Do you have a smart phone? I just bought myself an iPhone and I am blogging while in a taxi using the WordPress iPhone app. There also a wordpress app available for the black berry and on both counts the app is free… I love wordpress!

The interface is very simple, it does not have all the same features as the advanced mce editor found in the admin area when you use your browser. You can’t create tables or embed media as easily, but if all you need is to post some text, links and perhaps photos, the wordpress app is a steal.

I have frequently been at a loss not having a smart phone to blog on the fly when inspiration strikes or when I bored to tears waiting for the next train. I used to drag my MacBook around with me so that I could check email or write proposals, but now I essentially those functions available to me my pocket.

What’s more, is that this phone has a media player I can use to showcase all my music and video projects as well as the websites I have built. Now I will never be empty handed when I bump into my next prospect.

On the downside, in looking at some of the websites I have built through a mobile browser I have discovered a few design flaws that I was unaware of until now. For instance, because of the limited screen view, websites are generally remade with a conditional template that only loads when a mobile browser is detected. Flash objects are all missing from mobile browsers as well… so those pretty flash slideshows, videos and even navigation bars are all lost.

The essential goal of a mobile theme is to enlarge all links and remove all flash elements for an alternative, i.e. youtube video versus flash video or javascript navigation versus flash navigation. That being said, if the mobile internet market is your target, you might want to speak with me about creating a mobile template designed specifically for the iPhone and BlackBerry. Use the quote form to request an estimate for your website.

It’s finally here! The plugin I’ve always been looking for; a mailing list I control from wordpress but can embed on MySpace. I have personally used on my very own artist website; After Runnymede. I have also extended the subscription process to the After Runnymede MySpace, enabling MySpace users to sign up for my mailing list without leaving MySpace.

The registration is automated, I don’t need to add the email addresses manually to my mailing list, it’s done on the fly by sending it directly to my wordpress website. From there I can send messages to my mailing list, even schedule announcements and link them back to my blog.

It’s completely free with their branding and only $5 USD to get an unbranded copy. If you want to manage multiple lists for various cities and collect more user data such as age, sex, location, etc. a full license is only $27 USD. I highly recommend that all wordpress bloggers or businesses use The WordPress Auto Responder as their mailing list solution.