January
27th
2011WordPress Blogging on the iPad: A Stress-free Guide

All I wanted to do was write a blog entry on my WordPress-based blog. However, the web interface doesn’t work on the iPad version of Safari very well, and the Flash functions are nonexistent. “How do I blog on the iPad?” I wondered. I wanted to be able to add an image to my post and place it wherever I wanted. I wanted to be able to put my blog URI in the corner of the image prior to uploading. I wanted to be able to do this from the comfort of my bed using the iPad, without sending images or text to my PC.

I think I’ve got my process down pat. Here are the tools that I’ve been using on the iPad (and please feel free to comment with your own suggestions, because we all would like to have the best blogging experience!):

The Blogging Platform

I recommend using BlogPress, which is available on the AppStore for $2.99. I normally try to use free applications, but this app surpasses the others. It’s definitely more stable than the official WordPress application. (However, definitely save local drafts from time-to-time with longer posts, just in case!) You can manage more than one blog at a time, as well as post to blogging services other than WordPress.

A Minor Pitfall: This application’s HTML button outputs deprecated code. The “b” tag should be a “strong” tag, and the “i” tag should be an “em” tag. However, if you are using the shortcut button for typing these easy and short codes, you probably aren’t worried about deprecated code, so oh well, it doesn’t really matter. Typing your raw HTML works just fine.

A Bug: I discovered a bug related to the use of ampersand. If you are trying to display code on your blog entry and you type ” & l t ; ” (without the spaces) to display a less-than symbol, the application will consistently crash and you will lose your blog entry. This bug probably would not affect the average blog user, but it’s good to know about these things until the bug is fixed. I wanted to display the “b” and “i” codes as text above, but it was crashing the app every time.

Image Handling: This application handles images fairly well. You can change the size of the thumbnails and where they link to. You can upload the images directly to your WordPress folder or to another image website. However, even if you upload to your WordPress uploads, you cannot choose to use the featured image thumbnail function of WordPress, which many thememakers incorporate into their themes. I was originally planning to use this function to make a custom category page showing a thumbnail preview of each post, but for now, it seems impossible. Another problem is that the images are not uploaded in multiple size versions like in the Flash uploader built into the web version of WordPress. The full size image is merely sized down in the HTML code, which could potentially result in more bandwidth use.

Photo Resizing, Cropping, and Other Manipulations

Not all images are ready to be uploaded as is onto your blog. You may have screenshots that you don’t want to display in their entirety, or other problems. I have fallen in love with PhotoPad by ZAGG. The app can be used to make their ZAGGMate iPad covers, but their photo suite is actually pretty powerful! I use this application a lot, especially for rotating images since the default photo application by Apple doesn’t seem to include this basic function. When you are finished making your adjustment, be sure to press the checkmark to confirm the change, then save the image. The image will be saved as a copy so your original will never be tampered with.

Watermarking Images

When posting my own artwork or photography, I like to add a small watermark to the corner so if anyone saves the image, they might be able to find me again from the URI. I couldn’t find a suite that had a text function built into it that I liked, but I found an independent application that was purely for adding text. This application is called Impression. I’m currently using the free version, but I’ll probably be upgrading to the paid version soon. The free version allows you to position resizable text anywhere on an image, and it also lets you change the opacity so you can create a true watermark. The paid version allows you to change the text colour, while the free version only lets you use white text. I think that’s a pretty fair demo, and I like what I see.

iPad Accessories

While the built-in on-screen keyboard is pretty good, and I’m pretty fast at typing on it, I still prefer the feel of an actual keyboard when I’m blogging, especially on long posts like this one. I dislike switching to different keyboard panes to use symbols. I use the Apple Bluetooth keyboard. I also bought the Apple dock so that I can prop the iPad up when I’m using the keyboard, but I rarely use it because the surfaces that I’m using it on do not allow the tiny dock to balance very well. The break room’s table at work is also made of rough wicker, and does not do well with the dock. (This wasn’t an issue I thought of when I bought it.)

I use my iPad’s case to prop up my iPad in an upside-down V shape. I’m currently using an InCase portfolio style case, which is lightweight but sturdy, and holds up fairly decently even on a soft surface like bedding.

I’m dreaming of the Clamcase, however, which is a case and keyboard in one. Unfortunately, while it’s shipping out to American addresses now, Canadians are out of luck until next year. Many people argue that if you are buying this case, why not just buy a netbook? When I purchased my iPad, I actually was in the market for a netbook, but I was tired of the long startup times of a Windows laptop. I wanted the instant-on functionality of the iPad, plus the innovation of the many wonderful app creators. I like to write short stories, and of course, I also love to blog. Having a dedicated keyboard is important to me with all of these words passing under my fingers. The Clamcase is not for everyone, but for people who blog or write, this could be a winning combination with the iPad.

Conclusion

Other than the odd hiccup, my experience blogging on the iPad has been a great experience. I hope that it will become a great one for you too! Readers, if you find any tools which will complement this list, be sure to share in the comments!