1-800-Google Launches

The Webguy wrote to mention a C|Net article talking about Google's newest toy - Local Voice Search. The service is dirt simple: you call a 1-800 number and, via voice recognition software, say the category of business you're trying to reach. You can also try for a specific name, though the C|Net blogger had some problems with that. The Google Blog has been updated with details as well: "Google Voice Local Search lets you search for local businesses from any phone and for free. If you're in the US, call 1-800-GOOG-411 and say what you want to find. Here are some of the features -You can find a business listing by category. Just say "pizza," for example. You can send the listing details to your mobile phone via SMS. The service is fully automated, so it doesn't rely on human operators. It connects you directly to the business, free of charge."

Hello, Google?

"Nookie."

Cool!

Finally there is an easy way of calling 911!

Impressive

It's impressive to think the resources it would take to run this service. I wonder what software they use to do the voice recognition.

I wonder...

I wonder if it recognizes "Escort Services".

*sigh* who am I kidding?

Re:I wonder...

For fun, I tried "Prostitutes". The #1 match:

International Aid [internationalaid.org], a local Christian charity.

Re:I wonder...

Well, let me tell you; I am over here in Philly, and I decided to ask it for escorts. The first two results were "Stacey Lacey" and "Ebony and Ivory." I started laughing loudly after that and it misinterpreted that as me wanting to "go back." I suppose that answers the question.

One Question...

Why? Doesn't Google do enough? Is anybody but me reminded of the dot-com boom? Big companies doing too much at once, gaining money/people at an alarming rate, and then inevitably crashing and burning. With every "BETA" they release I get more and more afraid one day I'll go to open my GMail and get a "Google has gone into Chapter 11" message or some such.

Re:One Question...

One difference is that in the dot-com era, you saw companies valued billions operating in a market that was worth a fraction of that - in the hope that in the "new economy" there would suddenly be billions of new dollars pouring into all possible sectors of the economy. In contrast, Google is profitable, this service must have been set up with a smallish (50?) number of employees, and the DA 411 market is worth some 8 billion dollars per year - and that is before advertisement is taken into account. So your comparison does not run very deep.

Re:One Question...

There's a few key differences. First, Google is already profitable. Second, Google adds services over time, whereas many of the dot-com rushers tries to do everything at once. Google has the brand recognition and strong history to even the most novice of Internet users required that none of the dot-com guys, even with their tens of millions of marketing dollars, had.

With Google being a public company, they have more incentive to retain services than other service companies. They have far more to lose if they close a service than if, say, Webmail.us folded, since e-mail is all Webmail.us does. That reason alone will force them to keep large, successful services like Gmail alive, even if it is eventually in a reduced form.

So if the this is completely free of charge.....

.... just how does Google plan to make money from this? Sure it takes away business from traditional directory based searches, but I still fail to see how the cash that those services would get end up in Google's pocket. I'm sure that if I'm missing something that /.'ers will point out what that something is.

It's in response to a Microsoft move.

It's their answer to Microsoft's acquisition of TellMe. (1-800-555-TELL). Presumably, like TellMe, after a while they will add ads.

Re:So if the this is completely free of charge....

Well, one idea is that they could sell what company shows up first in your area when you ask for "Pizza." That ought to be worth a lot.

Re:So if the this is completely free of charge....

sure. you pay to have your business listed preferentially.
If no business is preferential or there is a "tie" then the user gets a short voice advert "while we find your numbers" and gets connected.

On a related note I got bored/frustrated with Delta airlines automated attendant some time ago and had lots of fun. Got into a sorta dialogue with the blasted thing then managed to end up in some sort of maintenance mode. Couldn't change any settings (required password, lord knows I tried) but I could monitor status.
-nB

Re:So if the this is completely free of charge....

I see it as a way for them to know what people are searching for, just like their google search engine. You'd be surprised to know how much that sort of information can be worth to companies.

Does this sign you up for phone spam?

You can send the listing details to your mobile phone via SMS.

Does this sign you up for phone spam?

Hello Google?

I'm feeling lucky

interesting

Tried the number, and I'd say it works pretty well. I searched for "pizza" in "Scottsdale, Arizona", and it gave me quite a listing. I was also impressed that I only had to say "Flagstaff", and it knew automatically that it was in Arizona also (although there is also a Flagstaff, Maine, but I think that's a ghost town these days) ...

Google also recognized the term "brewpub", and located my favorite one, too! :-)

Sadly, they didn't understand my search for, "beer and hookers." But my search for "prostitites" in Scottsdale resulted in a response of, "We didn't find any exact matches, but here are a couple that come close ..." I got a kick out of the fourth listing they provided, which was for the Alliance Defense Fund [alliancedefensefund.org],. . . (no joke ;-)

An an unrelated note, if all of use call this number tonight, do you think it might be a first to "slashdot" a telephone? ;-) If we can slashdot Google's number, we should have CowboyNeal post a Telemarketer of the Week's number on slashdot ... try to bring down some truly useless and evil people,... :-)

toll-free

I noticed the service automatically connects you to the business. Does this mean that Google pays if you are transferred to a long-distance number (i.e. since your call is actually connected to 800-goog411)?

Zip codes work great

Been playing with it and it responds to zip codes for better results than with cities and states.

Weird....

When i asked for it to find porn in Oklahoma, it gave me the first three results:

1. First Christian Church
2. The local police department
3. Animal Control

Maybe it's just not the same as the real google.

Free 411

Seems very much like 800-FREE-411 but hopefully without the ads?

Are They Using Microsoft Voice Recognition?

Dear aunt, set that double the killer select all [google.com]

Same Result Twice

when i searched for pizza in my town, i got the same buisiness twice in a row as the top two results. they were also my favorite buisinesses
anyone hear the weird squiggle thing? its funny
i'm guessing that they would probably put ads as your search is being done.

bellsouth/AT&T screw you and your 25 cent 411!

YAY the 411 racket is no more!

"Miserable Failure"

...
*Bing!* "White House Operator. How may I direct your call?"

      Man, I *wish* that still worked.

Bugs

Well, obviously it's going to take some time for them to work out the bugs. I asked for a place to get a hamburger. It thought I wanted to be connected to the library. <sigh>

Free pay phone calls???

I wonder if anyone has tried to use this service from a pay phone. If it connects you automatically, then the call should be free, right? ...I get blasted at the bar, lose my cell phone, need to call a cab....damn! no quarters. As long as I can remember goog-411 and the voice recognition software can recognize my slurring 'taxi' I should be OK. I realize nobody uses pay phones anymore, but as soon as I find one, I'm gonna give it a shot.

I'm feeling lucky!

Google should add a 'I'm feeling lucky' option to the service, which would automatically dial the top-rated business for that category. That would be really exciting, especially if you're searching for something like 'escorts' and it dials the PD.

Is this evil?

Do you think the "don't be evil" crowd has any idea that they're acting like Wal-Mart here? They're not just shutting down the phone carriers' 411 charges, they're also trying to cut into the market for 1-800-free411, a legit small business. Actually, come to think of it, Goog-411 only has business information, and doesn't have live customer assistance, as 1-800-Free411 has. Free 411 also has category search now, so as things compare, I don't think Google has the better service.

Re:Google WILL make money off of this

Hang on. Why would Domino's come up in a search for "pizza"? Shouldn't that be in the "toxic waste and household poisons" category? Whatever it is they sell, it does not resemble a foodstuff.