WordPress for Android version 6.5-rc-1 has been released in the Google Play Store. You can join the betaBeta A pre-release of software that is given out to a large group of users to trial under real conditions. Beta versions have gone through alpha testing in-house and are generally fairly close in look, feel and function to the final product; however, design changes often occur as part of the process. from the Google Play Store on your device (under “Become a beta tester”), and comment here or join the Google Plus beta community for more discussion with other testers. (Note: If you see a message that the beta testing program is full, you’ll need to wait for space to open up before you can join the beta. Thanks for your interest!)

What to Test:

New: New oEmbed Support

The app now supports more oEmbeds, including:

• Kickstarter
• Reddit
• Twitter Moments
• Facebook News

To Test:

1. Create a new post with some text.
2. Copy a link from one of the sources above.
3. Paste the link on a new line in the post.
4. Publish the post.
5. The source content should automatically embed in your post.

Note: We’re currently investigating an issue where the embed is sometimes not created if the link is added to the first line of the post. For now, adding at least one line of text before the link (as in the screenshot below) will avoid this known issue.

Feedback:

• Does your content embed as expected? If not, what is the link you tried to embed and/or the a link to the post where the embed didn’t work?
• How did you feel while publishing the post?
• Bonus: Try getting the source link using a variety of methods: copying the URLURL A specific web address of a website or web page on the Internet, such as a website’s URL www.wordpress.org from a browser’s address bar, sharing from an app, using a “Share” button in a browser, etc. Do all of those links embed as expected?

(Related GithubGitHub GitHub is a website that offers online implementation of git repositories that can easily be shared, copied and modified by other developers. Public repositories are free to host, private repositories require a paid subscription. GitHub introduced the concept of the ‘pull request’ where code changes done in branches by contributors can be reviewed and discussed before being merged be the repository owner. https://github.com/ issue and pull request.)

New: Recent Sites in the Site Picker

If you have more than 15 sites, the site picker now shows your four most recent sites at the top of the list. The recent sites section only appears if at least 15 sites are unhidden (showing in the site list), and doesn’t appear in search mode.

To Test:

1. Make sure you have at least 15 sites showing in the site picker (the site list that appears when you select “Switch Site” under your site in the app).
2. If needed, use the 3-dot menu in the top right to unhide sites so that at least 15 appear, or use the + sign to create new sites.
3. Select a site from the list.
4. Select “Switch Site” to go back to the list. Your last selection should appear at the top of the list.
5. Repeat with several other sites, and confirm that the most recent sites appear at the top of the list as expected.

Feedback:

• Did the list of recent sites work as expected? Did it show up anywhere unexpected, or not show up when you were expecting it?
• Describe how it felt to have your most recent sites at the top of the list. Did it help you find the site you were looking for when switching sites?
• Please report any issues with the list of recent sites.

(Related Github issue and pull request.)

Bugs & Feedback

Did you find a bug or come up with a feature request while testing? Did you try the additional flow testing? You can discuss it here, report it using the “Enter feedback about the app” form in the Google Play Store, or head straight to the Android Github repository and open a new issue.

Thank you for testing!

#android, #beta, #needs-testing, #wpandroid

WordPress for Android version 6.4-rc-1 has been released in the Google Play Store. You can join the betaBeta A pre-release of software that is given out to a large group of users to trial under real conditions. Beta versions have gone through alpha testing in-house and are generally fairly close in look, feel and function to the final product; however, design changes often occur as part of the process. from the Google Play Store on your device (under “Become a beta tester”), and comment here or join the Google Plus beta community for more discussion with other testers. (Note: If you see a message that the beta testing program is full, you’ll need to wait for space to open up before you can join the beta. Thanks for your interest!)

What to Test:

Updated: Refreshed Reader Design

Reader streams (the list view, such as “Followed Sites” or tags you follow) got a design refresh to match the current WordPress.comWordPress.com An online implementation of WordPress code that lets you immediately access a new WordPress environment to publish your content. WordPress.com is a private company owned by Automattic that hosts the largest multisite in the world. This is arguably the best place to start blogging if you have never touched WordPress before. https://wordpress.com/ Reader design. A couple big changes to note:

• There are now five different layouts for posts in the list view. Here are the rules:
  • If the post has 0 images: Text card.
  • If the post has 1 or more images and less than 100 characters: Photo card (using featured imageFeatured image A featured image is the main image used on your blog archive page and is pulled when the post or page is shared on social media. The image can be used to display in widget areas on your site or in a summary list of posts. or first image).
  • If the post has 1-3 images and over 100 characters: Default card (using featured image or first image).
  • If the post has 4 or more images and over 100 characters: Gallery card (using first 4 images).
  • If the post has a video as featured image or a video as first usable media: Video card.
• TagTag Tag is one of the pre-defined taxonomies in WordPress. Users can add tags to their WordPress posts along with categories. However, while a category may cover a broad range of topics, tags are smaller in scope and focused to specific topics. Think of them as keywords used for topics discussed in a particular post. streams now have a an image headerHeader The header of your site is typically the first thing people will experience. The masthead or header art located across the top of your page is part of the look and feel of your website. It can influence a visitor’s opinion about your content and you/ your organization’s brand. It may also look different on different screen sizes..

Feedback:

• Does each post layout work on your device, for example in your Followed Sites list?
• Do you notice any design issues while scrolling, rotating your device, or navigating through the Reader?
• Look at a tag you follow: Does the image header load correctly? Can you tap to view the post the image came from?

(Related GithubGitHub GitHub is a website that offers online implementation of git repositories that can easily be shared, copied and modified by other developers. Public repositories are free to host, private repositories require a paid subscription. GitHub introduced the concept of the ‘pull request’ where code changes done in branches by contributors can be reviewed and discussed before being merged be the repository owner. https://github.com/ issue and pull request.)

New: Draft Reminder Notification

The app now sends you push notifications when you have a local draft that is more than 3 days old. (Local drafts are drafts saved locally on your device and not synced with your site’s server.) There are a few cases:

• For a draft 3-30 days old, the notification includes the post title and age of the draft.
• For a draft >30 days old, the notification includes the post title (but not the age).
• If you have multiple drafts, the notification includes the number of drafts (but not the title/age).

These cases work independently on each site, so as you switch between sites in the app the notifications will adjust to the site you’re working on.

To Test:

• Write a new draft and exit the editor to save the draft locally. (You’ll see the text “Local draft” in yellow on your draft in the list of posts.)
• Go to your device settings and set the date to more than 3 days in the future.
• Open the app again.
• The notification should appear on your device.
• Tap “Edit” to open a single draft in the editor or the post list for multiple drafts. Tap “Ignore” to dismiss the notification (it won’t appear again for that draft). Swipe to dismiss the notification, and receive the notification again later (after 24 hours).
• Repeat these steps for different sites with different numbers/ages of local drafts.

Note: If you don’t have any local drafts on your site to begin with, the notification may not appear (Github issue). This is a known issue with this first beta release and is resolved for the next release.

Feedback:

• Was the notification clear and compelling to you? What was your reaction to it?
• Describe what you intended to do after seeing the notification. Were you able to complete the actions/flow you intended, or did you get stuck anywhere?
• Please report any issues with the notification itself (the number of drafts, the age of the drafts, the timing of the notification, etc.).

(Related Github issue and pull request.)

Bugs & Feedback

Did you find a bug or come up with a feature request while testing? Did you try the additional flow testing? You can discuss it here, report it using the “Enter feedback about the app” form in the Google Play Store, or head straight to the Android Github repository and open a new issue.

Thank you for testing!

#android, #beta, #needs-testing, #wpandroid

WordPress for Android version 6.2-rc-1 has been released in the Google Play Store. You can join the betaBeta A pre-release of software that is given out to a large group of users to trial under real conditions. Beta versions have gone through alpha testing in-house and are generally fairly close in look, feel and function to the final product; however, design changes often occur as part of the process. from the Google Play Store on your device (under “Become a beta tester”), and comment here or join the Google Plus beta community for more discussion with other testers. (Note: If you see a message that the beta testing program is full, you’ll need to wait for space to open up before you can join the beta. Thanks for your interest!)

What to Test:

New: Magic Links Login for WordPress.comWordPress.com An online implementation of WordPress code that lets you immediately access a new WordPress environment to publish your content. WordPress.com is a private company owned by Automattic that hosts the largest multisite in the world. This is arguably the best place to start blogging if you have never touched WordPress before. https://wordpress.com/

You can now log in to WordPress.com accounts using a magic link — if you enter your email address on the login screen, you can have a link sent to your email to log in to the app (without a password):

1. Open the app (logged out) on the login screen.
2. Enter the email address linked to your WordPress.com account.
3. On the next screen, tap “Send link” (or tap “Enter your password instead” to log in with a password as usual).
4. Check your email for the link — you can tap “Launch your email app” to go directly to your email.
5. Open the email (titled “Sign in to WordPress.com on your mobile device”) and tap the button to log in.
6. If your account has 2-factor authentication, a prompt will appear in your device web browser to enter your 2-factor code.
7. Enjoy the magic as you are logged in to the app!

Logging in to a self-hosted WordPress? Enter your email address and the self-hosted login form will appear.

Feedback:

• Take a screenshot of each step as you test the new and updated features above. Upload your screenshots (you can create a gallery on Cloudup) and share them in a comment here.
• Did the magic link login work for you? Did you experience any confusion or get stuck anywhere?
• Does it work on accounts with and without 2-factor authentication?
• Are you still able to log in as expected to a self-hosted WordPress site?

(Related GithubGitHub GitHub is a website that offers online implementation of git repositories that can easily be shared, copied and modified by other developers. Public repositories are free to host, private repositories require a paid subscription. GitHub introduced the concept of the ‘pull request’ where code changes done in branches by contributors can be reviewed and discussed before being merged be the repository owner. https://github.com/ issue and pull request.)

New: Open WordPress.com URLs in the App

Opening a WordPress.com post URLURL A specific web address of a website or web page on the Internet, such as a website’s URL www.wordpress.org will now prompt you to open that post in the WordPress Reader (in the app). This works even if you are not logged in to the app, giving you access to a logged-out Reader view.

Note: This currently works only for sites with a *.wordpress.com URL.

1. From another app, open a link to a post on a site hosted on WordPress.com (with a *.wordpress.com URL, not a custom domain name). Try a variety of apps, such as browsers, chat apps, social media, etc.
2. A picker will appear asking where you want to open the link. Select “WordPress Reader” from the list, and choose “Just Once” or “Always.”
3. The app will open and the post will appear in the Reader.
4. If the link is to the comments on the post, the Reader will open the comments view directly.

Feedback:

• Take a screenshot of each step as you test the new and updated features above. Upload your screenshots (you can create a gallery on Cloudup) and share them in a comment here.
• Does the post always open in the Reader as expected?
• If you log out of the app, does the post open in the Reader and work as expected?
• Do you ever get stuck or end up in a confusing flow?
• When you finish reading the post, can you move on to your next task comfortably?

(Related Github issue and pull request.)

Bugs & Feedback

Did you find a bug or come up with a feature request while testing? Did you try the additional flow testing? You can discuss it here, report it using the “Enter feedback about the app” form in the Google Play Store, or head straight to the Android Github repository and open a new issue.

#android, #beta, #needs-testing, #wpandroid

WordPress for Android version 6.1-rc-1 has been released in the Google Play Store. You can join the betaBeta A pre-release of software that is given out to a large group of users to trial under real conditions. Beta versions have gone through alpha testing in-house and are generally fairly close in look, feel and function to the final product; however, design changes often occur as part of the process. from the Google Play Store on your device (under “Become a beta tester”), and comment here or join the Google Plus beta community for more discussion with other testers. (Note: If you see a message that the beta testing program is full, you’ll need to wait for space to open up before you can join the beta. Thanks for your interest!)

What to Test:

New: Voice comment replies for Android wearables

You can now reply to comments directly from your Android wearable device, using dictation (voice reply)! Test it out with your wearable device:

1.  Make sure your wearable device has access to your notifications:
   • In Android 4.4: Go to Settings > Security > Notification Access
   • In Android 5.0+: Go to Settings > Sound & Notifications > Notification Access
   • On the Notification Access screen, make sure “Android Wear” is checked.
2. Trigger a new comment notification on a post you published (ask someone to comment on your post, or comment from a different account you own).
3. Check the notification on your wearable device.
4. Swipe left on the notification and tap “Reply.”
5. Speak or use emojis to reply to the notification.

Feedback:

• Did the comment notification appear on your device?
• Did the notification look ok and include enough detail for you to reply from your device?
• Was your comment reply posted as expected?

(Related GithubGitHub GitHub is a website that offers online implementation of git repositories that can easily be shared, copied and modified by other developers. Public repositories are free to host, private repositories require a paid subscription. GitHub introduced the concept of the ‘pull request’ where code changes done in branches by contributors can be reviewed and discussed before being merged be the repository owner. https://github.com/ issue and pull request.)

Updated: Redesigned Reader post screen

The Reader post screen (for individual posts) was redesigned to match the latest design in the Calypso (web) Reader. Changes include:

• A redesigned headerHeader The header of your site is typically the first thing people will experience. The masthead or header art located across the top of your page is part of the look and feel of your website. It can influence a visitor’s opinion about your content and you/ your organization’s brand. It may also look different on different screen sizes. for the post which includes the site blavatar + author avatarAvatar An avatar is an image or illustration that specifically refers to a character that represents an online user. It’s usually a square box that appears next to the user’s name. (or just avatar if there is no blavatar)
• A shortened dateline which includes both the primary and secondary tags on the post
• The like & comment icons in the footer now include text
• A redesign of the related posts section, which now has a “More in [site]” section and a “More on WordPress.comWordPress.com An online implementation of WordPress code that lets you immediately access a new WordPress environment to publish your content. WordPress.com is a private company owned by Automattic that hosts the largest multisite in the world. This is arguably the best place to start blogging if you have never touched WordPress before. https://wordpress.com/” section

Feedback:

• Do the design changes appear as described above? Do they look good in both portrait and landscape?
• Do you see any strange or unexpected design changes on posts you read? (Watch or test for edge cases, such as posts with no avatar or blavatar, very long tags, etc.)
• Are you able to interact with the post (tapping on tags, likes, comments, related posts) and continue navigating through the Reader as expected?

(Related Github issue and pull request.)

New: Shortcut to System Settings from App Settings

There is now a shortcut to your device System Settings from the App Settings section. Test it out:

1. Open the Me tab in the app (the person icon).
2. Open App Settings.
3. Tap on “Open device settings.”
4. Confirm that your System Settings open to the WordPress app setting screen.

Feedback:

• Did the System Settings open to the right screen?
• Was the shortcut clear and discoverable in the app?
• Were you able to get back to the app afterwards to continue?

(Related Github issue and pull request.)

Flow Testing:

In addition to testing new features, as beta testers we can give feedback about the flow through the WordPress app. (Not sure what I mean? Check out how the WordPress Flow team tests and what we mean by flow.)

Here are some things to consider or try out in this release:

• Take a screenshot of each step as you test the new and updated features above. Upload your screenshots (you can create a gallery on Cloudup) and share them in a comment here.
• As you go through each step, pay attention to how you feel. Are you ever confused, lost, surprised (pleasantly or not), frustrated, anxious, or experiencing something else in reaction to what you are doing or seeing? Share those reactions in a comment.
• With each new and updated feature, can you start interacting with the feature, complete the process, and move on to your next intended task? If you get stuck or don’t finish where you expected, share that in a comment.

Bugs & Feedback

Did you find a bug or come up with a feature request while testing? Did you try the additional flow testing? You can discuss it here, report it using the “Enter feedback about the app” form in the Google Play Store, or head straight to the Android Github repository and open a new issue.

#android, #beta, #needs-testing, #wpandroid

WordPress for Android version 6.0-rc-1 has been released in the Google Play Store. You can join the betaBeta A pre-release of software that is given out to a large group of users to trial under real conditions. Beta versions have gone through alpha testing in-house and are generally fairly close in look, feel and function to the final product; however, design changes often occur as part of the process. from the Google Play Store on your device (under “Become a beta tester”), and comment here or join the Google Plus beta community for more discussion with other testers.

New Feature:

Contextual actions on push notifications

Push notifications for comments now have quick actions based on the context. Test it out by triggering new comment notifications on your site(s), and make sure the correct quick actions appear and work as expected.

1. Moderated comments: If your site requires approval for a comment to be published, the push notification will display REPLY and APPROVE quick actions. Tapping on APPROVE will approve the comment, mark the APPROVE action in color, and show you the comment detail.
   
2. Non-moderated comments: If your site does not require approval for a comment to be published, the push notification will display REPLY and LIKE quick actions. Tapping on LIKE will like the comment, mark the LIKE action in color, and show you the comment detail.
   

Additional Testing:

In addition to testing new features, as beta testers we can give feedback about the flow through the WordPress app. (Not sure what I mean? Check out how the WordPress Flow team tests and what we mean by flow.)

Here are some things to consider or try out in this release:

• Take a screenshot of each step as you test the new push notifications above. Upload your screenshots (you can create a gallery on Cloudup) and share them in a comment here.
• After you do the quick action in the push notification, where does it take you? Is that what you expected? Describe how the process makes you feel and whether you were able to finish the entire task or process you started.
• Is there anything missing from the notification itself, or in the steps that follow, that would make this flow make more sense or work better for you?
• When you finish approving, replying to, or liking the comment, what do you want to do next? Is there a clear path to continue on to your next task?

Bugs & Feedback

Did you find a bug or come up with a feature request while testing? Did you try the additional flow testing? You can discuss it here, report it using the “Enter feedback about the app” form in the Google Play Store, or head straight to the Android Github repository and open a new issue.

#android, #beta, #needs-testing, #wpandroid