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Google Simplifies Wireless Data Entry with Google Number Search

Company Showcases Innovative Wireless Search Technology at DEMOmobile 2000

DEMOMOBILE 2000, Pasadena, Calif. – September 8, 2000 – Google Inc., developer of the award-winning Google search engine, today announced Google Number Search (GNS), an innovative new feature that streamlines the process of entering text on web-ready mobile phones. Sergey Brin, Google’s president and co-founder, debuted the new technology today at DEMOmobile 2000, a forum that showcases the newest products and services that address the needs of mobile professionals.

GNS dramatically simplifies the process of entering search queries into a WAP phone. With conventional WAP input, a user must push number keys multiple times to choose which of the multiple letters a key represents. For example, a user must push 666 for the letter O. With GNS, a user need only push a number key once to choose a particular letter. Google determines the possible queries and presents the user with the most relevant web pages.

GNS is designed to enable users to enter search queries approximately twice as fast as conventional methods. For example, using the new GNS functionality, a user can spell the word "super" by simply typing a 7 for "s", 8 for "u", and so on. By pressing only five keys (78737), GNS enables a user to search for the word, "super." With conventional input methods, a user would have to press 12 keys (777788733777) for the same word.

"Google Number Search is yet another example of our commitment to offer our users the best search experience on the wired and wireless Internet," said Sergey Brin, Google’s president and cofounder "Our new GNS technology is the fastest and most convenient way to enter search terms when using Google on a wireless phone."

GNS sits on top of Google’s existing WAP search platform, which enables WAP users to search more than 1 billion documents on the World Wide Web in addition to WAP-specific content.

Pricing and Availability

Google Number Search technology is expected to be available this fall. The technology will be available free of charge and will be integrated with Google’s WAP search technology. Wireless carriers, software developers, and other OEMs may contact Google to discuss licensing opportunities by sending e-mail to wapsales@google.com.

About Google Inc.

Google exists to provide the world’s best Internet search experience. Google accomplishes this for millions of users daily by delivering a powerful, fast, and easy way to find the most relevant information available. Google’s technological innovations have powered the company to numerous awards, including a 2000 Webby and People’s Voice Award For Best Technical Achievement; Best Search Engine on the Internet from Yahoo! Internet Life; Top Ten Best Cybertech of 1999 by TIME Magazine; Technical Excellence Award from PC Magazine; and Best Search Engine by The Net. A growing number of companies, including Yahoo!, AOL (Netscape), Washingtonpost.com and Red Hat, rely on Google to power search on their websites. A privately held company based in Mountain View, Calif., Google’s investors include Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers and Sequoia Capital. For the information you need, visit www.google.com.

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