Yahoo on Thursday rolled out a mobile search service that lets U.S. users send text messages via SMS to Yahoo Search and receive search results on mobile phones, matching a service already offered by rival Google, reports Reuters.

Yahoo's new SMS Search provides specific information, such such as weather, stock quotes and store addresses, and uses keypad shortcuts - for example, typing in "w" and a ZIP code will retrieve a weather forecast - according to CNET. Users can save the responses and can receive an update each time they reply to them.

Yahoo is also expanding its web search on mobile phones, previously available only on advanced phones, electricnews.net reports. Now, a full web search is available on nearly all Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) phone - that is, most mobile phones with a color screen.

Yahoo has partnerships with Cingular, Sprint and Verizon for SMS-based search - and Cingular, Sprint and T-Mobile for browser-based web search.

Yahoo's move comes as search firms want to boost business by providing mobile services to users who are away from their PCs. Yahoo and Google are in a race to offer localized content and search on handheld devices.

As usual, Search Engine Watch provides the details of how to use the new search services.