My first encounter with Magic Touch was “less than pleasant.”

After encountering numerous bugs on version 1.0 (most which crashed the app), I contacted the developers at iMapl to see if I could demo test of their updated version (Magic Touch 1.1), which will be available on the app store (pending Apple’s approval).

While I did expect the iMapl to (at the minimum) fix the numerous bugs plaguing the app, I did not expect it to surpass most of the photo apps on Apple’s app store (especially against their main rivals, one which will be highlighted in this review). read more

One of the reasons I love VoIP technology is the fact that it allows bloggers to interact with readers, companies and (if you are lucky) conduct phone interviews–without using up any of your minuets.

Although there are many VoIP services out there, the one that I have come to love the most is GrandCentral (a VoIP service owned by Google), as it allows you to embed a button on your blog, giving your readers (and potential advertisers) an extra option to contact you directly without revealing your mobile number (or even theirs, which is great for anonymous tips).

Despite the fact that Google has not (yet) created an iPhone app for GrandCentral, a third party company called GGT Enterprises has developed a free iPhone app called GrandDialer which basically gives iPhone users “unlimited” calling (regardless of their plan)–as long as they live in the US of A (more on that below).

Since GrandDialer (through GrandCentral) may not appeal to many international readers, I have included a brief overview of another iPhone app called Fring below. read more

I think I have just seen the future of iBlogging–and behold it looks glorious.

Called LiveJournal.app, this iPhone app was created mostly by Igrick (with some design help from Damper and Igor-Safonov) of CosySoftware, (note: link is not working as of this post) who comes from the frozen nation of Russia.

Although this app is specifically limited to LiveJournal, CosySoftware’s ingenius approach to blogging on the iPhone may force every other iBlogging app to copy their features (whether they choose to connect to LiveJournal or not). read more

Unless you desire to have your blog looking like a fail whale, you have to find ways to schedule blogging into your life.

Google Calendar has been an asset for me (as far as scheduling goes), but unless I received a strong signal for my iPhone, the Google Calendar web app was entirely useless (at least on AT&T).

Fortunately I discovered an iPhone app called SaiSuke (from Say Software) which allowes me to sync to Google Calendar (both ways) over the air without touching Outlook or iTunes.

Since this iPhone app is rather pricy (at around $10), you may want to check out the review below to decide if this app is worth skipping lunch at a restuarant (and just brown bagging it for a day). read more

Among the dozen plus iPhone RSS apps out there, Byline (an iPhone app developed by Phantom Fish) separates itself from the pack in two ways: its steep price (at $10) and its ability to flawlessly sync with Google Reader.

(Update: Milo of Phantom Fish contacted me with some good news regarding the price. See the bottom of the post for details.)

While version 1.0 left me underwhelmed (and $10 poorer), Byline 2.0 (which is currently awaiting Apple’s approval) pretty much destroyed every reason for me to even keep the Google Reader web app on my home screen–or even consider defecting towards the competition. read more

Some may call you blessed. Others may mock you as foolish.

Either way you are one of the many bloggers who selected the iPhone as your mobile device of choice.

While you may be aware of the fact that you can blog from your iPhone, you may not realize that there are many other apps out there that can enhance your mobile blogging. read more

WordCamps are everywhere! WordPress 2.7 preview of the Administration Panels and interface wireframes released but not final. Theme changes in WordPress 2.7 will improve comments by design and code. Automattic buys Intense Debate for the comment power. WordPressMU updated. WordPress.com stats out. And more WordPress and WordCamp news and events.

WordPress News

WordPress 2.7 Wireframes: Jane Wells revealed the WordPress 2.7 Wireframes, the graphic draft versions being tested for the development of the new WordPress 2.7 and future version Administration Panels and interface. A work-in-process, the PDF files are going around the web and serve as guides not final versions of the interface. These are constantly in fluctuation as testing and updates are ongoing.

WordPress Theme Changes in WordPress 2.7 Comments: Otto of Ottodestruct covers the changes in WordPress 2.7 comments that may impact some WordPress Themes. While older WordPress Themes will continue to work but WordPress 2.7 includes some new features WordPress Theme designers need to know. They include creating a WordPress 2.7 compatible comments.php template file, changes in the comments loop, password protection checks, AJAX, and style changes. Some of the improvements and features explained are subject to change as WordPress 2.7 nears release.
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While some iPhone blogging apps target a certain blog platforms or even all of them (with varying results), iBlogger, an iPhone app designed by illumineX has introduced some really cool features that I found to be missing from even the official blogging apps such as WordPress and TypePad.

Even though Xanga, SquareSpace and Drupal fans will probably be excited that there is an iPhone app that can (finally) connect to their respective platforms, users of the traditional platforms (Blogger, TypePad, WordPress) may wonder why they should spend 999 pennies on an app when there other (cheaper) alternatives around.

So if you are sitting on the fence, wondering if losing $10 is worth the joy of another iPhone app, this review below is for you. read more

Well over 100,000 iPhone users have downloaded the official WordPress for iPhone application, according to the WordPress for iPhone blog, and based on figures Automattic has received from Apple.

The vast majority (nearly three in every five downloads) come from the US, with one in five downloads from Europe, 8% from the UK, and the rest from Canada, Japan, Australia, and other countries.

What the numbers can’t tell is how many people are actively using the software. That’s a feature which should be available to developers in a future release of the iPhone firmware, according to Steve Jobs’ keynote speech earlier in the year.

It’s also impossible to tell exactly how many times other applications have been downloaded, as Apple doesn’t divulge that information except to individual developers.

As an iPhone user, I haven’t done any serious blogging using the handset, though it’s great for some housekeeping tasks such as moderating and responding to comments, editing typos, and such like. However, 100,000 people obviously thought they’d give it a go, which must be encouraging for Automattic.

According to the blog post, version 1.2 of the WordPress for iPhone application will include landscape mode, comment moderation, enhanced image options, and other tweaks. It should be available in the next few weeks.

100,000 and Counting (via Sitepoint)

If there was one company determined to dominate the mobile blogosphere, it would have to be ShoZu. Connecting with almost 350 different mobile devices, ShoZu is enabling bloggers (regardless of their phone type) to post from their phone (and away from their computer).

But what sets ShoZu apart is not how many mobile platforms one can blog from, but rather how many blog platforms one can blog to.

ShoZu connects to not only the traditional platforms (such as Blogger, TypePad, WordPress, LiveJournal, and Windows Live Spaces) but also the unfamiliar (like Netlog, freewebs, Multiply and even Six Apart’s Vox.com).

While ShoZu has always had an iPhone app for users to test out since the birth of the app store, I decided to give it a second look after hearing about the numerous improvements regarding this iPhone app (with most of them being positive). read more