To use the service, simply call 1-800-GOOG-411 (1-800-466-4411). A voice prompt will ask for the state and city (or type in a zip code), and then ask for a business name or general category of business. If you were hungry for pizza, for example, you could specifically request the number of your favorite pizza joint, or you could simply say 'pizza', and GOOG-411 would provide a (pretty lengthy) list of places in your area to choose from. After you choose a business, the service automatically connects your call.
Since it's free, you might ask what Google gets from this service. Google has stated that GOOG-411 was implemented to build a massive database of phonemes to aid in indexing audio content for search. Let us all bow to our new information overlords!
