Goog-411 R.I.P. – I’ll Miss You

Update 10:43 EST: Perhaps I am in ever hopeful denial or perhaps someone at Google forgot to turn out the lights but when I just dialed 1-800-Goog-411, it answered and was still working! I have followed Goog-411 from its seriptitious inception masquerading as a non-Google service called 520-find, to its bizarre rural advertising campaign, to the …

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Goog-411 now a speedier option on Thomson/GE phones

Greg Sterling has noted a Thomson/Google deal that adds a one-touch, auto-dial GOOG-411 button into many of its latest GE-branded DECT 6.0â„¢ cordless phones. It should give Jingle’s Free 411 service a pause and it certainly raises questions about when Google will monetize its free DA service. Voice DA services are currently very lucrative and …

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Most read articles for 2008

Here are the top 10 read articles from Understanding Google Maps over the past 12 months: 1. Which On-line Directories provide details to Google Maps 2. First Case of Large Scale Abuse at Google Maps 3. Google Coupons now has searchable interface 4. Now taking Nominations for the Rubber Chicken Awards 5. Sources for Google …

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When a number to call might help

From the goog411 Google Group http://groups.google.com/group/goog411?hl=en Today’s topics: =============================================== TOPIC: Help!!! http://groups.google.com/group/goog411/browse_thread/thread/90a13590c0cf0b10?hl=en ================================================ == 1 of 1 == Date: Sat, Dec 22 2007 4:43 pm From: Janu Goog411 has been sending me the same text message every 15 minutes for 2 hours now at 10 cents a message. This is the first time I have …

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Goog-411 calls now completed by bandwidth.com

Reader, Bob Brenly, has pointed out that Goog-411 calls are now completed by bandwidth.com in both the US and Canada as announced on any Goog-411 call. I am curious about this change. Have they switched call completion providers? Why is it necessary to declare the provider at all?

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Ghoulgle-411

Google may be getting big, and they may do some evil but unlike Microsoft they can still manage to make me smile and even laugh with some of their marketing. Goog-411 started adding a range of introduction voices in August (see The many voices of Goog411, dude!) including children’s voices and voices with distinctive accents. …

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The many voices of Goog411, dude!

Audio recording of the many voices of Goog411Some seem to adore Goog-411 (like the folks at the Goog-411 Group), Google’s voice activated directory service that uses Map data and some like Chris from NaturalSearch panned it.I fall in between those extremes and while I understand Chris’s criticism about Goog-411’s failings I use the service on …

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