A recent BlackBerry PlayBook review has highlighted the latest PlayBook 2.0 OS update, which allows a degree of cross-platform compatibility with the device. In short, this means PlayBook owners will have access to a greater range of apps than before, a fact which is bound to please users. One of the most significant additions to the PlayBook app library is WordPress, which has been ported from Android by the team at Automattic.
WordPress is undoubtedly one of the most popular blogging platforms in the world today, with both amateur and professional bloggers opting to use it. And in the modern era, where everything is done on the move, including blogging, a BlackBerry version is more welcome than ever. But how well does WordPress translate to the PlayBook format?
BlackBerry PlayBook reviews have made much of the tablet’s 7-inch screen size, and this was taken into consideration when porting the app, as Danilo Ercoli of Automattic has stated: “The 7? screen on the PlayBook makes an excellent home for the all-new Dashboard UI, giving you quick access to everything in your WordPress install”.
The Dashboard feature mentioned by Ercoli is both clear and easy to use. The options are laid out in an attractive tile format, which allow users to write a new post, upload media content such as photos and videos, and manage existing posts and comments. It’s pretty comprehensive, and allows you to do pretty much everything you can do on the desktop version. The best thing about the Dashboard is that it can be accessed at any time, as you can just push a button on the top right of the screen and instantly be taken back to it. It’s a small design feature, but one that makes a big difference in terms of ease of use.
If you’re on public transport, or even just out and about, the chances of your finger slipping and accidentally deleting an entire post is increased, and there’s nothing worse than having to create your blog again from memory. That’s why this version of WordPress includes an autosave function, which automatically stores any changes to your blog once every minute. It’s a very nice safety net to have, and contributes to the overall user experience of the app.
There are a couple of other nice touches in the presentation, too, such as the ability to write posts both in portrait and landscape format, according to your preference. Berryreview.com, in their review, has drawn attention to the fact that the delete button has also been moved to a place on the screen which is less intrusive and therefore less likely to lead to accidental erasing of posts. It’s this sort of thing which demonstrates the attention to detail and care for the user experience which Automattic have obviously taken when porting WordPress to the new platform.
Overall, WordPress for BlackBerry is an excellent app for blogging on the go. As of right now, all you need to do to get it is download the PlayBook Android App Player, from where you will be able to access WordPress. Pcmag.com has highlighted the fact that you will need to update to the latest version of BlackBerry OS in order to be able to access the Android App Player.
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