Month: January 2013

WP-Push

WP-Push combines an iOS/Android app with a WordPress plugin that lets you send notifications for various events from your WordPress install to your smart phone.

According to the plugin description,

Currently supported notifications new users, comments, pingback/trackbacks, user specific password reset notifications, and notifying authors of comments on their posts if they add their user key to their profile.

The system also supports extensions. There are currently a small number of extensions available on the WP-Push website, such as one that could be used to alert a user to new topics created in a BBPress install (for example, if you had a forum set up specifically for paying customers who need support).

Screw Your App

Dan Newcome says what we’re all thinking — no, random website, I do not want to download your f***ing app (only he says it without the cussing),

I’m getting sick of being prompted by random Web sites to download their special iPhone app. I really just want to use the site without having to clutter up my phone with yet another single-purpose app.

I can’t put my finger on exactly when so many sites started prompting iPhone users to download apps, but recently I’ve been to a few forums and news sites that all seem to want me to install something to basically read a blog or browse a forum.

I see these sorts of messages several times a day. Not once have I actually been tempted to download the app, but several times I’ve been left very annoyed at the extra inconvenience just to get the goddamn story I actually wanted to read.

Is the conversion rate on such requests really high enough to justify pissing off everyone who doesn’t want another crappy publisher’s app cluttering up their smart phone?