Raise your hand if you’ve ever sent a text to 466453. If you’ve done it, you already know that Google SMS is one the most helpful inventions of all time. At least in my humble, understated opinion.
4-6-6-4-5-3 = G-O-O-G-L-E on most cell phones. Text Google if you need anything (within reason) and you’ll get it. Here are some examples:
- Text “Pizza 48104” and you’ll get a list complete with address and phone number for Pizza House, Cottage Inn Pizza (3 locations), Papa John’s, Domino’s and “reply: more for more listings.”
- Text “USA 97” and get “23 Jan 2009 US 97 DTW Depart: 6:20 AM Departed LAS Arrive: 8:01 AM Landed Gate: T1/A12” and then some… WOW!
- Text “CBOU” and get “Stock: CBOU (Caribou Coffee Company, Inc.) 1.61(+0.00.0.17%) Jan 23 11:44am ET Real-time price data for NASDAQ.”
I learned about Google SMS this week, on the road, in a last-ditch effort to get dinner on the table before my out-of-town guests arrived. When our shopping trip went over its time budget, my sisters and I determined it necessary to order gourmet pizza as opposed to making lasagna.
“Give me your cell phone,” my younger sister said, reaching into my purse before I could respond.
“Can you text from this thing?” she inquired, carefully examining my ancient, hand-decorated, beat up old Razr phone. I could understand the skepticism in her tone.
“Of course!” I grumbled. “Why?”
“I’m getting the number for Pizza House?”
Cringing at the thought of the extra $2.75 directory assistance charge that would be tacked onto my already-high cellular bill, I muttered “oh” and continued to drive.
The next thing I knew she was talking to the pizza people. What? No directory assistance? Quickly, I fired “Why on earth did you memorize that number?!?”
“I didn’t,” she said, turning the phone toward me (on hold). “Yes, I’d like to make an order for delivery…”
By the time she had explained how she got the number, and shown me a few funny examples of how Google SMS can help you find what you’re looking for, we were home. We pulled into my driveway 25 minutes later, right behind the delivery car.
Saved by Google. Guests arrived 10 minutes later — just enough time to make the salad!
