I can’t remember the last time I used a phone book for its intended purpose (though I do have two copies of the Yellow Pages currently raising my monitor to the appropriate height). When I need a phone number, I generally just Google it. This has worked great on most occasions, but I’m consistently foiled when I need a phone number and I’m not near a computer.
That ends today, though – I just programmed Google’s newest service, Google Voice Local Search, into my mobile phone’s speed dial. When I need to call a business – or find a business within a certain category—I just call Google’s toll-free number, 1-800-GOOG-411, say my city and state, then say the name or category of the business I want to call. Google Voice Local Search will give me a list of options, and then connect me for free. It’s the “free” part which sets Google’s service apart from my old pal, 411.
Google’s site says, “Google Voice Local Search is still in its experimental stage.” I’m doing a little experimenting of my own – with a new Chinese restaurant I found using this new service. –ROSS WHITE
