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Filemaker Releases 'Bento' for iPhone

Tuesday May 5, 2009 7:24 am PDT by Eric Slivka
FileMaker has released Bento [App Store, $4.99], the company's personal database application, for the iPhone and iPod touch. The new application operates both as a standalone database application and also synchronizes with the desktop version of Bento to provide accessibility on the go.

- Comes with 25 ready-to-use database templates that can be easily customized for whatever you need to organize.
- Supports 15 different field types so you can store text, numbers, dates, times, durations, pictures, sounds, video clips, pop-up choices, check boxes, prices, rates, addresses, phone numbers, ratings, web sites, email addresses, instant messaging accounts, and more.
- Includes iTunes-style searching and instant sorting to help you find things fast.
- Integrates with other iPhone apps so you can simply tap on a Bento field to call a contact, view a web site, send an email or display a map.
- Works as a standalone application or can be synchronized with Bento 2.0v4 for Mac desktop software (sold separately).

CNET briefly demoed the new application and was impressed with both the operation and look of it.

We got a demo of the handsome, dark Bento app a few weeks ago. After playing with it for a while, it appears to balance a mine of data fields with the iPhone's customarily accessible interface. Bento's home screen displays all your data libraries, which you can swipe through to view. Other screens let you add a new library, search for entries, or sync to Bento on the Mac. Each new library is prepopulated with one dummy entry to get you started. While there is a dedicated search screen, a similar search field within each library facilitates more advanced investigations of your data.

FileMaker also offers a video demo of the Bento iPhone application.
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Chundles
Posted: 36 months ago
...And it is freaking sweet.
Rating: 0 Positives / 0 Negatives
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AdeFowler
Posted: 36 months ago
Looks very good.

I bought Bento six months ago with the intention of learning how to use it, but have yet to find a use for it (my problem, not Bentos). What are people using it for?
Rating: 0 Positives / 0 Negatives
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Dimwhit
Posted: 36 months ago
Man, I wish they'd release FM Pro for iPhone...
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danny_w
Posted: 36 months ago

Looks very good.

I bought Bento six months ago with the intention of learning how to use it, but have yet to find a use for it (my problem, not Bentos). What are people using it for?

I haven't bought either version but hoped to buy the desktop version (didn't know about the iPhone version) and use it initially to do a home inventory. It sounds like the combination may be even better for this. You can enter the basics and take pictures with the iPhone, and the sync with the desktop to do all of the tedious data entry. Is syncing bi-directional? One thing I didn't like about the desktop version when I looked at it was that there was now ay to keep a common database synced between different computers. Has that changed?
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mkrishnan
Posted: 36 months ago

...And it is freaking sweet.


It looks really well thought out. Could be useful for all kinds of things.... Nicely done, Flemaker!
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SirROM
Posted: 36 months ago

Man, I wish they'd release FM Pro for iPhone...


If you are really interested, try FMTouch for the iPhone. I have used it since it appeared about a year ago and it works well. The developers frequently update it and are always adding new features. I run my business on Filemaker and this app does a good job of putting Filemaker on the iPhone.
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TuffLuffJimmy
Posted: 36 months ago
Coverflow? I thought that was verboten.
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AdeFowler
Posted: 36 months ago

One thing I didn't like about the desktop version when I looked at it was that there was now way to keep a common database synced between different computers. Has that changed?


Apparently not. The iPhone version syncs wirelessly though which is nice ;)
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Dimwhit
Posted: 36 months ago

If you are really interested, try FMTouch for the iPhone. I have used it since it appeared about a year ago and it works well. The developers frequently update it and are always adding new features. I run my business on Filemaker and this app does a good job of putting Filemaker on the iPhone.


I've been keeping an eye on that one. It's still lacking some of the scripting and calculation support I need, but I'll probably spring for it at some point. Very pricey, though.
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Small White Car
Posted: 36 months ago

Coverflow? I thought that was verboten.


No. Tapping into Apple's coverflow software on the iPhone and just telling your program to use that is against the rules.

But if you program your own code that looks and works the same then it's ok.

There was an app a few months ago (forget which) that was rejected from the app store for using coverflow against the rules. Turns out, they had programed their own version in and Apple had to admit their mistake and accept the app. Apple just assumed it was their own without checking!

After all that, I'm sure the Bento folks know this and made their own coverflow code.


Apparently not. The iPhone version syncs wirelessly though which is nice ;)


I'm hopeful this means the desktop versions will be syncing soon. I sent them a question asking.

Even so, though, this iPhone app makes Bento 10 times better! I'm loving it!

So far I'm using Bento on my Mac for:
- Tracking small jobs that people owe me money for
- My car maintenence records
- Favorite recepies

I'm hopeful I can find more uses, I enjoy the small amount of use I've gotten out of it so far.
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