April 2015 was filled with tons of updates and new software packages, but one of the more exciting updates was the all new WordPress 4.2 (code named “Powell”)
The new update brings plenty of new features including a whole new look to the “Press This” feature, the ability to update your plugins directly within the plugins page, and tweaks to the Emoji options as well as other smaller tweaks under the hood to keep us all running smoothly.
This isn’t an update that will dramatically change your WordPress interface, but some of the changes are going to make your life (and mine) easier.
Security Updates
Not only did the new WordPress 4.2 (Powell) bring with it many new features, but it also implemented a critical Security Update. Read more about that here. The reason behind many of the security updates was due to a recent XSS (cross site scripting) vulnerability which is a major security threat to many WordPress powered sites. The 4.2.1 update for WordPress fixed the issue there, but many themes and plugins still suffer from the vulnerability. The great thing is that if you are a Web $en$e customer, your site is already patched and you have no need to worry.
All New Press This Button
Press This has been completely revamped. Clip it, edit it, publish it. Get familiar with the new and improved Press This. From the Tools menu, add Press This to your browser bookmark bar or your mobile device home screen. Once installed you can share your content with lightning speed. Sharing your favorite videos, images, and content has never been this fast or this easy.
For example, if you wanted to share this post on your blog, you could simply click on your “Press This” shortcut within your browser window. With a single click, this post will be shared on your own blog. Nice huh?
More intuitive plugin update and install
More intuitive plugin update and install from the Plugins Screen. Goodbye boring loading screen, hello smooth and simple plugin updates. Simply click on “Update Now” on your plugins page and watch the magic happen.
Support for emoji and other languages
Writing in WordPress, whatever your language, just got better. WordPress 4.2 supports a host of new characters out-of-the-box, including native Chinese, Japanese, and Korean characters, musical and mathematical symbols, and hieroglyphs. Don’t use any of those characters? You can still have fun — emoji are now available in WordPress! Get creative and decorate your content with ?, ?, ?, ?, and all the many other emoji.
Those are the highlights for the all new WordPress 4.2. If you manage a WordPress website and don’t have it, GET IT NOW! If you already have a Web $en$e web site, then you already have it… It’s nice to know that you are always getting the latest updates and security fixes. If you are curious about getting Web $en$e, it’s super easy… Just sign up and we do the rest for you.
Ideacom Members and Vendor Partners alike are welcome to tap into the expertise of SnapWS and Ray Perea. Yeah, I know. WordPress is “do it yourself”. Not so fast, my friend. Security alone should give you pause and motivate you to consider Web $en$e. Ray has it all covered!