ChaCha powers SMS search via mobile

January 4, 2008

Brad Bostic, cofounder and president of ChaCha

Search company ChaCha has launched a new service that allows users to text questions of any kind to 242242 (ChaCha) to receive text answers from a live ChaCha guide.

ChaCha is a search engine company that offers users instant results that are hand-picked by ChaCha’s community of so-called “search experts.” The company’s new SMS search application takes mobile search to a new level, eliminating the need for special formatting or rules when sending a query.

“ChaCha is offering the only way to simply ask a question, any question, in plain English and get an answer to any mobile device,” said Brad Bostic, cofounder and president of ChaCha, Indianapolis.

The solution offers the power of the Web without the need for an expensive smartphone or mobile Internet access, ChaCha claims.

To get a brief answer to any question from a mobile phone, a user texts a query to ChaCha as if messaging a friend. Texts can be conversational and even contain slang or misspellings.

"The current options for accessing answers quickly on a mobile phone are severely limited – 411 for phone and address on one end of the spectrum with unwieldy Web browsing on full smartphones on the other,” Mr. Bostic said.

“Using 242242, now every mobile phone user has an extremely smart phone that can give them answers quickly and accurately while on the go,” he said.

To promote this launch, ChaCha will be the official text answers service of the 2008 Sundance Film Festival. Per the partnership, ChaCha will enable festival attendees to text in questions about screenings, festival events, local restaurants – anything connected with the Sundance Film Festival – and get dynamic, relevant answers from ChaCha guides.

It will also provide exclusive real-time information about the audience pulse and length of wait lines.

Mr. Bostic said that its partnership with Sundance has positive repercussions for the environment.

“In addition to enhancing the experience for Sundance enthusiasts, this also allows Sundance to reduce their printed materials over time, thus reducing waste and sticking with the Sundance green charter,” he said.

With ChaCha, users can ask questions on a variety of topics, including real-time sports scores, movie times, airline delays and weather updates. Users can also get local information, current events, trivia and directory assistance.

Mr. Bostic believes that the service will offer opportunities for marketers interested in delivering targeted messages to on-the-go consumers.

“[Ads] will also benefit users with high relevance to the questions that are asked,” he said.

The service is currently available as a free trial.

“We expect to offer unlimited plans through a monthly subscription fee in cooperation with all wireless carriers,” Mr. Bostic said.