Google on Monday unveiled a new service called Google SMS, which is designed to provide information via SMS text message to mobile phone users in Africa. In Africa, mobile phone penetration is six times more than Internet penetration. So, with the help of this SMS suit, Google wants to help people in Africa by enabling them to access various information using their mobile phones.
The Google SMS suit include three important products – Google SMS Tips, Google SMS Search and Google Trader. Google SMS Tips is an SMS-based query-and-answer service that enables a mobile user to have a online search-like experience. How it works? An user enter a free form text query, and Google’s algorithms restructure the query to identify keywords, search a database to identify relevant answers, and return the most relevant answer. It will allow people to access information on a diverse number of topics including health and agriculture tips, news, local weather, sports, and more.
On the other hand, Google SMS Search returns search results on news, sports scores, stock quotes, horoscope, glossary, currency converter, religious texts, translation, flights, Q&A, calculator, and local time. Google Trader is a SMS-based “marketplace” application that helps buyers and sellers find each other. People can find, “sell” or “buy” any type of product or service, from used cars and mobile phones to crops, livestock and jobs.
More Info: http://www.google.co.ug/sms