Current Events: Anytime, Anywhere Via Cell (No Mobile Internet Required)

There are some great FREE resources online that couple with cell phones to allow people to keep up with current events and happenings. While the lucky ones who have purchased mobile Internet can use their mobile browsers to connect with web-based resources, many cannot afford that luxury. As a result there are some great alternatives. Below I highlight a few of them:

Rocketron
Phone Call
Just call 1-408-907-2323 (no online sign up necessary) and you can hear news feeds from many different sources.



Udefn
SMS Text Message
Udefn is a text messaging service where you can sign up for different bots. One of which is an RSS feed for the webpage(s) of your choice. You can text a keyword (that you create) to get information from the RSS feed(s).



Dial2do
Phone Call
Dial2do has many great features. One of them (Make Your Own Command) allows anyone to call in to their number (you need to sign up for an account first) and you can listen to any RSS news feed.



Lexy
Phone Call
Lexy is on-demand radio. You can call in to Lexy (no sign up required) 415-692-4933 and select which radio show you would like to listen to. You can also sign up and create a play list that you can hear when you call in to Lexy. Some of the news resources include NPR, NOVA (PBS), Local News, Foreign Language Programs, Front Page from the New York Times, and 60 Second Science.


Alerts.com
SMS Text Message
Anyone can create an account at Alerts.com and set up news alerts to be sent to their mobile phone. You will automatically receive alerts as news occurs.



These are all a few of the wonderful resources for students to use anytime, anywhere, anyplace to keep up with current events in all the content areas. Depending on their mobile plans they can select to use text messaging or calling minutes to stay up to date on the latest content-specific current events. Students no longer need to read a newspaper, or watch the evening news to know what is happening in the world.

"NPR" Anytime, Anywhere, Anyplace, Any pace! Listen to Radio Broadcasts on any Cell Phone.

Lately I have come across a few different websites where you can listen to your favorite radio shows for free on your cell phone. You dial in a number (for example you can call Lexy radio at 415-692-4933), where you can select from a menu of shows OR you can create a "playlist" online or by phone and listen to your favorites at anytime. Additionally, many of these sites (such as http://cellecast.com or http://foneshow.com) allow you to stop listening, hang up, and when you dial in again you can resume listening to your show at the place where you stopped! Nice.

I think listening to radio shows at anytime, from anywhere (waiting at the DMV or in the doctor's office...), at any pace (stop and start on the go) works well for the 21st Century student. Teachers can have their students create playlists of NPR, CNN, or other news-worthy shows.

One additional feature that many of these sites has is the ability to send segments of a particular show or Cellecast calls them "cell grams" to anyone else on their phone (recipients do not need to be registered with the service to do this). Teachers could send students segments to listen to as homework, or they could ask students to send them segments as a homework assignment. For example, teachers could ask students to find a broadcast that debates a historical issue or event. While waiting in line at the bus stop, students could listen to radio shows that focus on history using Cellecast, Foneshow, or Lexy and send the segment via phone to their teacher. The best part is that you do not have to register with Cellecast or Lexy in order to listen to the programs.