Noelle has been bugging me for weeks to check out Google’s SMS Service for phones and I could not figure out what the heck the big deal was. I knew you could text “Google” or 466453 with the name of a business or category and they would send you back listings. This is amazing (and for those of you who haven’t used it, I promise you will be amazed) because it’s free of charge (unlike 411) and gives more detailed information.

The best part is that it is all stored in your phone’s saved messages for later reference. By the way, 411, if I’m calling you to find the address of a business, I’m clearly not home. So, what do you think the chances are that I have a pen and paper ready to go when that creepy digital voice repeats the number back to me? Also, don’t get me started on trying to ask the address of said business in the 3 milliseconds you have before the operator forces out a monotone “Have a nice day” and transfers you over to that creepy voice. 

Getting back to the point, while totally loving Google as my new 411, honestly, I was a little over it. I mean it is just addresses and phone numbers, nothing that exciting. When Noelle heard this she was pissed! “What!?” she screamed, her eyes wide in disbelief, “You have not even looked into it! You have no idea what else it can do. Movie times, flight delays, stock quotes, translations from Spanish to English…it’s amazing!”

After such a passionate display, I did have to at least look into it. And, she was right. Google SMS Service is totally sweet and I totally have a geek crush on it again. In the same time it takes me just to open my Blackberry’s Internet browser, I can text Google to translate an entire order at La Bamba into Spanish and check the weather while I wait for my “burrito as big as my head.” And (unless charges from you carrier apply, like if you don’t have a text messaging plan) the service is totally free! Ah, life is good.

(Lacey Brenly)