The copywriting team at drumBEAT Marketing is here to break down the new features on WordPress’s 3.6 Oscar update. Since the University of Houston is WordPress creator Matt Mullenweg’s alma mater, we proudly felt the need to sound a bullhorn and inform the public that the best the blogging platform has to offer is finally here. Even though the beta version has been around for a while, the update was officially released on August 1st. Check out our definitive list of what you should know about the update, and learn how it will affect the content management system.
1. Autosave To The Rescue:
I can’t begin to tell you just how many times the rest of the copywriters and I have been in the middle of typing away at an article only to loose it all, because WordPress decided to behave funny. All that hard work and time is put in for nothing. No longer will we have to fret about that now with the autosave function. “I want people to trust WordPress with their posts. They should never fear that something they’ve spent time creating or editing should go away due to their mistake or ours or that of a third party,” said Mark Jaquith. Even if users lose Internet connection or accidentally close a browser tab, posts can be recovered because the last autosaved content is backed up.
2. Post Locking:
If a blog has multiple contributors, then any author can kick out a user and take over editing a post. Writers will be greeted with a message that says “Preview” and “Take Over.”
3. Twenty Thirteen:
That’s the name of the new default responsive theme. This theme creates a great user experience no matter what screen size is being utilized to view content on. The new theme has a playful, flat design that was meant for blogging, according to lead developer Mark Jaquith.
4. Revision Comparisons Made Simpler:
Comparing earlier drafts is easy! Users are now able to critique multiple versions of their work effortlessly because of the new revision option. Just scroll to view a thorough account of what was changed, deleted, or added on a particular post.
5. Independently Embed Audio and Video Files:
No need to count on services such as YouTube or Vimeo to host your video files. Users can now embed their own audio and video files into their post, because of the built in HTML5 media player. It’s about time WordPress cut the umbilical cord.
Other new features in the 3.6 update included being able to go back to the page you’re currently working on, just in case your login session expires; the manage locations and edit menus are separated into different tabs, making it easier to understand and navigate; audio and video previews are now available on the Media; and the Media Library can be sorted by author name.
It seems some of the best features are finally here with the Oscar update. We can only imagine what WordPress has in store with future releases. How do you feel about the new WordPress changes, and what else would you like to see in newer versions?