Here on makeuseof, it’s all about cool free websites, software and tips. While this post perfectly fits into this philosophy, it’s slightly different from most of the stuff we have published before.
Basically, what you’ll see below, is a list of web services where your phone (not a PC) plays a main role. Whether you need detailed driving directions, someone to wake you up in the morning, quick answer to whatever question you may have or to make free overseas call, it’s all here and freely accessible from your phone. Most of them we have mentioned before, but this time they’re all on one page along with some new ones. Enjoy!
FROM ANY PHONE [Mobile or POTS (Plain Old Telephony Service) ]
(1) Free411 (US only) – free alternative to costly 411 directory service, simply dial 1-800-FREE411 and get the listing you need.
(2) Jott (US and Canada) – simple and convenient service that lets you leave yourself notes, ToDo’s or remainders directly from your phone. Dial a given number (1-877-568-8486), as you speak system will record your message, convert it to text and send it to the provided email address.
(3) TelePixie (US only) – fun service that lets you schedule free memo phone calls i.e. wake-up calls, reminder, weather forecasts, jokes, news, stock alerts and more.
(4) Yak4ever (no longer online) – free, unlimited overseas calling directly from your phone.
- AllFreeCalls.co.uk – same from UK (supports O2 Peak/Off-Peak, Orange/T-Mobile both Peak and Off-Peak)
- AllFreeCalls.ie – same from Ireland
(5) Goog411 (US only) – quickly get info on any local business (i.e. hardware shops, pizza delivery, etc. ) or get directly connected with a business/company office you need. (Dial 1-800-GOOG-411)
(6) Bringo (US only) – handy service that lets you bypass annoying phone support waiting lines and get to the company representative you need in a matter of seconds. [HowTo: (1) Find the company you'd like to call by category (credit cards, mortgages, health care, etc), (2) Enter your phone nr. and (3) Wait for your phone to ring.]
(7) Gotvoice (US only) – converts voicemails from your home and cell phone into MP3s and sends them to you by email. Other features include:
- save, organize and access your voicemails online
- auto-share received voicemails with others (i.e. friends, coworkers, etc.)
- send voice messages to several people simultaneously
- reply to voicemail without ringing the recipient’s phone
- create personalized greetings for different callers
(8) GrandCentral (US and Canada) – get one phone nr. for all your phones, web-based centralized voicemail system, call recording, spam filters, setup custom caller greetings, switch calls between any of your phones, save/organize/voicemails online and more.
(9) Tellme (US) – yet another cool, free directory service for local businesses, maps, and directions. To use Tellme, you can either Dial (1-800-555-TELL), send text message (to 83556) or download TellMe software to your mobile.
(10) Call-in-Sick (US and Canada) – evil but rather handy service that lets you record “˜i am sick’ type message and schedule it to be delivered to your Boss early in the morning.
MOBILE ONLY
(11) Zypsy (no longer available) – call provided number and leave whatever question you have. Receive your answer via SMS, shortly after. (“Can you find iPod 20Gb cheaper than $198?”, “Where is the closest Fry’s to Mountain View CA?”, “Any deals or coupons in downtown Palo Alto?”)
(12) GoogleSMS (USA, Canada, Germany, Japan and Spain) – get instant info about local restaurants, weather, flight information, movies, translations, driving directions, currency conversions, etc. via SMS.
(13) Soonr (Mac, Win) – handy piece of software that lets you access your PC from mobile. Browse files, search docs, check your email-client (i.e. Outlook, Thunderbird), run Skype, etc. Read more
(14) Text2store (US) – “Tell us what you would like to buy. Receive deal alerts on your mobile phone with store info and location…”
(15) Roam4free (worldwide) – must-see service for all frequent travellers and mobile users with huge roaming charges. Roam4free offers special type of sim-cards (20 EUR / approx. 26USD) that can be used in 115+ countries. It lets you make cheap overseas calls, and receive calls for free in over 65 countries. Up to 90% discount on standard mobile rates.
In case, you’re aware of anything that will make this list even better, please drop it in comments. I will gladly add it to the list.
Tagged: 411 • fun • Interesting • local directory • mobile tips • office worker • phone number • phones • reminder • shopping • SMS tools • voicemail
