New Hidden Google Mobile Service Revealed
There is a new Google mobile service that Google doesn’t want you to know about. We’re not sure why they would keep it from you; it’s actually pretty cool. Google mobile "LCB" was uncovered by picking apart a publicly available file containing a list of all pages that crawlers shouldn’t be able to see. Essentially, LCB is an interesting move away from Google’s typical offerings. A "searchless search" in a sense, it allows the user to input a location and then browse through seven predefined categories such as Food / Restaurant and Entertainment to find a business listing. Once a desired result is listed, users can quickly and easily map the address and surrounding area. Perhaps it’s some kind of ‘walking around’ quick access service. The seven top categories are pretty straight forward and sensible, except for one: "Googleplex". While testing, we entered an New Jersey zip code and used the Googleplex search. Oddly, it fired back restaurant, bank and entertainment results from in and around Manhattan. Either Google constructed a New York campus while we were looking the other way, or the Googleplex entry is there as a placeholder for some kind of internal testing. We’re going with the latter. Hit the read link to check out LCB on your computer or mobile.
[Via Googling Google]
fyi, there is a google campus in NYC.
It takes up a few floors of a city block-sized building in Chelsea. The food is amazing and it’s got all the video games, scooters, and other fun stuff a googler could want.
just tried it on my iphone and it keeps redirecting me to google proper. hiss.
On nytimes.com there is an interesting take on this search ability, seems to me it lets Google return the results they want you to see and not the complete search data.
Works great on my Tilt!
another fyi: if the NJ location you chose was in the hudson river valley, you usually get manhattan results when searching for local businesses.
Works on my BB as well!
My Tilt likes it too… But I would include GPS and/or google maps functionality, that way I could find what I want based on where I am and then find my way there…
Works fine on my sidekick
LCB = Location – Category – Business ?
Sounds a lot like the MSM Live mobile search function in that you enter a location and it gives
you localized results. For example – pizza in New York City, then you can pull up a map to get there. Unfortunately, my phone doesn’t have GPS so I can’t do the whole location thing.
Maybe not a campus, but Google does have offices in New York.
looks pretty cool, i wish they would work on their drill down for regular search more. it definitely could use some work
Anybody see that Wired, “Artifacts from the Future?” One featured a heads up display for a car that this would be a predecessor for.
viral marketing anyone?
I don’t think you’re ready for this neti.
don’t forget the www. before google.com. Same problem for me until I added it.
This is the exact same as Windows Live for Mobile… Since when did Google start ripping off MS for inovation?
Isn’t this just like Google Local, just without the map?