Here are several Google services that you never knew existed, but once you do, you will definitely use them again and again!

Google SMS

You use Google SMS from your mobile phone, not from your PC.

Simply text a few keywords to Google (466453) and it'll spit back some results within 30 seconds. Acceptable subjects are:

Local Listings
Weather
Flight updates

Airline information
Sports
Movies
Stock Quotes
Glossary
Zip Code
Translation
Driving Directions
Web Snippets
Q&A
Area Code lookup
Calculator/converter
Currency Conversion

Yes, all that available through SMS.

This service is FREE, but your mobile carrier may charge for SMS service.

You can find more details at http://www.google.com/intl/en_ us/mobile/sms/

Goog411

Google has entered the 411 business, and it's free. And yes, you just need a phone, ANY phone, landline or mobile.

Call 1-800-GOOG-411 (1-800-466-4411) and follow the voice prompts. It's automated.

It is best at finding business names in major cities, so don't be surprised if it can't find every last shop in every last town. But it is definitely cheaper than paying your mobile phone or landline provider for every 411 call you make.

Google Transit

If you live in one of the covered cities, you can use this free tool to search for a route that goes from one address to the other using ONLY public transit. It will figure out which route, where to transfer, and so on.

Only limited cities available around the world right now, but more cities are planned soon.

Find out more at http://www.google.com/transit

Google is full of surprises, and these services are extremely useful. I hope these prove to be useful to you. And enjoy life!

Learn more about this author, K. Charles.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.

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