MarsEdit 3 Released, Includes Rich Text Support

Popular Mac desktop blog post editor MarsEdit has just been updated, adding, among other things, support for WYSIWYG rich text editing. Other updates in this new version include:

  • Support for WordPress Pages and Custom Fields (please see disclosure at the bottom of this post)
  • Improved HTML syntax highlighting
  • Integration with iPhoto, Aperture, and Lightroom
  • Scheduled media attachments

Developer Daniel Jalkut says that this version of MarsEdit also includes a lot of behind-the-scenes structural changes to the software in preparation for an upcoming iPad version of the app.

MarsEdit is compatible with dozens of  blogging platforms including WordPress, Blogger, Tumblr, Squarespace, TypePad and Movable Type. A license costs $39.95, and a free, fully functional 30-day trial is available. An upgrade from previous versions of MarsEdit costs $14.95; anyone who bought MarsEdit this year gets a free upgrade.

It’s an easy-to-use, robust editor that I heartily recommend if you’re looking for an alternative to using your blog’s web interface — I’m using it to write this post. Personally, I spend nearly all my day in a browser anyway, so I don’t think I would ever fully switch to a desktop editor, but for those times when I don’t have Internet access (such as when I’m flying or on a train), or on those rare occasions when WordPress.com is having an off day, MarsEdit is my editor of choice. I can also imagine it would be a good option if you used a variety of different blogging platforms, as you’d only have one UI to content with, rather than having to switch between a bunch of different web interfaces.

Disclosure: Automattic, maker of WordPress.com, is backed by True Ventures, a venture capital firm that is an investor in the parent company of this blog, Giga Omni Media. Om Malik, founder of Giga Omni Media, is also a venture partner at True.

Related GigaOM Pro content (sub. req.): Enabling the Web Work Revolution

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