Sunday, November 23, 2008

Google 411

Are you totally tired of being the only person without internet service on your phone (and are you totally grateful that you JUST got text messaging)? Without the internet or a phone book how do you figure out the phone number of a restaurant, museum, store or whatever your looking for... well 411 of course! So when using this service it used to cost $1.25 to be connected to the business you are trying to reach. More recently 411 created free 411 where you were forced to listen to about a million advertisements before you were given the phone number and disconnected. 

But Google who seems to perfect everything has launched their own free 411 service 1(800)GOOG-411. The feature has all of the same elements of the original 411 in addition to the opportunity to have the information texted to you and work with the matching feature of any mobile phone to map the location. In terms of advertising, Google has not yet incorporated advertising (and I hope that they don't) of course without advertising it is difficult to make money on a free product. Finally, it is simple to block your calling information so that Google and businesses you connect to do not receive your phone and personal information. 

As an events professional this is really beneficial. When away at an event you have to be resourceful and sometimes your own little CVB. With the resource of your cell phone your have the opportunity to figure out resources within the city just by calling Googles 411. If you don't know the business you are attempting to call you can request "French Food" or "Zoo" and receive a listing of all such businesses in the area. 

What will they think of next? 

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