My Blackberry Curve was bought more or less because i had read good things about it and quite a lot of more experienced bloggers were using it.
My first attempts at blogging with it were a disaster as i just couldn’t get it set up properly.
See here if you want to know why.
The Mobile Blogging page on the blogger site was no help as it is written for people living in the USA.
In comparison to Sheila’s HTC Desire the Blackberry was second rate.
Everything we wanted to do was easily accomplished with the HTC whereas the Blackberry was long winded and you never have the feeling that what you have done is correct.
We just seemed to be on the same wavelength with the HTC whereas months down the line i am still unsure with the BB.
I managed eventually to get the BB to accept new posts to my blog via emails and with the odd photograph. Nothing too spectacular though.
I was certainly not in the same league as Martin Banfield whose blog is here. or Mick and Gayle who’s blog is here. They didn’t seem to be having any problems with writing long posts with numerous photo’s, whilst on the move and on long trips.
One of the problems i had, was that when i mobile googled my blog and signed in i couldn’t answer comments or write up a new post, but i could make a new entry via email. Very strange.
I asked both Martin and Gayle if they could shed any light on the problem but alas they posted via email too instead of using the blog page as if you were sat in front of your Mac or PC.
I eventually put it down to me being thick and i resigned my self to posting via email or not bothering at all as it was all getting a bit tedious.
Also, one of the issues with mobile blogging is battery life. It certainly drains the battery quickly and drains the will to live too.
Then today whilst playing around with the phone menu’s i noticed that some tick boxes were not enabled. Eureka i thought, am i onto making a break through here.
I ticked the boxes and went on my blog. The comments box was lit up for the very first time and allowed the cursor to make text. It worked!
I have managed to write posts, to comment and answer comments. Fantastic.
So for those that have had issues like i have explained above, here this is what i did.
From the BB homepage go to the browser and highlight it.
Press the Blackberry button (the one with 7 dots)
Go to options and press.
Go to Browser configuration and press.
Enable, (tick) Support JavaScript
Press the return key (right of centre) and save the changes made.
I hope that this resolves your problem with blogging on the move and prevents you throwing the phone through the window. At least for now anyway.
It's not straight forward this mobile blogging. I asked lots of questions of lots of people in lots of shops, and got lots of conflicting answers!! I eventually got some excellent advice from a guy in Carphone Warehouse in Lancaster. He had no interest in selling me anything that wouldn't do what I wanted. He recommended a Galaxy S2, which is excellent in everyway,emailing your posts is still easier than going to the blogger webpage though! Good luck with the Blackberry, glad you've got it sorted.
ReplyDeleteHi Al,
ReplyDeleteI have it sussed now. I have my blog page set as my home page as soon as i go to the browser so there is no typing to do.
My sign in is no problem and then i am on my blog page. It is only 1/2 minute.
Then i post direct on the blog. It's probably just as quick as sending an email to it.
The thing for me was that i got the comments issue sorted. That was bugging me more than using email to blog.
Glad you got good advice eventually but it isn't as easy as i thought. But quite honestly if i had bought the HTC it wouldn't have been a problem as it sets itself up. Sheila had it all sorted in about 1/2 hour and that was from never handling a HTC before.
Alan, that's interesting. Whilst I had problems with the Blackberry and its conflict with Roxio when I tried to sync with our desktop computer, the set up for mobile blogging was easy (done so long ago that I can't remember how). But as you observe, I do it by email rather than through blogger (I find that tedious at the best of times and use Windows Live Writer when at home).
ReplyDeleteI do however have problems making comments when on the move, and I note that like you, I have failed to enable Javascript. I've not enabled Javascript pop-ups but will try that if I still can't make comments. Will see how it works later in the week when I return to mobile blogging for a while.
Thanks again.
Martin
Hi Martin,
ReplyDeleteWindows Live writer is very good. I remember you advising me to use it when i first started blogging. However it isn’t mac compatible.
I have been having a look at iweb on the mac and that looks a comprehensive tool but Apple is no longer offering new Mobile Me trials or subscriptions.
I havn’t enabled the Java pop up’s on the BB btw.
Have a good trip and we are very envious!