Using your Tablet PC or cellphone 4INFO

Thanks to wireless technology, it’s now as close as punching in 44636 on your cellphone or Internet-connected Tablet PC. Send that number via SMS – Short Message Service – and you can get sports scores, stats, weather info, stock reports even a list of movies and showtimes playing near you.Best of all, it’s free.For example: You’re having dinner with friends and decide it would be fun to continue the night by going to a movie. Whip out your cellphone or Tablet PC, open up your text messaging SMS application, address it to 44636 and, in the message body, just type the letter m, followed by a space and then your zipcode.Hit send and, in about a minute or so, back will come a text message listing theatres, movies and showtimes.How cool is that? Makes carrying a Tablet PC around worth it, doesn’t it?The service is a boon to sportsfans. Use your mobile phone and type in the information you want and a synopsis of the latest tournament action is texted back to your tablet or cellphone screen.You can get results by team or conference, or even have a message sent giving you the scores of specific games at the end of each quarter.There is no charge for the service from 4INFO, though wireless providers may charge for such messages, depending on the service package you have and whether data calls are bundled.If you register at the 4INFO Web site (www.4info.net), you can customize specific information needs and have them automatically sent to your phone.You’re asked to pick your wireless provider, note your phone model and then give your phone number with an e-mail address and a password. The service than sends a confirmation code to your phone. Enter that number in the set-up box and you’re registered.You can then choose from a list of topics you’re interested in getting alerts about - sports, weather, stocks and the like. You can even customize the data by team or game.A list of commands and an easy tutorial on what to type for specific information requests is available on the Web site.The 4INFO service is one of several that link the Internet with its ability to provide specific information on demand to mobile phones or Net-enabled Tablet PC computers. With most cell phones sold today capable of exchanging data as well as voice services, wireless providers like Sprint, Cingular and Verizon are finding big income streams in offering non-voice features through information brokers like 4INFO.That’s because the wireless providers usually charge extra for data, typically 10-cents per message. Most offer discounts when purchased in bundles, starting around $10 a month above the normal phone rates for 500 messages.A study by the M:Metrics research and marketing firm reported that 61 million Americans have used text messaging. The BBDO Worldwide advertising agency says a 2005 study it did with 3,000 U.S. cell phone users found 44 percent reported using the cell phone to flirt.Text messages use something called SMS for Short Message Service that is available on most cellphones sold today. With an Internet connection, you can use the Tablet PC to do the same thing. Most text messages are limited to about 150 characters or less, as set by your wireless provider.The 4INFO service (www.4info.net) is not the online text messaging service that will provide free information on demand to cellphones and Tablet PC computers.Both Google (text message 46645 or go to www.google.com/sms) and Yahoo! (text message 92466 or visit mobile.yahoo.com/search/smsdemo) offer online demos and lists of commands to send via text messaging to get local weather, movie, weather and driving information sent back to your cellphone. Both are free.Ask Me Now (www.askmenow) is a service that works a little differently. You register online and can then use voice service on your cellphone to call 888- 392-7563. Instead of typing text, you speak your question about just about anything and an answer will be sent back to your phone in a minute or so. For each answer there’s a 49-cent fee charged to your cell phone bill.