88.5 KPLU is part of the beta launch for two new NPR mobile services – NPR Mobile Voice and NPR Mobile Web – enabling listeners to access content from KPLU and NPR via mobile handheld devices which are becoming so widely adopted. The pilot launch was initiated in August of 2007, and includes 10 public radio stations.
NPR Mobile Voice:
This service allows users to access KPLU local and NPR national news via any mobile device that can make phone calls, including cell and land line phones, simply by dialing KPLU’s mobile voice number at (206) 438-3990. Users can hear the NPR Story of the Day, play the “Wait Wait…Don’t Tell me!” Daily News Quiz, and find other NPR stations while traveling.
NPR Mobile Web:
Users can access NPR news and features by pointing their phone’s or PDA’s mobile web browser to KPLU’s mobile web address. Topic navigation links take listeners to pages that pull together related stories from a wide variety of NPR content.
Both services are free of charge to users, however, they may still incur usage charges depending on their carriers’ monthly voice/calling/data plans.
With NPR Mobile Voice, pressing the # button allows the user to donate directly to KPLU by keying in their credit card number. If listeners are using the NPR Mobile Web service, they can access a link to KPLU’s pledge page at www.kplu.org.
The nine other pilot launch stations are: KUT (Austin), WUNC (Chapel Hill), WFAE (Charlotte), KPCC (Los Angeles), Oregon Public Broadcasting (Portland), Capital Public Radio (Sacramento), KPBS (San Diego), KQED (San Francisco), and WAMU (Washington, D.C.). NPR will expand the number of stations participating after making sure the services are working reliably and offering a good user experience.
More information on the NPR Mobile services pilot launch is available at http://www.kplu.org/mobilewebandvoice.html.
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