It looks like Tumblr has had its fill of the oil fiasco that has now turned the bluish green gulf of Mexico into a red and black dead zone that is threatening wildlife (as the image above shows).

In order to encourage users to help fund efforts to protect what’s left of the gulf ecosystem, Tumblr has changed everyone’s dashboard background to a “heart-of-BP-executive black” unless they choose to donate $5 to a specific charity. read more

Today we’re introducing a new like and reblog feature enabled across the whole of WordPress.com. [...]

If you decide that you want to share the post with your own readers, you can click the “Reblog this post” link and you’ll be taken to the new QuickPress tab on the WordPress.com home page. This will auto-fill a snippet of the post text, a link back to the original post, and a link to the blog. If the post includes any images we’ll also automatically add a thumbnail image to the reblog post. Finally you can add your own comments to the reblog post then select which blog you’d like to post it to (if you have more than one). (Official WordPress Blog) read more

Sometimes viewed as the half-breed of blogging platforms, Tumblr is probably considered by most blogging experts as a cross between micro blogging and a full featured service (like Blogger, WordPress, etc.).

Despite the odd spelling and a semi decent commenting feature, Tumblr has somehow surpassed Typepad globally (at least according to Quantcast and Google Trends, the latter pictured to the right), which may explain why Typepad launched their own micro blogging service last year.

Tumblr still trails Typepad in the US according to Compete.com , although it may only be a matter of time before Tumblr displaces Typepad as the preferred blogging platform in America as well. read more

After announcing the launch of Tumblr for Blackberry almost a month ago, it looks as if the boys and girls at RIM have finally listed Tumblr upon Blackberry App World.

We’re proud to announce that Tumblr BlackBerry App has been approved on BlackBerry App World, so fire up your BlackBerry and get to downloading. Future updates will be delivered through App World so that you’re alerted when the new stuff drops. This version also fixes a few pesky bugs with character encoding. (Tumblr Staff)

The Blackberry Tumblr app is nearly identical to its iPhone sibling, both which were built by Moblux (who originally created Tumblrette for the iPhone, before being anointed by the Tumblr team to make an official app).

Tumblr has not yet revealed whether they will consider creating an app for Android and Nokia fans, as well as an official iPad app for bloggers (who may appreciate the wider screen space).

Being listed upon Blackberry App world should help Tumblr compete against WordPress (who also has a Blackberry app), as well as Blogger and Squarespace (the latter two whose presence is sorely lacking upon the Blackberry App world).

Tumblr, the hot, New York based, free blogging platform on crack which was founded in 2007 by David Karp, and has long been mocked for having no business strategy at all, actually has a ‘business plan’.

A business plan other than being the nicest platform, hosting the hippest bloggers and designers, and offering most features of all freely available blog platforms. To be honest with you I might have forgotten to check the total validity of the ‘most features’ statement, but if tumblr doesn’t offer most features, at least the team has the nicest features page of all platforms. That’s a valid argument, right?

Times have changed and since today you will not be able, or allowed even, anymore to mock tumblr as the perfect poster boy of the ‘Bubble in Tech’ and our throw-away consumerist behaviour, because… wait for it… yes, Tumblr does actually have a business plan. Of course I use the term ‘business plan’ loosely here and it might be more appropriate to call it ‘something which should at least bring money in the account and finance the next free bar Tumblr SXSWi party‘. read more

As a new user of the free blog platform Tumblr, I can honestly say that the service is quickly winning me over.

One of my favorite features is the ease in which multi-media elements such as audio and video can be added. As a guy who has been podcasting since 2005, I have a special place in my heart for audio content.

But the numbers don’t lie: text content is king. read more

With the announcement of the new Pico microblogging theme Six Apart now also stepped in to the microblogging game and wants its part of the pie. They also announced new features to simplify microblogging on the TypePad platform:

• “Post from anywhere” capabilities with email, iPhone, and TypePad bookmarklet
• New simple, professionally-designed, stylish themes
• “Post once, publish everywhere” with built-in support for Facebook, Twitter, and Friendfeed
• Control of your own advertising, your domain, and your personal brand
• All backed with support and training from TypePad One

These features might be new for Typepad users, I personally fail to see where they are new. Other than having ‘built-in plugins’ for the technically challenged people. Everything else, and much more, can be obtained freely via Tumblr and/or WordPress. For the minimum $4.95/month TypePad charges, I can host my blog on my own domain and have much more freedom.

Today, micro- or ADHD- blog service, Tumblr founder David Karp published very promising statistics for the free platform. According to Karp’s announcement Tumblr had more than 50 million visitors in July, 255 million impressions and averaged 650.000 post per day.
Numbers are disputed by Techcrunch and Quantcast ranks the service at 13 million visitors for July. Tumblr averaged 5000 new members daily in July. read more

If you’re looking to set up a new blog or revamp an old one, you’re probably looking at the standard platforms, WordPress, Blogger, MovableType, etc.

However, depending on the type of site you wish to set up, you may want to give Tumblr a second look. Though Tumblr isn’t right for every blog, for certain kinds of sites, it can be a very powerful time-saver and traffic-builder.

So even though it is easy to discard Tumblr as “just a microblogging service”, it’s important to not dismiss it so quickly. Underneath the veneer of microblogging service lies a powerful blogging platform that is more than adequate for some of the many popular blogs, including Keyboard Cat and Gary: Landlord of the Flies.

But is it right for your blog? That’s a question only you can answer but here might be some good signs to consider. read more

As we explore our blogs and clean out the clutter in this ongoing series on WTF Blog Design Clutter, we’ve looked at the pros and cons of blog clutter with too many “friend” pictures and badges, calendar archives, and most recent comments and shout boxes. Remember that clutter is in the eye of the beholder – the visiting user – not necessarily the blogger. What we see when we visit and use our blogs is not necessarily what the visitor and return reader see or experience. We need to explore our blog’s design through their eyes to help them use and read our blogs.

The usability factor in web design is critical. We often add design elements (widgets and gadgets specifically) to our blog for fun or novelty. We’re flush with the excitement of the latest and hottest whizzbang goodie and we want to share the fun on our blogs. If your blog is getting cluttered with a lot of WordPress Plugins, Widgets, Gadgets, Scripts, and whizzbangs, maybe it’s time to analyze these design elements to find out which ones are most important to your blog and its users – and which one are just clutter.

Today, I want to explore the pros and cons of microblog clutter on your blogs. Are you microblogging?
read more