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Guh - GOOG 411 is ending tomorrow - WHY!?!?

Phokus

Phokus

Lifer
http://www.google.com/goog411/

I don't get it, it's such a great service and Bing has a competing service (which, IMO is inferior). I use this all the time. Why the hell is Google ending this?

Our success encouraged us to aim for more innovation. Thus, we’re putting all of our resources into speech-enabling the next generation of Google products and services across a multitude of languages.
Click to expand...

This makes no sense, if they're coming out with something else, wouldn't it make sense to keep GOOG 411 until they release it?
 
Man, this thing even has a dedicated button in my in-dash Pioneer navigation unit. I gotta check Avic411 to see if anyone has released a mod to remap to another service - not that I ever actually use it.
 
I know it sucks ! I have a cordless home phone with a button that is labeled google 411 and it will work until......


Guess its time to crack open the phone and start hacking firmware.
 
Phokus said:
Why the hell is Google ending this?
Click to expand...

Just a guess but $$$. They're probably not getting their money's worth any more in terms of data collection. Everything Google does is driven by data collection. If they're doing something cool and free, it's because they're gathering useful advertising information off of your actions. If they stop a service, it's because they are no longer getting what they want out of it.
 
geno said:
Just a guess but $$$. They're probably not getting their money's worth any more in terms of data collection. Everything Google does is driven by data collection. If they're doing something cool and free, it's because they're gathering useful advertising information off of your actions. If they stop a service, it's because they are no longer getting what they want out of it.
Click to expand...

This.

The whole reason it existed was to develop speech recognition technology. They have the data they need, so they are closing it.
 
manlymatt83 said:
This.

The whole reason it existed was to develop speech recognition technology. They have the data they need, so they are closing it.
Click to expand...

Yeah. There was never really a way to monetize the service itself. The only value it had was in helping them to build up their technologies.
 
manlymatt83 said:
This.

The whole reason it existed was to develop speech recognition technology. They have the data they need, so they are closing it.
Click to expand...

I'm sure that trending the businesses people were looking up was also a nice perk as well, something they'll be able to do more cheaply without running an 800 number IVR.
 
Goog411 was nice because I could send my VoIP customers to it when they dialed 411. That way I didn't have to bill them for 411 calls. Now, I just send them to Bing411 instead. Google gave a local number to dial. Microsoft doesn't, so now 411 calls truely are free for me! Woo!
 
This sucks. Getting us hooked on a good product then pull the plug on it. Oh well, I'll just switch to a competitor now. I spent a lot of time getting my family to use it too.
 
drebo said:
Goog411 was nice because I could send my VoIP customers to it when they dialed 411. That way I didn't have to bill them for 411 calls. Now, I just send them to Bing411 instead. Google gave a local number to dial. Microsoft doesn't, so now 411 calls truely are free for me! Woo!
Click to expand...

I'm confused. If you have to use Microsoft now and they are the ones who DON'T have a free local number, how is it that they are "now" truly free?
 
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