Instead of dialing 411 or even having to print out directions, check out the Google SMS service. I was recently looking for a restaurant in the area and my friend said, “just text Google for the name of the restaurant followed by a nearby zipcode and it’ll give you the phone number and address back”.

So I tried it. I texted Google at GOOGL (there’s no ‘E’). This corresponds to the number 46645. I entered:

Cafe India 98101

Though I had the zipcode wrong (it was in the same city though, so we just picked my friend’s home zip code) – this listing came up. He was right. Address, phone number – it was all there. Bingo.

Very cool.