Apple subsidiary FileMaker today announced the launch of its new lineup of FileMaker 12 database applications, launching new themes and "Starter Solutions" to help users get up and running, as well as significantly enhancing integration with iOS devices.
"Databases only boost productivity if people genuinely enjoy using them," said Ryan Rosenberg, vice president, marketing and services, FileMaker, Inc. "Everyone wants a great database, but not everyone is a great designer. Let FileMaker 12 handle the design and you’ll create dazzling databases that are incredibly easy to use, on iPad, iPhone, desktop and the web."
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Among the key new features in FileMaker 12:
- Over 40 new themes specifically designed to translate among desktop, iPad, and iPhone. New tools help users customize the default themes to create their own unique database documents.
- Sixteen rebuilt Starter Solutions provide templates upon which users can build their databases depending on the type of data being stored. As with themes, the templates can be easily customized to suit users' needs.
- Enhanced container fields for storing files within databases, improving performance and ease of use.
- Quick Charts for streamlining the process of creating new charts based off of database entries.
- Significantly enhanced iOS compatibility with free new FileMaker Go apps for iPad [App Store] and iPhone [App Store]. The new apps are compatible only with Filemaker 12, and the company continues to offer the $39.99/$19.99 FileMaker Go 11 apps for use with earlier versions of the software.
Pricing for FileMaker 12 on the desktop remains the same as in the previous version, with FileMaker Pro 12 priced at $299 for new users and $179 for upgrade users and FileMaker Pro 12 Advanced checking in at $499 and $299 respectively. The basic FileMaker Server 12 is priced at $999/$599, while FileMaker Server 12 Advanced carries a price tag of $2,999/$1,799. All versions are available today.
Top Rated Comments
Perhaps Apple should create a quasi independent business/professional division to assauge professionals' anxieties that Apple is now solely focused on the consumer.
I use Bento for basic CRM. It's barely functional for that... but it is functional. Its ace in the hole is the fact that it syncs with Address Book and other Apple applications... FMP does not! :eek: I tried FMP and ended up returning it before I had to keep it. The learning curve was too steep and I would have had to maintain multiple contact lists since it doesn't sync with Address Book.
This whole process annoys the hell out of me. FMP should be fully functional (at least be able to do everything Bento can do). Bento should have more functionality rather than artificially limiting it in annoying ways. THERE'S A HAPPY MEDIUM HERE, SOMEWHERE! :mad:
Need? Probably not. But would it make your life easier? Most likely. Excel is not a database; its a spreadsheet. The fact that people try to use it as a database doesnt make it so; it would probably make everyones life a lot easier to use something thats designed for the task at hand.