Google To Disconnect GOOG-411

For more than three and a half years, GOOG-411 has represented a great way for people with feature phones (and even smartphones) to look up and contact businesses; users just had to dial 1-800-GOOG-411, give a company’s name and city, and be connected. Unfortunately, Google will soon stop offering the service.

A post on the Official Google Blog explained this afternoon that GOOG-411 "helped provide a foundation for more ambitious services now available on smartphones," and now, "we’re putting all of our resources into speech-enabling the next generation of Google products and services across a multitude of languages."

As a result, GOOG-411 is supposed to be shut down on November 11th.

This makes sense in many ways, considering that GOOG-411 couldn’t have turned a profit and that, using audio samples from GOOG-411 calls, Google’s apparently refined its speech recognition software to a more-than-acceptable point.

GOOG-411 had lots of fans, though (including your humble author), and they’re already starting to push back. See the 15 (and counting) complaints following Jason Kincaid‘s coverage of the shutdown, for example.

Maybe Google will be convinced to reverse its decision. Whatever amount of money it would take to keep GOOG-411 running couldn’t seem like too crazy an expense next to the $1 million Google chose to invest in human-powered monorail Shweeb, after all.

There are 9 Comments. Add Yours.

Guest
October 9, 2010 at 11:54 pm

The story of G.’s life. Another reason not to trust, adopt or take seriously any of G.’s products. The history is there. I will never buy that G. Tv, install Chrome or buy any phone that has anything to do with G. Average life shelf is 23 days.

G. it’s on its way out. I seriously doubt G. will still be number 1 search engine in 3 years.
Guest
October 11, 2010 at 10:53 am

Say it ain’t so. I use GOOG-411 a lot. It sure beats carrying a lame phone book in my car.

Can’t say I’m too happy with Google for this. If you’re going to offer a service of value for a limited time just to refine the technology it would be nice to say so up front so we don’t get too dependent upon it. Just another reason to dislike G.
Josh
October 12, 2010 at 8:49 am

I want to respond to the people that cry and whine about how google sucks and in the next sentence talk about how they love their products! STFU you sound like idiots!

I also use/used the hell out of goog411 and if I reflect back on how much I would have paid “411″, DAMN that’s a lotta money.

If you were smart you would have said “text message” before it connected you to the number you wanted. Then you could have saved that number in your contacts.

Oh and what is with the idiot saying “G. is on it’s way out”? What rock has that idiot been sleeping under…..
- Investculator
  November 3, 2010 at 6:11 pm
  
  try using GO800 Text KEYWORD. Try text HELLO to GO800 (46800).. NOW, u can try any companies, businesses or ur favorite hotels…u will get connected within seconds, try it now! Good Luck…obet
Guest
October 12, 2010 at 9:33 pm

Why gooogle whhhyyyyy?
IhateMonoply@control
October 17, 2010 at 5:31 pm

I think google is going to be in court for Monopoly
Ihatemonopolycontrol
October 17, 2010 at 5:41 pm

Google is going to be in court soon over its monopoly it’s being called worse the Microsoft.France convicted google of monopoly, there buying all the little search engines out or there going out business because they can’t compete with the big guy google,it’s being called worse then Microsoft, at the same time they released a game call monopoly streets board. Is google playing Minopoly do u people think and if I don’t want to be controlled by google there is way of getting away from them, bing is your best bet because they have there own power not enfluanced by google.
obet/investculator
November 3, 2010 at 6:16 pm

PEOPLE, if you haven’t tried it yet, text HELLO to GO800 (46800). IT’S SIMPLE and EASY and most
of all it’s FREE. TRY texting your favorite stores, banks, hotels, businesses and companies. It’s TEXT KEYWORD that WORKS. YOU text, your phone rings within seconds, you get connected, it’s awesome. Now try it and you will love it!!!
Donald Lee
May 2, 2011 at 8:28 am

I came across a toll-free service by Justdial recently. Justdial (1800-500-0000) boasts of human-assisted service, one ring attendance, and answers your queries within 60 seconds, which a previous service like 1800GOOG411 did not offer. This service is simply mind-blowing!