Personally, I’d like to see phone books stop being printed altogether. I realize most of our grandparents still require the paper behemoth to remind themselves how early Luby’s opens. But for most of us phone books are effectively obsolete. Now’s your chance; go to yellowpagesgoesgreen.org and click the “sign up” button. You’ll need to give them your name, address, and an email address for verification. Think of it like donotcall.gov for phone books.
But how will I find information in this scary digital future?
Mother Google alone offers three attractive solutions, all of which happen to be free and not made out of trees.
Google Maps
Google Maps is not just for maps. It’s a full featured business listing, sometimes even including store hours and user reviews.
GOOG-411
Call 1-800-GOOG-411 (1-800-466-4411) and you’ll instantly be chatting it up with Google using your voice! No, it’s not creepy at all to talk with a search engine.
Google SMS
If text messaging is more your thing, check out Google SMS. First, think of something you want. Then think about where you are. So, if you’re in the 78704 zip code, and you’re hungry for pizza — text “pizza 78704” to 466453 (GOOGLE) and voila! Google will text you back with results. Hint: This service can be used for all sorts of things, from movie listings, to weather forecasts, to sports scores.
Welcome to your paperless future. Enjoy your stay.
Comments
That’s awesome. Thanks for the link. I opted out.
Yes, but how can I get more phonebooks?