# Dammit, Microsoft, I didn't say you could stop doing bing411! **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [May 5, 2012, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dammit-microsoft-i-didnt-say-you-could-stop-doing-bing411/620952 "2012-05-05T03:07:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2012, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dammit-microsoft-i-didnt-say-you-could-stop-doing-bing411/620952/1 "2012-05-05T03:07:10Z")
It was bad enough that goog411 went away without even the courtesy of asking my permission. I was happy to have bing411 there to take up the slack, and they did the job pretty adequately for the past year and a half. Fuck. What the hell am I supposed to do now? Note: this is not in the mini-rants thread, because there is NOTHING “Mini” about this. ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2012, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dammit-microsoft-i-didnt-say-you-could-stop-doing-bing411/620952/2 "2012-05-05T03:09:26Z")
I’m sorry, this might be my fault because what is bing411? (no, you don’t actually have to answer, I think I can bing it myself. Which sounds awfully like I’ll be in my bunk.) ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2012, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dammit-microsoft-i-didnt-say-you-could-stop-doing-bing411/620952/3 "2012-05-05T03:14:35Z")
Well, up until June 1, you’ll be able to dial 1-800-BING411 (246-4411) for an automated directory assistance (something that my $20/month Virgin Mobile isn’t able to access – I mean, it can access Bing411; it just can’t access any other directory assistance). Then it’s going away. DAMMIT, I’m not going to start carrying a copy of the fucking yellow pages everywhere I go! ---
**Author:** ![MsWhatsit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2012, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dammit-microsoft-i-didnt-say-you-could-stop-doing-bing411/620952/4 "2012-05-05T03:23:04Z")
nevermind, I need to learn to read. ---
**Author:** ![Rachellelogram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rachellelogram/32/8689_2.png) [@Rachellelogram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rachellelogram)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2012, 7:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dammit-microsoft-i-didnt-say-you-could-stop-doing-bing411/620952/5 "2012-05-05T07:30:49Z")
It’s all part of a conspiracy to convince neo-Luddites to buy smartphones. /tinfoilhat ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2012, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dammit-microsoft-i-didnt-say-you-could-stop-doing-bing411/620952/6 "2012-05-05T14:13:12Z")
I can’t use a smartphone. Besides fat fingers, I have an essential tremor that makes it too difficult to activate the keys I want to use. ---
**Author:** ![MsWhatsit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2012, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dammit-microsoft-i-didnt-say-you-could-stop-doing-bing411/620952/7 "2012-05-05T14:15:33Z")
OK, you probably know this, but just in case you don’t, you’ve tried (area code) 555-1212 and that doesn’t work from your phone? That’s what I used to use in my pre-smartphone days. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2012, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dammit-microsoft-i-didnt-say-you-could-stop-doing-bing411/620952/8 "2012-05-05T14:19:09Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > I can’t use a smartphone. Besides fat fingers, I have an essential tremor that makes it too difficult to activate the keys I want to use. I’ll give you a break on the tremors, but fat fingers are no excuse for not having a smart phone anymore. I know some very large and very tall people (with equally large fingers) that have no problem typing on and using (quickly) smart phones. The screens on these phones are pretty good at figuring out where you meant to put your finger. ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Panda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ee7513/32.png) [@Darth\_Panda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Panda)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2012, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dammit-microsoft-i-didnt-say-you-could-stop-doing-bing411/620952/9 "2012-05-05T14:29:34Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > The screens on these phones are pretty good at figuring out where you meant to put your finger. Which is more than I can say for some people. ---
**Author:** ![Glory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/7cd45c/32.png) [@Glory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Glory)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2012, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dammit-microsoft-i-didnt-say-you-could-stop-doing-bing411/620952/10 "2012-05-05T14:42:33Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > I’ll give you a break on the tremors, but fat fingers are no excuse for not having a smart phone anymore. I know some very large and very tall people (with equally large fingers) that have no problem typing on and using (quickly) smart phones. The screens on these phones are pretty good at figuring out where you meant to put your finger. With an iPhone and Siri, you can search by voice. It’s not perfect, but it works a lot of the time. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2012, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dammit-microsoft-i-didnt-say-you-could-stop-doing-bing411/620952/11 "2012-05-05T19:07:15Z")
I’m sure there are also styluses out there as well. (Or just use the tip of a pen) ---
**Author:** ![voltaire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voltaire/32/313_2.png) [@voltaire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voltaire)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2012, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dammit-microsoft-i-didnt-say-you-could-stop-doing-bing411/620952/12 "2012-05-05T19:26:43Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > I’m sure there are also styluses out there as well. (Or just use the tip of a pen) Since most smartphones use capacitive touch, you’d need a special stylus and a pen certainly wouldn’t work. ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2012, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dammit-microsoft-i-didnt-say-you-could-stop-doing-bing411/620952/13 "2012-05-05T19:28:07Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > I’m sure there are also styluses out there as well. (Or just use the tip of a pen) Don’t smartphones routinely come with a stylus that slides into the body of the phone when not in use? ---
**Author:** ![emcee2k](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7bcc69/32.png) [@emcee2k](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/emcee2k)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2012, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dammit-microsoft-i-didnt-say-you-could-stop-doing-bing411/620952/14 "2012-05-05T19:33:06Z")
> [@Steve\_MB](#): > > Don’t smartphones routinely come with a stylus that slides into the body of the phone when not in use? Only those with a resistive touch screen (such as the n900). > [@MsWhatsit](#): > > OK, you probably know this, but just in case you don’t, you’ve tried (area code) 555-1212 and that doesn’t work from your phone? That’s what I used to use in my pre-smartphone days. There’s real-world numbers that start with 555? ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2012, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dammit-microsoft-i-didnt-say-you-could-stop-doing-bing411/620952/15 "2012-05-05T19:59:30Z")
> [@emcee2k](#): > > There’s real-world numbers that start with 555? [Directory assistance](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Directory_assistance) is one of [the few that do](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/555_%28telephone_number%29#Real_uses_of_555_numbers), apparently. ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2012, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dammit-microsoft-i-didnt-say-you-could-stop-doing-bing411/620952/16 "2012-05-05T20:00:25Z")
A few, yes. ---
**Author:** ![Rachellelogram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rachellelogram/32/8689_2.png) [@Rachellelogram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rachellelogram)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2012, 6:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dammit-microsoft-i-didnt-say-you-could-stop-doing-bing411/620952/17 "2012-05-06T06:49:45Z")
I have a capacitive stylus, and it’s great. It was shipping from Hong Kong so it took a while to get here, but it was cheap for a [3 pack](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0053NBLFW/) on Amazon. ---
**Author:** ![Pitchmeister](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pitchmeister/32/3459_2.png) [@Pitchmeister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pitchmeister)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2012, 10:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dammit-microsoft-i-didnt-say-you-could-stop-doing-bing411/620952/18 "2012-05-06T10:41:02Z")
> [@rachelellogram](#): > > I have a capacitive stylus, and it’s great. It was shipping from Hong Kong so it took a while to get here, but it was cheap for a [3 pack](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0053NBLFW/) on Amazon. I believe you can also use a [hot dog](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KiZB7ZuOHt0). ---
**Author:** ![Rachellelogram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rachellelogram/32/8689_2.png) [@Rachellelogram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rachellelogram)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2012, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dammit-microsoft-i-didnt-say-you-could-stop-doing-bing411/620952/19 "2012-05-06T17:16:20Z")
> [@Pitchmeister](#): > > I believe you can also use a [hot dog](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KiZB7ZuOHt0). But the resale value! aieeee! Man, people are weird. ---
**Author:** ![Angel\_of\_the\_Lord](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/angel_of_the_lord/32/2949_2.png) [@Angel\_of\_the\_Lord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Angel_of_the_Lord)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2012, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dammit-microsoft-i-didnt-say-you-could-stop-doing-bing411/620952/20 "2012-05-07T15:39:02Z")
> [@emcee2k](#): > > There’s real-world numbers that start with 555? Oh my God, I feel old. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dammit-microsoft-i-didnt-say-you-could-stop-doing-bing411/620952.md?page=2)