The Golden State’s smartphone users were startled late Monday night and early Tuesday morning as their phones buzzed, beeped and/or flashed an Amber Alert, the very first issued by the California Highway Patrol.
The Los Angeles Times reports:
It’s all thanks to the Wireless Emergency Alert program, a cellphone version of the Emergency Alert System that gives you the high-pitched test tone on your television.
Cellphone owners receive messages automatically, based on their proximity to the emergency, not based on their phone number.
And while accused kidnapper James Lee DiMaggio and kidnap victims Hannah Anderson, 16, and Ethan Anderson, 8, are still missing, cellphone owners have found that their iPhones, Androids and BlackBerries have the potential to issue alerts for all sorts of things.
Here are the Pocho Ocho potential alerts you probably weren’t aware of:
8. The Meta Amber Alert: Another Amber Alert is coming soon, so don’t freak the hell out
7. Like A Good Neighbor Alert: George Zimmerman just joined your Neighborhood Watch
6. Stinking Badges Alert: Sheriff Joe Arpaio is rounding up a posse
5. Migra Alert: ICE is within 200 yards of your location (GPS must be turned on)
4. Blurred Lines Alert: They’re about to play that Robin Thicke song so you can turn the radio off now
3. Ex-in-the-Hood Alert: Former Significant Other approaching — look intently at your phone as though you were reading something really important as they walk by.
2. Salma Hayek Alert: UN World Heritage List-quality heaving breasts on TV, with times and channels.
And the numero uno alert on your cellphone other than amber alerts is…
Quickie Mart Alert: You have 10 minutes to run to Apu’s store to buy your $300 million-dollar lucky Powerball ticket.
Smartphone screencap via the Los Angeles Times.