If you live in a trailer park, watch lots of soap operas, use a spittoon, are unable to spell "I.Q.," or believe the United States' landing on the moon was a hoax, Sprint PCS has a multimedia cellular service for you. Sprint, in conjunction with publishing group American Media, Inc., is offering daily so-called "news" reports from The National Enquirer and The Weekly World News.
For $3.95 per month -- on selected J2ME-enabled Sprint PCS phones -- you may subscribe to multimedia news from both of those tabloid publications. I used my Treo 600 to try to find the service, but either it isn't available now or the Treo can't receive it. I know my Treo cannot receive Sprint's MobiTV TV-like feeds, unfortunately.
Here's what you'll get, according to the press release: "The National Enquirer delivers investigative news, gossip, secrets, and scandals that can't be found anywhere else. The Weekly World News, America's most unusual newspaper with its host of hilarious characters like Bat Boy and Bigfoot, gives wireless customers reporting straight out of a parallel universe."
News for Mensa members
From The Weekly World News Wireless Web site I learned about the type of exciting reports this tabloid will bring you on your phone. To wit, "Be the first to know what NASA is really doing on Mars. Meet the man who turned Saddam's spider hole into a restaurant and find out if your boss fits the profile of a serial killer!"
For the fun of it I called a PR contact from America Media. He said there would be about seven or eight new stories a day.
Personally, I don't want to be on the same planet with people who read these publications. But that doesn't mean the Sprint service might not be wildly successful. And, it might be fun to subscribe to.
But if you see anyone who actually believes this information, I suggest you walk away...slowly.
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