Google on your cell phone.

Posted on November 01, 2004 in General News

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:

  1. Enter your query as a text message. See some sample queries.
  2. Send the message to the US shortcode 46645 (GOOGL on most phones).
  3. Receive a text message (or messages) with your results, usually within a minute. Results may be labeled as "1of3", "2of3", etc.
  4. 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.