Moblogging on WP
Sometimes you have to try the new gadget (or in this case plugin), and hang the cost. Vodafone charge me per megabyte, and the last time I used the service extensively (while I was working on a Google Analytics Report for a client in Bogota), I had a pretty big bill for pretty well not much. This time I decided to log in, type in a few words and finish off on the Mac at home. Cowardly I know, but I have got sore thumbs from shinty and lack of texting practice, as well as an aversion to needless expense. Add to that that I have to drive 3 miles to get GPRS connectivity to do anything with my mobile phone and you can see alot of commitment and thought went into making this test. Indeed, the sheep at the back of PK’s home paddock were certainly quite perplexed to see a lanky Englishman striding about their field holding up his mobile phone saying “I need two bars damn you!” I was also curious, because on the advent of the iPhone and wireless browsing using Safari, it had occurred to me that the possiblities a plug-in like this were limitless and very exciting (not least because it might mean junking that brick we wittily refer to as a laptop).
So to business, the plugin is called Wphone, and has been produced by a forward-thinking bunch of coders primarily for the iPhone (released in the UK on 9th November) — as they say in their strap line, they’re putting the power of WordPress in your hand. Well they do, but in my case I had a Sony Ericsson in my hand with a small screen and one of those tiddly widgets that imitates a mouse. Logging in was slow, if not painful in the glare of the weak highland sun, but getting to the ‘post’ page was straightforward. No complaints. In fact given that this was designed with Apple’s gadgets in mind I was surprised at the ease of use and lack of superfluous graphical gimcrackery.
But this is to jump in where jumping in with a WP installation that isn’t ‘Dexter‘ is foolhardy. The plugin won’t play with anything less than 2.3, and actually we’re happy with that as well, not least because it forced us up from 2.2 and, well, while love is a strong word, 2.3 and Arbu are happy together (note the new theme!). So, aside from the time consumed with the upgrade, installation was simple.
Use of the admin interface is straight-forward with a series of vertical menus allowing you to make new posts, new pages, deal with comments, categories and your own profile. However what it doesn’t have (yet) is any media capability, nor does it have any interaction with the other administration functions: things like plugins, options or users. Of course this will be in the road map and we’ll get it soon enough, but it is necessary. For example uploading those pics of the conference you are at so that the world can see the latest product release from Apple as it happens on your blog with no need for wireless connectivity or laptop — Gizmodo eat your heart out …
