Text Engine
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Internet services, Search engine |
| Founded | May 9, 2013 |
| Founder | Eric Bryant, Shari Sloane |
| Defunct | October 2018 |
| Headquarters | Bedminster , United States |
Area served | Worldwide |
| Products | Browser-less web search via text messages, human operator assistance |
Text Engine functioned as a search engine accessible through text messages, eliminating the need for a browser and allowing users to retrieve essential internet information without requiring Wi-Fi or a data connection. The platform integrated automated query processing with live human assistance to boost the precision of responses. Established in 2013 by Eric Bryant and Shari Sloane in Bedminster, New Jersey, the company catered to a worldwide audience until it ceased operations in the United States in October 2018.
History
The initial alpha release of Text Engine debuted on May 9, 2013, originally under the name “Google SMS Search,” following Google's termination of a comparable service. During this alpha phase, users could perform up to 15 free searches monthly before a $4 fee was applied for additional queries.
By June 2013, the beta iteration emerged as “smir.ch,” featuring improved search commands alongside new functionalities such as news updates and simplified weather inquiries.
In March 2015, the service rebranded as “Text Engine,” transitioning to a free model and broadening its scope to include news, definitions, Wikipedia content, business directories, driving directions, and flight information. It gained acclaim for delivering internet access to underserved and rural populations lacking smartphones.
In June 2015, technology publication MakeUseOf recognized Text Engine as an ambitious effort to revive Google’s SMS search concept, highlighting its advantage of requiring no applications, browsers, or internet connectivity—making it particularly suitable for users with feature phones.
The company aimed to bridge offline communities worldwide by simulating smartphone-like internet access through text messaging. Its user demographic spanned nations such as Botswana, Uganda, Namibia, Nigeria, the Philippines, Australia, Mongolia, and Pakistan. August 2015 marked the start of licensing its software to developers in emerging economies; for instance, Brooklyn-based Almat Group utilized the codebase to create a localized version for Nigeria.
In 2015, Text Engine earned recognition as a “Tech Company to Watch” from the Connecticut Technology Council and was selected for the reSET Impact Accelerator’s 2016 program alongside 21 other startups.
By early 2016, it attracted substantial funding from Backstage Capital, a venture capital firm based in Los Angeles; however, specific financial terms were not publicly disclosed.
Cisco acquired Text Engine in 2018 but terminated the service due to insufficient revenue generation. The US operations were discontinued in October 2018. The potential for other developers to access or utilize Text Engine’s codebase going forward remains unclear.
Browser-less web search
Text Engine provided a search solution that did not require a web browser by translating online content into text messages. This allowed users to retrieve information such as weather updates, news headlines, business listings, flight statuses, and more on demand—without direct internet connectivity.
Human Operators
In addition to automated search capabilities, Text Engine employed human operators who assisted users with requests and questions, thereby improving customer support and overall service quality.