by Cathleen Moore

Google local motion

news
Apr 12, 20052 mins

Keeping up its frantic pace in rolling out new search services, Google on Tuesday introduced two local services for mobile phones and other wireless devices. The services let mobile users access Google Local information through a Web browser and driving directions using Google SMS.

To tap the Google Local service, users with XHTML-enabled phones can visit the Google Local site designed for mobile users featuring a teeny-tiny version of the interface. There users can enter search terms in the “Where” and “What” search boxes to get results form Google Local. Available in the U.S. and Canada, the service lets users find business listings and driving directions, view an area with Google Maps, and click-to-call a listing.

The mobile driving directions service lets users send a search query via text message to the U.S. five digit shortcode 46645 (which spells GOOGL on most phones) to access driving directions. Services previously available through Google SMS include Google Local, Froogle, finance, weather, and movie showtimes.

The busy bees over at Google have been productive in recent weeks. New feature introductions include Google Q&A, the integration of its Keyhole satellite service into Google Maps, 2GB of storage for Gmail, and an April fool’s day prank (and our blog about it).