Rants: Screw the World!

Rant 7 ~ WattPad App Updates

It has been confirmed that a majority of WattPad's users have the app on a mobile device. With all those people, WattPad is constantly trying to make it better in order to please them. They have had some AMAZING updates over the.. 3/4 of a year, I guess... that I've had the app. But some of them are just downright annoying.

I actually tapped into the Version History in the App Store to do some research, I can back up everything here 100%.

1/6/14 Version 3.12

I had just been getting started with WattPad, and this was when they added the Reading Lists on the app. I loved it! I'm a hoarder when it comes to keeping stories in my library after I've finished them, but putting them in a reading list helped me through deleting some favorites from my stash.

2/13/14 Version 4.0

Here we have the legendary update of being able to leave a comment on a specific paragraph or sentence! I swear, if they ever take this away, I will shoot something. Probably something I shouldn't shoot.

3/6/14 Version 4.1

Now, you can share a paragraph as an image! I've taken more quotes than I care to mention from @8JustEnjoyLife8 's book Avengers in a Chatroom...

4/8/14 Version 4.2

The Notification Center has revolutionized keeping up with new chapters! It's like your News Feed, but only the important stuff so you don't have to pick through all that other junk :D

With this came the bug that when you tap on a chapter update in the Notifications, it doesn't get rid of the obnoxious orange NEW! tag on a book. Which means if your favorite authors have been on an updating spree, you have to go through in your Library and tap each one again to get rid of the tags. Ugh.

I think it was right about here where they took away the little number that told you how many unread updates were in your library, I'm so mad about them taking that away! *punches desk* *hurts fingers* Oww.

5/9/14 Version 4.3

Say hello to your new profile page, darling! Now you can see your background picture! Of course, the price you had to pay was your Status Box. But a minuscule detail, that was!

I've found a way around it: go to your News Feed. Find where someone you're following commented on someone else's message board or followed them. It will take you to their profile page, old style. Follow them. Tap on their followers. Tap on yourself. Voilà! Slightly complicated, but it works.

5/29/14 Version 4.4

Now you have the Media at the beginning of chapters! External links are not included, but you can view pictures and be directed to videos in Safari! This, I say, was a lifesaver.

6/26/14 Version 4.5

HOLY SHIT WHAT THE FUCK DID THEY DO TO CREATE?!?! was my first response. I think I published a chapter in Stuff! with that exact same title after this update. At first I hated it, but now it's frickin AWESOME! You can move around chapters if you posted them in the wrong order, and it has a futuristic feel, and the cover as the background, and everything is simpler, and ASDFGHJKL!!!

They completely screwed up the comments with this though, adding the replies in order and stuff. To be honest though, this new comment system did kind of make things easier. But it was an uncalled-for change.

7/18/14 Version 4.6

Archiving. Sucks. Major. Balls. With this first archiving update, you could archive stories, but you couldn't access your archives! Or maybe my app was glitchy... And they automatically added old stories to the archive without permission! THE NERVE! Anyways, I did not and do not like it.

They fixed that stupid bug! Sometimes, when you closed and re-opened the app, it would take you back a few chapters and you would lose your place. But they fixed it! YES! It totally made up for the whole archiving thing.

In Version 4.6.1, they fixed the archiving so you could access it. Still don't like it.

8/7/14 Version 4.7

WAHOO! They hauled in this update a few days before I wrote this rant, and I am loving it! You can play the video while still in the app, so you can listen to the music while reading! I am going to re-read that one chapter in My WattPad love just for this.

You can un-publish a story part without deleting it! I'm definitely gonna use this. A lot.

You can see what your readers see in Create, and then go right back to editing it!

They never mentioned it in the Version Log, but now underlining has joined the family with bold and italics! I'm gonna be underlining shit all over the place!!! This will be fun >:D

So, there you have it! I'm not big on change, but WattPad has had some iconic updates throughout the year.

Don't forget, tell others about this book! Post a recommendation on your Message Board! Read it to your dog! Tell your uncle! And that weird person that sits next to you in class!

Dedicated to George from Celtic Thunder, he was my favorite singer of the whole group. *sniffles* I learned today that he passed away in March of a heart attack, when he was just in his early forties! His lovely Scottish accent lives on in my memory, and the Celtic Thunder CDs Grandma and I are addicted to. We're going to a CT concert in February :D

Stay tuned for my next rant!