Archive for category 'General'
Oct 4 2012
WordPress 3.5 (beta 1) is released
A few days ago, the first beta version of WordPress 3.5 was released. As always, it introduces a number of new features. And as always, it is not recommended for use on live websites while since it is still an early beta version. Still, it may be worth checking out if you are a plugin developer or theme designer. I have tested it with all my WordPress themes to make sure that the themes will work once the final version of WordPress 3.5 is released. So far, I haven’t seen any problems, other than the fact that some of the newer features features are not supported. This shouldn’t cause any problems for existing sites, but it is worth keeping in mind.
More WordPress…
While on the topic, I would like to recommend a really good article written by Jesse Friedman for .NET magazine. It is called 20 common WordPress mistakes, myths and misgivings, and it provides a list of common errors and some arguments against using WordPress as a website engine, as well as some useful tips. In practice, it is short but very well-written list of why WordPress is well worth considering no matter what kind of website you are planning to build. Jesse Friedman is also the author of Web Designers Guide to WordPress, a book which I still haven’t read but which I have seen positive reviews about.
WordCamp Stockholm 2012
On October 22nd 2012, I am planning to attend WordCamp Stockholm 2012 at the Waterfront Congress Centre in central Stockholm, to watch a number of presentations and meet up with other WordPress users and developers. I will be there as a regular guest, not as a speaker. Come and say hi if you are attending!
By Andreas • General • 1 Tags: books, stockholm, wordcamp, wordpress
Sep 13 2012
Template archive updates
The collection of free HTML/CSS templates have recieved a big refreshment this week, with updates to most of the older designs. Some templates have got additions and various optimizations, such as Daleri Single and Daleri Single (alt) which now resize to smaller screens if needed, while others, like the wide version of andreas01, have got new sample images and backgrounds. The code has been cleaned up, and the sample content of the templates have been reviewed to make sure that broken links have been replaced with more helpful ones. A few bugs have been fixed as well, such as the background image alignment in Basic Presentation, and the classic andreas08 has got its layout width increased to make it look better on screen widths of 1024px and higher.
By Andreas • General • 2 Tags: andreas01, andreas08, daleri single, site news, templates
Sep 7 2012
WordPress 3.4.2 released
A new version of WordPress has been released, a maintenance and security release that fixes a number of bugs and potential security issues. As always, the general recommendation is to update to the latest version even if you haven’t experienced any issues.
The WordPress themes have been tested with the new version 3.4.2 and found to work well.
By Andreas • General • 0 Tags: wordpress
Aug 15 2012
In the works…
The summer is slowly turning into fall, and after a while with few posts and releases I am now back on track with lots of inspiration and collected material. Here are some of the things I have been working on during the summer, and which I will publish here on andreasviklund.com in a not-too-distant future:
- New template series: Grid-based, easy to customize and with lots of sample layouts included.
- Glossary: Non-intrusive popups (on mouseover) for common template-related terms. Should make tutorials and template descriptions easier for a HTML/CSS beginner to understand.
- New article series: Running and managing a blog/website while away from the desktop computer (mobile blogging, useful apps and more), and blog posts about personal branding and how to create and maintain an online identity.
- More tutorial posts: Once you have turned a template into a complete website, how do you move on to publish it on the web. More about hosting options, domains and publishing. And after that, how to promote your site and keep it optimized, as well as expanding your reach through social networks such as Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.
- Stock photos and graphics design material: As mentioned in an earlier post. Free-to-use and free-to-modify images, photos and other resources related to graphics design. More image packs for existing templates.
- Redesigned template and theme pages: Bigger screenshots, improved descriptions and links to sites using the different designs.
If there is anything specific that you would be interested in reading more about, don’t hesitate to send me requests. Post a comment or send me an e-mail. If anyone would be interested in writing guest posts on any of the topics mentioned above, I also encourage you to get in touch!
By Andreas • General • 1 Tags: site news, templates
Aug 14 2012
WordPress app for iOS
One of the many brilliant abilities that smartphones and tablet computers offer is the possibility to run and manage websites and blogs from anywhere – and lots of different ways to get it done. In many cases, a mobile web browser will take you far. But for WordPress bloggers and webmasters who use iOS devices (such as the Apple iPhone or iPad), there is also an app called WordPress for iOS (available from the App Store) which makes it really comfortable to manage WordPress blogs and sites. A few days ago, version 3.1 of the app was released, redesigned and with with lots of improvements and new features.
Beside a significant update to the user interface, the app now supports post formats and easier site and dashboard access that makes it possible to manage widgets and plugins. The iPad version has a new post preview feature, and the landscape mode has been improved. There is also a new sidebar navigation, similar to the kind that is used in the official Facebook and Twitter apps.
I’ll try out the new version on both my phone and my iPad, and follow up on this post with a review of the app with screenshots and my opinion in a few days.
By Andreas • General • 2 Tags: ipad, iphone, tools, wordpress