Google launches GOOG 411

Filed under: Audio, Internet, Web services, Google

Google launches GOOG 411

by Chris Gilmer Apr 6th 2007

Google has announced a new labs project, a free 411 service. The Google Voice Local Search is an experiment, but it aims to get users fully automated access to local business information.

The GOOG 411 service holds the same information that would typically be found on Google.com, but for times when you just cant get to an internet connection and all you have access to is a cell phone or home phone, this is your next best bet.

The service is free to use, and Google does not charge businesses for connecting customers to them. It is still in an experimental form, and only available in English in the US, for US business listings. To try out the service, dial 1-800-GOOG-411 (1-800-466-4411) from any phone.

Update: Download Squad's Brad Linder put GOOG 411 to the test, and here's the result:

goog 411.mp3

Tags: 411, dial, directory, google, information, labs, phone, search

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

rinks said 5:49PM on 4-06-2007

Just used it- no human, computer voice, sounds great, works like a charm. No more paying 1.50 for 411! I just put the number into my phone.

Sim said 6:48PM on 4-06-2007

Damn... I can't wait to head to the liberry.

haha, j/k, that's another winner for google in my book!

TheTayloeEffect said 8:11PM on 4-06-2007

Also, don't bother calling 9-1-1 any more for emergencies... try the new Google 911 beta!

1-800-GOOG-911 (1-800-466-4911)

Brad Linder said 7:10AM on 4-08-2007

I was just glad to hear that Google's expanding their vocabulary. No beta tag here, it's "experimental!"

yogeish.mayekar said 2:39AM on 4-09-2007

just used it. Very Handy.

Featured Time Waster

Civiballs is a beautiful, soothing physics puzzle Time Waster

I have an absolute weakness for physics games, and while Civiballs isn't the strongest physics-based game, what it lacks in the physics department it makes up for a few times over in style and fun.

In Civiballs, you are presented with a few colored balls, and your goal is to get those balls into the same-colored urn on the level. The "civi" part of Civiballs is that there are 3 sets of levels to play, each representing a different civilization. While the civilization doesn't affect gameplay, the artwork for each level is beautifully themed to it's appropriate era.

To play the game, you are given only one tool - a sword with which to cut the chains that are holding the balls. The puzzle part of the game is in figuring out what order, and with what timing to cut each chain. Do it right, and all the right balls end up in the right urns, with no stray balls entering an urn (a no-no). Do it wrong, and you get to start over again.

Civiballs is not terribly deep on gameplay; the entire game can be completed in about 15 minutes. But if you enjoy this type of game, it will be a very enjoyable 15 minutes.

View more Time Wasters