For so many web surfers, it"s almost automatic to type Google.com in to our address bar when we want to search. So big and well-known is Google that many browsers have a built-in search box or typed shortcut for Google searches. In fact, we tend to associate Google with search so much now that the word itself is commonly used as a verb, as in "let me Google that". It"s much the same as Band-Aid, Kleenex, and Xerox, where the brand name is so pervasive that it"s very often substituted for the generic function of the item the brand is applied to. We"re used to searching from home, where we"ve had Internet access for years now. But Google Wireless search is also available for use from Internet-ready cell phones and some wireless PDA devices such as PalmOne and Palm VII.

To search from Google Wireless, you will need access to the Internet through your wireless device. This can usually be arranged through your cellular carrier if you don"t already have it. You can search the "mobile web", which is a collection of web pages that have been designed specifically for wireless devices. With Google Wireless search, you can also search all of Google, and the search results will be translated into a type of display language that your mobile device can interpret.

On a cell phone, searches are performed using the keypad on the phone and GNS, or Google Number Search. This is a form of search input that Google has developed to help make your wireless searches easier and faster. On PDAs, you can use the built-in keyboard or touch-screen keyboard. For the Palm VII, you will need to download special software to access Google Wireless search.