Mobile Blogging: Not Just for Homebodies Anymore
Blogging is gaining in popularity by leaps and bounds. Fortunately, bloggers are no longer tied to a desktop computer or a laptop. Virtually any mobile device-Blackberry, iPhone and even cell phones-can effectively blog from anywhere there’s an Internet connection, so long as the blogger has the right software on the device and uses the right blogging platform.
Blogging Platforms
Platforms are the software blog providers present for individuals or businesses to create and maintain blogs. Content management systems (CMS), the official name for platforms, allow posting, media transfer, photo uploads and basic maintenance, and the two most common Blogger and WordPress allow blogging from cell phones, iPhones, Internet tablets, and similar devices.
- Blogger.com allows blog posts directly from the user’s blog site or by email with the option of posting live or storing in drafts. Email posts can include photographs which are transmitted to the blog via an email attachment, making the accompaniment a combined process. This also maximizes convenience.
Blogger.com also has a mobile-specific blog platform that is independent of the website-based blog a user might have. However, the user does have the option to blend the mobile blog onto the standard blog format; the melding must be done prior to any posts on the mobile blog, however; otherwise, the existing mobile entries will not transfer and will forever remain separate.
- WordPress.com allows all the above and a mobile interface that provides a full array of the basic blogging commands and control. Advanced options aren’t available via mobile blogging, but photo upload and email posting are provided with minimal fuss.
Top Blogging App
Among the top applications receiving favorable reviews is BloggerPlus made for the iPhone. Easy photo upload and user-intuitive commands make this affordable app increasingly popular. Two disadvantages to BloggerPlus is that it will not allow photo resizing, currently scheduled for update download, and editing of posts made prior to loading the app on the smartphone. Those posts published afterwards are within the user’s full control, however.
BloggerPlus is fully compatible with Blogger, WordPress, Drupal, Tistory.com, and virtually any other blogging platform popular today. The app is compatible with iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad.
For WordPress fans, never fear-BloggerPlus is adaptable to this CMS, too.
The WordPress app is also available for Android and allows posting editing, checking stats, uploading photos, and moderating comments. One advantage Android users find with the WordPress app for Android is the instant notification they receive when a comment is posted to their blog. That’s real time feedback!
New updates to the Android app include the Android QuickPress Shortcuts feature. Improvements include several bugs fixed as a direct result from user feedback and an additional feature that almost qualifies as a ‘/facepalm’ action: “Set Post Status”-one developers admitted was long overdue.
Summary
Regardless of the type of mobile device preferred, blogging on the move is not only readily available and oft used, the applications compatible with almost any cell phone, smartphone, or Blackberry device allow any blogger almost instant access to the their blog and more often than not, allows adaptability in posting method, editing, and data or photo uploading with little or no hassle. Step up, step out, and start blogging!
About the Author
JC Ryan is a freelance writer for MyCollegesandCareers.com. My Colleges and Careers helps people determine if online universities are right for them and helps them understand which online colleges and online courses they can choose from to reach their goals.