Amazing Stuff

While fiddling with Google searches regarding info for my new Treo 650 cellphone/PDA, I came across a beta item at Google's website. It is a SMS (short message service or text messaging) search function for cellphones. Here's the description from Google:

Google SMS (Short Message Service) enables you to send queries as text messages over your mobile phone or device and easily get precise answers to your questions. No links. No web pages. Just text — and the information you're looking for:

* Get local business listings when you're on the road and want to find a place to eat.
* Obtain driving directions to get from point A to point B without having to ask for directions.
* Find movie showtimes and theater locations of movies currently playing near you.
* Check weather conditions and 4-day forecasts to plan your day.
* Get quick answers to straightforward questions.
* Study the latest stock quotes and stay on top of the market.
* Compare online product prices with ones you find in retail stores.
* Look up dictionary definitions to expand your vocabulary or prove a point.

To get business listings:

* Enter what you want to find. You can search for either a specific business (Pizza Hut) or a general service (pizza).
* Make sure to include both a city and state, or a zip code with your search terms.
* If you want to make sure you get Google Local results, put a period between the business name and the location ('pizza.10013' or 'pottery barn.boston ma')'.

Sample queries:

* pizza 10013
* pizza new york ny
* pizza.10013

* Pottery Barn 02116
* Pottery Barn Boston MA
* Pottery Barn.Boston MA

You can use Google SMS to get showtimes for movies playing near you. Just send a text message query with the movie title followed by the zip or city and state and you'll get back showtimes by location and movie details like running time, MPA rating, movie genre, and critics' rating.
To get movie showtimes, theater listings and movie details:

* If you're looking for showtimes of a movie that's currently playing, enter the movie's title followed by your location (a zip code or city and state).
* For a listing of theaters near you and the showtimes of their top movies, enter 'movie: theaters' or 'movie: showtimes' followed by your location.
* For a listing of movies playing near you and their theater location, enter 'movie: movies' or 'movie: films' followed by your location.
* For movie details such as running time, genre, MPA rating, and critics' rating, simply enter the movie title.
* Get Google Local results in addition to your movie showtimes when you type 'theaters' or 'films' followed by your location.
* Learn more about our movie showtimes feature.

Sample queries*:
# Get showtimes and theaters for a particular movie: hitch 94103
# hitch san francisco ca
# Get movie details: hitch

Just amazing.