Gets news on the go
The Odessa American and oavarsity.com have launched two respective mobile applications onto iPhone, Android, Blackberry and Windows smartphones, with availability on Palm webOS coming soon.
The Odessa American news app is available as a free download by texting OAAPP to 56654 or by visiting oaoa.com/mobile. The OAVarsity app is available by texting OAVARAPP to 56654, by visiting oavarsity.com/mobile or by visiting your smartphone app store.
The news apps provide instant access to the latest news, events and information affecting the West Texas region. The OAVarsity high school sports app provides news about all of the local high school teams in and around Odessa and is useful for checking up-to-the-minute game scores and live feeds as the games are happening.
The apps include the following tabs: Top News, My News (allowing users to customize news by specific sections or blogs), Video, Latest and More (to access settings, provide feedback on the app, access other apps or saved articles, and view account information). The apps also include share options, such as sending to Facebook, Twitter or e-mail.
The mobile apps are part of a larger rollout and digital strategy by Freedom Communications Inc. to deliver local news and information instantly across multiple platforms, said Mark McEachen, EVP and COO at Freedom Communications.
"Mobile has become one of the main ways to access and share information, and this app helps fill a void for locally focused news and information through mobile devices," said Pat Canty, publisher of the Odessa American. "The Odessa American mobile app delivers a very local and personalized experience, and the OAVarsity app will be appealing to folks who want to follow what competing teams in the region are doing through their smartphones — perhaps even while they attend another game."
