and then the end address to get step-by-step directions from point A to point B.

Sample Query
111mystreet overland park ks to mci
(above would give instuctions from a fake address to the KC Airport)

Business listings from Google Local

Google Local enables you to search the entire web for just the stores and businesses in a specific neighborhood. Get the name, address and phone number of a business near you or in any zip code across the US.

To get business listings:

* Enter what you want to find. You can search for either a specific business (Pizza Hut) or a general service (pizza).
* Make sure to include both a city and state, or a zip code with your search terms.
* If you want to make sure you get Google Local results, put a period between the business name and the location ('pizza.10013' or 'pottery barn.boston ma')'.

Sample queries:

* pizza 10013
* pizza new york ny
* pizza.10013
* Pottery Barn 02116
* Pottery Barn Boston MA
* Pottery Barn.Boston MA

Residential listings from PhoneBook


Find publicly listed phone numbers and addresses for residences in the US.

To see residential listings, use any of the following combinations as your query:

* first name, last name, city and state
* first name, last name, state
* first name, last name, area code
* first name, last name, zip code
* phone number, including area code
* last name, city, state
* last name, zip code

Sample queries:

* john smith palo alto ca
* 650-555-1234
* B Walsh, 90210

If there are both residential and business listings for your query, your results will show both categories.

If you do not receive any results, it is likely that your query is for an unlisted residence.

To have your residential or business phone and address information removed from the Google PhoneBook, click here.

Prices from Froogle

Froogle lets you search millions of products from stores across the web. Check prices on popular products for easy comparison shopping. These results are not advertisements, just current prices for products available online.
To see prices:

* Enter a product. You can search for either a specific product (sealy posturepedic queen) or a general one (coffee maker).
* You can specify that you only want prices by including 'price' or 'prices' at the beginning or end of your query. Or, use the shortcut 'F' before the search terms. Remember, Google SMS is not case sensitive, so 'F' and 'f' are the same.

Sample queries:

* Price ipod 20gb
* ipod 20gb prices
* F ipod 20gb
* price dvd player
* dvd player prices
* F dvd player


Definitions
Find definitions for a word or phrase on the Web:

* Enter 'define' followed by the word or phrase
* Or use the shortcut 'D' before the search terms
* Google SMS is not case sensitive, so 'D' and 'd' are the same

Sample queries:

* define prosimian
* D Gordian knot
* d crepuscular

Google Info Here

Mobile.Google.com Info
Google decided to offer a mobile browser-based version of Google Local so that users could find local businesses, maps and directions while being on the go, said Georges Harik, Google's director of product management.

"We're starting to pay attention to mobile and to put more resources into mobile," Harik said. "The devices have been getting better and more people are signing up for data plans, so there are more people that will benefit." The new mobile service focuses specifically on retrieving the names of local businesses and information from business directories and the Web. It is available in the United States and Canada at mobile.google.com/local or from a link off of Google's mobile home page.

The mobile service provides most of the same functionality as is available from Google Local on desktop browsers, including integration with Google Maps to show the location of businesses, Harik said. The mobile listings include the ability to click a link to initiate a call from a wireless phone.

Users receive a two-box interface on their mobile browsers. In one box they enter what they are seeking, such as "pizza," while in the other they enter their location by zip code or by city and state.

All you have to do to utilize this service is visit http://mobile.google.com from your mobile phone.