ath3na's talking points

In case you don't know, <3 leet speak symbol for heart. The "i<3" (I heart) phenomenon was spread mostly with the mass sale of the I<3NY t-shirts and has since become much more commonly used.

I'm a huge fan of Google, which you may already know from some of my other posts (My Life With Google, Part I; My Life With Google, Part II). I'm also a big fan of the blog Makeuseof, who made me aware of these nifty features of Google that I didn't know about previously.

So, if you didn't already love Google, for their wonderful advancements in internet search, web mail, calendars, or rss readers, then here's something that's sure to make you love them:

• GOOG-411
  You dial up 1-800-GOOG-411 (1-800-466-4411) from any (US) phone. After you get a friendly Google hello you follow the voice prompts which are extremely intuitive.
  Start by saying your city and state. You hear the Google engines spinning in the background and then you will be prompted to say what business listing you want (pizzeria, repair shop, Burger King, etc.). They understood me every time even when I put on various accents. I had previously tried out 800-free-411 and they never understood me - it was infuriating!
  Now Goog411 will also complete your call for you FOR FREE or send you a text message FOR FREE with your listing, a link to their website, a link to a map and directions or any other information they have. For a list of all the commands check out this page here. This is all easily save-able on your mobile. The service is still in its beta stages and currently has NO ads! Suck it up while you can this is the way most services will be going in the near future. If you are interested in seeing a video demo go to GOOG411 on MUO Directory.
  Goog411 currently only works from the US
• Google SMS
  Just save 466453 “Google” into your phone and text it with your query and Google will hit you back with all sorts of free information. How about dictionary definitions, calculations, curency exchange rates or movie listings (Google SMS -All Features). Give it a shot - its free minus the cost of the text messages of course.
  To try it out via the web go here. It's super easy and could be fantastically wonderful when you're out of town or out on the town and need some quick information.

So, whatya think now? Love Google more, less? Let me know in the comments.