Google offers free voice-activated local search for US residents
Google has quietly launched a new telephone service in the US called Google Voice Local Search, an experimental service that allows people to search for local businesses over the phone.
The entire service runs free and is controlled by computers capable of voice recognition. It pulls multiple listings fast like you’d get from a search in Google local.
To use it people can dial 1-800-GOOG-411 (1-800-466-4411) from any phone and search for a business by name or category and be connected to the business at no charge.
Mobile phone users can also get listings sent to their phone via SMS, including the telephone number and full address. You can also be connected to a business for free, a great feature equivalent to your 411 service 1-800-Free-411.
This is the perfect service for people who want to pull up an address without needing a smart phone with a data plan, or a friend near a computer or the yellow pages.
Last month, Microsoft also bought a local voice search through TellMe service.
“Google’s experimental entry into voice-based mobile search (free directory assistance [DA]) establishes a clear competitive landscape, which will likely mean a further decline in call volumes and revenues for traditional mobile directory assistance, as consumers become more aware of the availability of these free services,” notes Greg Sterling, principal of Sterling Market Intelligence.
Try using the service. You will hear a male voice giving you the top eight results from your search. When the system cannot get the information of the specific business you are searching for, it would at least try and give me reasonable recommendations that sounded similar.
The experiment phase of Google Voice Local Search does not include residential listings, and advertisements. But knowing Google, advertisement will most certainly be added in the future. For now, enjoy ad-free 411 goodness by dialing 1-800-GOOG-411 (1-800-466-4411).
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April 8th, 2007
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