Google SMS (Short Message Service) enables you to easily get answers to specialized queries from your mobile phone or device. Send your query as a text message and get phone book listings, dictionary definitions, product prices and more. Just text. No links. No web pages. Just the answers you’re looking to find. Hopefully!
Here’s how:
- 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.
To get business listings try something like:
- 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 new york ny
- home depot 10013
- home depot.10013
To get residential listings from PhoneBook
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
To get defenitions of words
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
There is lots more
- Search Result snippets (send “g” before search items)
- Calculator
- Area Code look up
- Zip Code look up
Go to sms.google.com to find out more and get on their mailing list.