WordPress

CNET Editors' review

by: Jaymar Cabebe on April 13, 2012

Known as one of the most powerful free blogging platforms on the Web, WordPress doesn't disappoint when it comes to its Android mobile app. It offers many of the tools that are available through the full Web interface, and it makes it easy to zip around your account, change settings, follow other blogs, and create new posts.

When you first download WordPress on your Android device, it gives you the choice to add your existing WordPress.com blog or your own self-hosted WordPress blog. If you don't have either set up yet, you can easily start a new WordPress account, right from the app. If you like, you can also have multiple blogs set up under a single WordPress account.

With the app's dead-simple interface, you can quickly get started posting with text, a photo, or a quick video. The post tool gives you a basic text editor with Bold, Italic, Underline, Strikethrough, and Hyperlink functionality, and it makes it easy to add images, change image size, and include captions. When you're all done with your content, you can add tags as needed, categorize your post, and even schedule publishing. While it would be nice to have more formatting options like list, text alignment, and text color, I don't think they are absolutely necessary. Since it's likely that most bloggers use the mobile app for quick and simple posts, the tools onboard now, are enough.

One thing I love about the WordPress app is the main dashboard, which lays out all of the most used WordPress functions. It includes shortcuts to create new posts or pages, take photos or video, adjust your settings, view comments, check stats, and read up on other WordPress blogs you're following. The screen is beautifully designed with intuitive icons, and it's easily accessible from a button on the top right.

Overall, WordPress for Android is a winner. It may be missing a few power features, but it still gives you a quick and easy way to access your WordPress account and publish posts while you're out and about. And in case you're wondering how the WordPress app compares with the Tumblr app, it's hard to say because the two services are so different. That said, if you don't know which blogging platform to choose, then your best bet is to compare them on the Web to see which one is a better fit in full size.