FileMaker Launches Bento 4 for iPad

[Maura]

FileMaker has today released Bento 4 for iPad to the App Store, the newest version of its popular personal database app that lets you create your own personal productivity apps on your iPad. With Bento 4, you now have an easy way to make your own apps to organize your contacts, track projects, plan events and manage lists, using Bento 4 to both create and run the apps. It can also be synchronized with Bento 4.1 for Mac. Here are some of the updated app’s key features, courtesy of FileMaker:

• One-tap linking to the Bento Template Exchange to access hundreds of free, ready-to-use templates to get started in seconds
• Powerful design tools that let users customize templates, create forms and organize information with a tap
• 40 retina display-ready themes that add coordinated backgrounds, fonts, and shading to mirror a user’s personal style
• New ways to see and interact with your information such as Table view, Split view and Full Screen view
• The ability to add calculations, encrypted fields and GPS location fields

“With Bento 4 for iPad it is amazingly easy for anyone to create their ultimate personal productivity app – right on their iPad,†said Ryan Rosenberg, vice president, marketing and services, FileMaker, Inc.

Click here to download Bento 4 for the special introductory price of $4.99 until July 31: Bento 4 for iPad - Personal Database for iPad on the iTunes App Store

Source: FileMaker

 

[twerppoet]

I've been playing with it. The app is much improved. Many of the features that were on the OS X version are now on the iPad. The new table view and spreadsheet like functions, though limited, are very useful. It's practically a new app, which is why I'm not grumbling about paying the introductory price to upgrade. Hey, they worked hard on this. It's money well earned.

That said;

The inclusion of the ability to export cvs files by email goes a far way towards making it more of a stand alone app.You can also import cvs files by emailing them to yourself and using Open In... in the Mail app.

But:

The CVS export's most useful feature will be the ability to export selected data to other apps; for use in tables, spreadsheets, etc. A big boost towards making Bento more productive. And, of course, it will be nice to be able to import from other sources. I'm mainly thinking of spreadsheets that have been pretending to be databases.

Unfortunately this method can neither import nor export media; no video, audio, or pictures will make the jump; and of course your themes and forms are lost.

That leaves you with two kinds of backups. One, the iPad's backup. It's all or nothing approach means you'll have to restore the entire iPad from a backup if you lose your Bento data.

The other is if you have a Mac and can run the OS X version of Bento 4.1 (also on sale). You can wirelessly sync up to two iOS devices. As a companion app Bento 4 really shines.

I'd like to seem more improvements to backing up your data. A database is all about the data. If Bento is going to be the best standalone solution on the iPad it needs a more robust way to protect that data.

 

[AQ_OC]

I picked up the Bento 4 for IPad yesterday, as I can foresee a million uses for such an app. I was a bit concerned about some of the review of the app not syncing well with the OS X version, though. I'm hoping since I'm starting fresh that I won't suffer any issues with compatibility with older versions.

So how much is the Bento for Mac 4.1 version?

 

[Sonia ferdous]

Looks beautiful. They have made the interface pretty indeed.. But I think I should wait for more reviews to come in. Then I will try.

 

[twerppoet]

I picked up the Bento 4 for IPad yesterday, as I can foresee a million uses for such an app. I was a bit concerned about some of the review of the app not syncing well with the OS X version, though. I'm hoping since I'm starting fresh that I won't suffer any issues with compatibility with older versions.

So how much is the Bento for Mac 4.1 version?

On sale till the 31st for $29.00.

I had a brief problem with the iPhone version syncing (after I messed up) and had to delete and reinstall he app. No problem with the iPad, well, except I unthinkingly deleted one of my databases on the iPad and watched if faithfully delete the database from the commuter the next sync. You could say it's proof that it does work.

Lesson learned. If you want the database off the iPad, turn it off in the OSX settings.

 

[AQ_OC]

On sale till the 31st for $29.00.

I had a brief problem with the iPhone version syncing (after I messed up) and had to delete and reinstall he app. No problem with the iPad, well, except I unthinkingly deleted one of my databases on the iPad and watched if faithfully delete the database from the commuter the next sync. You could say it's proof that it does work.

Lesson learned. If you want the database off the iPad, turn it off in the OSX settings.

Kinda pricey at $30. $5 goes down a lot easier.

 

[skimonkey]

Thanks, Guys for all the great posts here. I am curious about Bento and thinking that some of the functions that it does might be useful for me as well. Will keep watching this thread for others comments.

 

[twerppoet]

Kinda pricey at $30. $5 goes down a lot easier.

Amazing how quickly the App Store changed our perspective on prices. $30 was, and still is, a decent price for good application on a computer. Understand that Bento on OS X is a much more powerful program. Think of it as MS Office vs QuickOffice.

 

[twerppoet]

On sale till the 31st for $29.00.

Correction. That would be until July 31. Sorry.

 

[AQ_OC]

Amazing how quickly the App Store changed our perspective on prices. $30 was, and still is, a decent price for good application on a computer. Understand that Bento on OS X is a much more powerful program. Think of it as MS Office vs QuickOffice.

You are correct about the price thing...it is just that I'm not a real OS X user...even though I have a MBA. I'm use to spending money on apps for iOS and Android, and even on Win7 (I get the bread&butter apps from work), but OS X (heck, I got office from work for it too!)? iBooks Author is free...so while $30 is a good price....I'm not convinced I will do much on this MBA other than work with iBooks. But...I can still see some possibilities.....they are brewing in the back of my mind...Luckily, I still have some time to think on it.

 

[twerppoet]

Yep, plenty of time. And if you are actually trying to talk yourself into it, give their template exchange a visit. Lots of ideas there.

That said, I often have great ideas for Bento, but I'm seldom willing to do the work needed to make them a reality. Not the design part, that is kind of fun; but the actually data entry part tends to call up my inner procrastinator.

 

[Bosvaark]

Question is ? Is it better than the earlier version, Was not impressed with the previous version, it could not synch to a windows pc, had no way of backing up, it looked pretty , but found handbase app to be tons better.

 

[twerppoet]

The backup options are still very limited for Windows users. You are backed up in iCloud or iTunes, of course, but since that's an all or nothing restore it's not a good solution. You can export csv files in email, but since that does not preserver your forms or media (if you have any) it also lacks goodness.

But the other feature updates are a huge improvement. Table view, split view, basic stat functions, full screen mode, and a half a dozen other little improvement make it far more functional than the older app. It is in some ways a brand new app. My favorite is combining full screen mode with split view.

Here is a screen shot of the Key Log app I set up. Took me about an hour to create and populate using just the iPad and iPhone. Why did I need the iPhone? That's the nice textured background the keys are sitting on; my iPhone's case.



Because I have Bento on the Mac, I can keep this synced with my iPhone as well. It does not look as nice there, but I'm more likely to need it on the iPhone.

So, iPad for creating simple apps and mobile data entry. The OS X version for adding more features (many of which will work on the iPad, even if you can't create them there), backing up your data, and then syncing to the iPhone version for basic access where ever you need it.


I find this painful to say, because other than lacking a good stand alone backup solution the app is terrific. But data is the whole point of a database, and securing your data is vital.

So; recommendation remains the same as it has in the past. Pass on Bento unless you either have the Mac version, or intend to stick to simple (no media) databases and are fine with only saving the basic data.

 

[PatriciaF]

I just downloaded Bento.. I use it on my iPad2 but do not have a Mac computer. Soooo I was wondering can anyone tell me what app or how to get a calendar on that thing? I hate using a separate calendar but at this point I have no choice. Any advice or information would be greatly appreciated. Thank you all, Patricia

 

[Bosvaark]

The backup options are still very limited for Windows users. You are backed up in iCloud or iTunes, of course, but since that's an all or nothing restore it's not a good solution. You can export csv files in email, but since that does not preserver your forms or media (if you have any) it also lacks goodness.

But the other feature updates are a huge improvement. Table view, split view, basic stat functions, full screen mode, and a half a dozen other little improvement make it far more functional than the older app. It is in some ways a brand new app. My favorite is combining full screen mode with split view.

Here is a screen shot of the Key Log app I set up. Took me about an hour to create and populate using just the iPad and iPhone. Why did I need the iPhone? That's the nice textured background the keys are sitting on; my iPhone's case.

<img src="http://www.ipadforums.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=18650"/>

Because I have Bento on the Mac, I can keep this synced with my iPhone as well. It does not look as nice there, but I'm more likely to need it on the iPhone.

So, iPad for creating simple apps and mobile data entry. The OS X version for adding more features (many of which will work on the iPad, even if you can't create them there), backing up your data, and then syncing to the iPhone version for basic access where ever you need it.

I find this painful to say, because other than lacking a good stand alone backup solution the app is terrific. But data is the whole point of a database, and securing your data is vital.

So; recommendation remains the same as it has in the past. Pass on Bento unless you either have the Mac version, or intend to stick to simple (no media) databases and are fine with only saving the basic data.

Thanks I really appreciate the feedback on the new version -