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Microsoft's Bing 411 offers phone numbers, directions over the phone
You probably heard that Microsoft launched a new search engine called Bing today. What you might have missed is the fact that the company also launched Bing 411, a free service which is a direct competitor to Google's GOOG 411.Here's how it works. You dial 1-800-Bing 411 (1-800-246-4411) from any phone and tell the friendly computer voice what city and state you're looking for information in. Then give it a name and Bing 411 will attempt to locate an address and phone number. You can have the service connect you, give you the phone number, or give you directions over the phone or via text message.
The service works pretty well. I was able to get driving directions from my home in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to Microsoft's corporate campus in Redmond, Washington. Surprisingly, it only takes 28 steps, but Bing 411 helpfully told me it would take two days to drive all 2700 miles.
You can also use Bing 411 to get traffic reports, find movie showtimes, or listen to weather forecasts. Weather, traffic, and directions are only available in the US.
I did somehow manage to cause a glitch in the Bing at one point. The digital voice went into a little feedback loop and said the same words three or four times before correcting itself. But for a product that just launched today, I was pretty impressed with Bing 411.
[via TechCrunch]
Comments
16
Subscribe to commentsgary priceJun 1st 2009 6:37PM
This is not a new service but a rebranding and enhancement of the Live411 service that has been around for a couple of years. What's new besides the name are new services. Actually, MS has offered these new services since March, 2007 when they acquired TellMe. See:
http://www.resourceshelf.com/2009/06/01/live411-becomes-bing411/:
SunsetKidJun 1st 2009 7:01PM
I tried this on a French Restaurant in San Francisco. Admittedly it has a French name and it was very confused. I then went through the business menu choosing restaurants and the street name. It again could not find the place and listed restaurants miles away from the street I mentioned.
deleted accountJun 1st 2009 8:36PM
I was going to say the same thing! This is NOT new! This is just a rebranding like you said!
auroragbJun 2nd 2009 11:32AM
Agreed. If you dial 1800-555-tell. You can hear that the voice is the same
but the branding and wording are different, though you can still get the same thing on both
Gilbert PalauJun 1st 2009 8:36PM
to sunsetkid: Its a microsoft product, they never work off the bat...
So I am supposed to be wowed by something Google has been doing for years? I am glad they catched up with everyone else...
JustinJun 1st 2009 8:36PM
Oh, im sorry, the word you were looking for is "caught." Judges, tell him what he's won!
Nothing. You're fired from the interweb.
DemodaveJun 2nd 2009 12:09PM
Don't pick on Gilbert! He thinked about that response for a good long time.
Gilbert PalauJun 2nd 2009 1:30PM
It really shows the intellect you have by picking up on a typo. I probably won a cactus, for all I care. I was at work, not that it matters... I usually don't pay attention to what I write here as long as the message gets through. Lazy of me I know...
fakeJun 1st 2009 8:36PM
"Catched up?"
Idiot.
Gilbert PalauJun 2nd 2009 1:30PM
And this makes the comment relevant to the OP writing because... You are proving readers that you one another new word "idiot" in your vocabulary. Nice. Try another new word "knucklehead".
MattJun 1st 2009 8:36PM
I'm, not "im". Still feel like an Internet tough guy?
I am all for another service like GOOG-411. Competition forces improvements.
Gilbert PalauJun 2nd 2009 1:31PM
Google is GOD. The only thing demonstrated by Microsoft in bringing competition is that they are showing how behind they were in the "Search Engine" business. Ever since Google showed its face on the internet, they have been making progress in things that should be cake for Microsoft, being a software developer. Why can't Microsoft's Operating System and Search Engines divisions innovate how their entertaining division is doing? Microsoft should pick their battles and participate in ones where they can wow the public, and not ones they are showing off like saying "look we can also do this..."
QuikboyJun 2nd 2009 9:37PM
@Gilbert Palau: If you haven't seen any innovation in Live Search in the past few years, not even one, then you probably weren't even looking at all.
MaxJun 1st 2009 10:00PM
Hold on, this isn't so new. Just a rebranding of the TellMe service Microsoft acquired a couple years ago.
Mc.FishieJun 2nd 2009 7:43AM
The question is.... does it have a BSOD?
webmaster.logicsoftsJun 3rd 2009 8:23AM
Yes i try it, i find it so creative and Colour full, may be in future bing will update some new feature that i can discover the new technologies on mobile web,