1-800-Google Launches 123
The Webguy wrote to mention a C|Net article talking about Google's newest toy - Local Voice Search. The service is dirt simple: you call a 1-800 number and, via voice recognition software, say the category of business you're trying to reach. You can also try for a specific name, though the C|Net blogger had some problems with that. The Google Blog has been updated with details as well: "Google Voice Local Search lets you search for local businesses from any phone and for free. If you're in the US, call 1-800-GOOG-411 and say what you want to find. Here are some of the features -You can find a business listing by category. Just say "pizza," for example. You can send the listing details to your mobile phone via SMS. The service is fully automated, so it doesn't rely on human operators. It connects you directly to the business, free of charge."
Hello, Google? (Score:5, Funny)
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I did it all for Tom Nook (Score:3, Funny)
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Can anybody please tell me which project this image [geocities.com] is associated with?
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I have a question (Score:1)
Cool! (Score:4, Funny)
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Impressive (Score:2, Interesting)
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I think the whole point is to eliminate navigation. At least that's what I like about google maps. I can enter "einstein bagels near university of new mexico" and it works. (I just tried that on yahoo maps and it also worked, so I guess they've caught up). I would assume this is what google is bringing to the telephone, not hunting down through a nested menu of listings. IMHO the future is searching a
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The technology behind it (Score:3, Informative)
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Creepy voice (Score:3, Interesting)
The voice was a guy though; perhaps that's what I think is wrong. All the other automated voices I've heard (local transit system, 1-800-free-411, etc; have all used female voices. Perhaps the softness of a female voice helps gloss over the realism flaws in the voice?
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Google uses Nuance Communications' speech recognition engine.
That's interesting and I'd like to know where that information comes from. To me, it seems like something in-house that's in its very early stages. The "I'm thinking" noise sounds like a recording of somebody quietly mumbling, imitating the "I'm thinking" sounds that systems powered by TellMe make. I think toll-free directory (1-800-555-1212) uses TellMe. In my (brief and unscientific) tests, that service compared favorably with Google's in recognizing the stuff I was trying to tell it. Of course, sin
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And by the way, seems like very few peo
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I wonder... (Score:4, Funny)
*sigh* who am I kidding?
Re:I wonder... (Score:5, Funny)
International Aid [internationalaid.org], a local Christian charity.
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I bet that sounded very different in your head.
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Re:I wonder... (Score:5, Funny)
One Question... (Score:2, Interesting)
Re:One Question... (Score:5, Insightful)
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Sure. Google is profitable, but the bulk of it's revenue stream comes from a single source - web advertising.
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Sure. Google is profitable, but the bulk of it's revenue stream comes from a single source - web advertising.
As with Microsoft and their Windows and Office products, no?
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> Sure. Google is profitable, but the bulk of it's revenue stream comes from a single source - web advertising.
I used to think this was a problem, but I don't think it is anymore. There are many industries with a single revenue stream - Toyota for example. Or TV - yes, TV, it's all advertiser supported - a single revenue stream supporting hundreds and thousands of channels, with a zillion employees and so on. All dependent on a single revenue stream.
While I suppose your point was that Google'
Re:One Question... (Score:5, Insightful)
With Google being a public company, they have more incentive to retain services than other service companies. They have far more to lose if they close a service than if, say, Webmail.us folded, since e-mail is all Webmail.us does. That reason alone will force them to keep large, successful services like Gmail alive, even if it is eventually in a reduced form.
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I'm not too worrie
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Call them up and ask for "Brand Dilution"
So if the this is completely free of charge..... (Score:5, Insightful)
It's in response to a Microsoft move. (Score:5, Informative)
It's their answer to Microsoft's acquisition of TellMe. (1-800-555-TELL). Presumably, like TellMe, after a while they will add ads.
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Re:So if the this is completely free of charge.... (Score:5, Interesting)
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OTOH, if you live in a college town it's not impossible (or unlikely) that there will be three or more pizza places within a couple of blocks, let alone a couple of miles.
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The question then becomes how they indicate that it is a sponsored listing. I would hope they would notify you in some way that the person at the top PAID to get there rather than being the most relevant.
Re:So if the this is completely free of charge.... (Score:4, Interesting)
If no business is preferential or there is a "tie" then the user gets a short voice advert "while we find your numbers" and gets connected.
On a related note I got bored/frustrated with Delta airlines automated attendant some time ago and had lots of fun. Got into a sorta dialogue with the blasted thing then managed to end up in some sort of maintenance mode. Couldn't change any settings (required password, lord knows I tried) but I could monitor status.
-nB
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Google and paid-position vs most-relevant (Score:1)
Googl
Re:So if the this is completely free of charge.... (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:So if the this is completely free of charge.... (Score:1)
1. Launch effective and popular online search tools
2. Make money off of ads surrounding online search tools
3. Launch phone-based search tools
4.
5. Profit!
(No, but seriously, they'll probably get kickbacks from the phone companies for sms messages, or listed companies will have to pay for each time a searcher gets connected to them or something)
- RG>
Re:So if the this is completely free of charge.... (Score:2, Interesting)
Re:So if the this is completely free of charge.... (Score:1)
Or a percentage of the purchases that Google refers?
Or even pay a premium to be on top of the results list?
This would all be very easy to track, and it could be the reason that this specifically only focuses on businesses.
Re:So if the this is completely free of charge.... (Score:1, Funny)
.... just how does Google plan to make money from this? Sure it takes away business from traditional directory based searches, but I still fail to see how the cash that those services would get end up in Google's pocket. I'm sure that if I'm missing something that /.'ers will point out what that something is.
Similar Quote, from 1998 regarding google search:
.... just how does Google plan to make money from this? Sure it takes away business from traditional directory based searches, but I still fail to see how the cash that those services would get end up in Google's pocket. I'm sure that if I'm missing something that /.'ers will point out what that something is.
Re:So if the this is completely free of charge.... (Score:2)
This is what an existing service does (1-800-FREE-411) where after you give 'em all the information, you hear a short ad, and then are given the option of connection to that advertiser
P.S. Bummer Google didn't release this on April 1st ... ;-)
Re:So if the this is completely free of charge.... (Score:1)
Re:So if the this is completely free of charge.... (Score:3, Interesting)
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Re:So if the this is completely free of charge.... (Score:2, Informative)
1. Further promote Google's value and brand in the minds of consumers and business owners alike. This is following in the same vein as the Google Local Business Center's completely free coupons that you can create for your business to appear on Google Maps. Call it good PR.
2. Statistics. Useful not only to them, but to local business owners. Again, develops brand loyalty and is good PR.
3. As part and parcel of 1 and 2, they hope that some of these local business owners will l
Re:So if the this is completely free of charge... (Score:1)
It's the "Yellow Pages" business model:
paid ads, free to users. Bigger ads cost more.
The "biggest" ad is the one heard first. Adwords-like pricing (ie bid-for-placement). It's harder to skim audio than text, so ranking might be even more valuable in this medium...
No need for "pure" search results, since users seek by known-categories, for a commercial service. Just like Overture, before they got killed by Google.
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Just to pick nits, Overture is still very much in the game. They're still generating a few billion dollars a year for the company that acquired them, Yahoo. It's certainly fair to say that Google is pulling ahead in that race, but nobody's been killed yet.
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Re:So if the this is completely free of charge.... (Score:2)
Re:So if the this is completely free of charge.... (Score:1)
Does this sign you up for phone spam? (Score:3, Interesting)
Does this sign you up for phone spam?
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Does this sign you up for phone spam?
Of course not! Phone Spam is evil!
Google would never be evil. [google-watch.org]
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Hello Google? (Score:5, Funny)
interesting (Score:5, Interesting)
Google also recognized the term "brewpub", and located my favorite one, too! :-)
Sadly, they didn't understand my search for, "beer and hookers." But my search for "prostitites" in Scottsdale resulted in a response of, "We didn't find any exact matches, but here are a couple that come close ..." I got a kick out of the fourth listing they provided, which was for the Alliance Defense Fund [alliancedefensefund.org],. . . (no joke ;-)
An an unrelated note, if all of use call this number tonight, do you think it might be a first to "slashdot" a telephone? ;-) If we can slashdot Google's number, we should have CowboyNeal post a Telemarketer of the Week's number on slashdot ... try to bring down some truly useless and evil people,... :-)
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toll-free (Score:2)
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Zip codes work great (Score:1)
Weird.... (Score:3, Funny)
1. First Christian Church
2. The local police department
3. Animal Control
Maybe it's just not the same as the real google.
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System.Exception.StackOverflow recursive_search.c line 910
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Page rank does a great job when it has web link information to rate the hits. For local businesses, that link information is pretty much nonexistent. I think this phone offering is premature -- they need to improve the quality of google local search results first.
Free 411 (Score:2, Informative)
Are They Using Microsoft Voice Recognition? (Score:1)
Same Result Twice (Score:1)
anyone hear the weird squiggle thing? its funny
i'm guessing that they would probably put ads as your search is being done.
bellsouth/AT&T screw you and your 25 cent 411! (Score:1)
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"Miserable Failure" (Score:3, Funny)
*Bing!* "White House Operator. How may I direct your call?"
Man, I *wish* that still worked.
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pause
Good thing there's no Chair Over IP
-- n
Bugs (Score:1)
Free pay phone calls??? (Score:1)
I'm feeling lucky! (Score:2, Funny)
Is this evil? (Score:1)
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