Did you know that Google has its own free 411 service in the U.S.? I’m not sure how this slipped under my radar. Just dial 1-800-GOOG-411 (1-800-466-4411) to search for businesses by voice, and Google will connect you at no charge.
A few days ago, Google announced a new feature on their 411 service: maps. How does it work? “During your call to GOOG-411, just say ‘map it’, and you’ll get a text message with the details of your search plus a link to a map of your results right on your mobile phone,” says the official Google Blog. I just tried it out, and it worked beautifully. I said “map it” and seconds after the automation system told me it was sending a map, the text message came through with the address, phone number, and map URL of the business I was searching for. I hadn’t even hung up yet.
Pretty soon you’ll be able to say “take me there,” and a Google Robot will pop up out of the ground and carry you to your destination. Until then, I’m not leaving the house. [via]