I'm a long time user of FileMaker Pro. However, lately it seems that my needs for the power of FileMaker Pro have lessened in my day to day world. Don't get me wrong, I still use FileMaker Pro for all the heavy lifting of managing the database for my Mac users group (MacGroup-Detroit, Inc.), but personally for smaller projects Bento is great.
Create and Manage Databases on the go
I must admit that when I first heard about Bento for the iPhone and iPod touch I assumed that it would merely be a syncing tool to compliment the desktop version of Bento (which I've reviewed here today). Boy was I wrong! This is a stand alone app that has the same elegance and easy of use as the Mac desktop product. Of course it will sync with the Desktop version, but it also stands alone.
Create a Library (Database) from Scratch
The beauty of Bento is that you have a variety of templates to use right in the app. So you can setup a new database within a couple of taps and begin to enter your database. Having a mobile database is very handy for things like an inventory so that you can be out where the items are in your home or business and catalog them on the spot. You can even have multiple Libraries in the app. So you can use it to keep track of all kinds of things.
Create new fields or edit the ones that are there
I love the fact that you're not locked into the template. You can add or change it anyway you need to fit your needs. If the template you chose doesn't have a field you need, simply add it and you can immediately start entering data into it. If it has one that you'll never use you can delete it.
You can use your media too
I'm a visual guy so it's important to me to have the ability to use a picture. So if you're using this on an iPhone you can use the app to take a picture and bring it right into your record's "media" field. Again great for my home inventory application! If you're on a touch you can of course choose pictures from your Library. Although it says it supports movies too, I haven't been able to get a movie to come up as a selection. I recorded a 2 second clip on my 3GS and although it was in the Camera Roll it wouldn't show up in the app. Also when using the capture feature from within the app, the video camera is not a choice. So I'm not sure if this feature is fully baked yet, but pictures work fine.
Also it's one picture per field, but that's the way I would expect it to work. If you want multiple pictures for a record then you simply setup multiple fields.
Day to day use
Once you have your Library setup, then it's just a matter of entering/changing records and searching for things you need when you want to look something up. Once you find the records you want you can also sort them. That's about it. There is no reporting, printing etc. However, you can email media from the Library out to others (oddly not the record itself though).
Sync with the Desktop Version (optional)
Now of course when you two products of the same name, you would expect them to work together and they do! Just fire up Bento on your Mac and Bento on your iPhone/iPod touch and tap the Sync/Setup button. It will generate a 4 digit pin for you to enter on your Mac to pair it with your device.
Once you have the syncing setup you can sync changes in either direction whenever you want. So record you enter/update in either place will be sync'd to the device/Mac. Like I said though, Bento for iPhone is a stand alone product. Syncing is NOT required. If you have a Mac though, it makes total sense to go with Bento on your desktop too. You can get it here on sale.
Room for improvement
Although Bento does exactly what It's supposed to do, entering massive amounts of data on a mobile device can be tedious. This of course is not the fault of the app itself, but that doesn't mean that the app couldn't offer things to make life a little easier for input. The first thing that comes to mind in this area would be a barcode scanning feature. Like the one in RedLaser. If I could scan the barcodes of items as I acquire them and Bento would look up the description and such it would certainly make entering data fun. While we're at it, why not voice recognition for data entry. Dragon Dictation comes to mind. "Coffee Table", "next", "$75", "next", "New Record". etc. Granted I know that these features are complex and would probably raise the cost of the app, but how cool would it be to have them? I would also like to either have the Media field fixed or find out what I'm doing wrong with it?
The Bottom Line
Bento is an elegant solution for your personal database needs. If you're a Mac user you have the added benefit of syncing with the desktop version. Even if you aren't a Mac user or Bento desktop user this is a great app to have on your device. You can get Bento here from the App Store:
Bento
Use Bento to create and manage databases right on your iPhone or iPod touch. It also syncs with Bento for the Mac making it a great tool to take your data with you.
- Filemaker, Inc.
- Get on App Store
- $4.99
All info was collected on 11th January, 2010 when the app was reviewed.
About Terry White
Terry is the co-author of The Best Selling "The iPhone Book" 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th editions. He has been active in the industry for over 25 years and is the founder and president of MacGroup-Detroit, Inc., Michigan's largest Macintosh Users Group, host of the Adobe Creative Suite Podcast and a technology writer - Terry White Tech Blog.
I purchased Bento from your recommendation some months ago and I like it. Yeah it's cheap too but what I don't like is the requirement to pay the almost 50 dollars desktop version of Bento 3 for backuping the data!
I found out this recently when my iPhone didn't keep the signal and was send to repair. When I got it back it was changed for new refurbished one and I recovered my iPhone data via iTunes but what didn't recover was the data in Bento and what I understood there is no way to backup unless with desktop version Bento.
Come on FileMaker, it's quite unfair to say Bento on iPhone is standalone on the go version of Bento if users are required to pay almost 50 dollars to be able to backup their data.
I purchased Bento from your recommendation some months ago and I like it. Yeah it's cheap too but what I don't like is the requirement to pay the almost 50 dollars desktop version of Bento 3 for backuping the data!
I found out this recently when my iPhone didn't keep the signal and was send to repair. When I got it back it was changed for new refurbished one and I recovered my iPhone data via iTunes but what didn't recover was the data in Bento and what I understood there is no way to backup unless with desktop version Bento.
Come on FileMaker, it's quite unfair to say Bento on iPhone is standalone on the go version of Bento if users are required to pay extra 49 dollars for desktop version to be able to backup their data. This should be able right out of the box.
One feature that Filemaker has delayed adding to Bento is the ability to reorder the tabbing between fields. This also translates to the iPhone version. Currently, the tab key cycles between fields based upon the original order of adding the fields to the database. If you add a new field later on, or change the layout of the fields, the tab order remains the same. I think we all hoped Bento 3 would have this feature, but it wasn't so. That said, I would not give up Bento for the iPhone; it's a great app as you have said.
1Password Pro. I hate using the same password over and over again, but find it difficult to remember dozens of different passwords. By storing dozens of different passwords in one convenient location, this app has saved me hours of time and frustration. Thank you for recommending it.
My favorite app is MotionX-GPS. It tracks my walks and I can use the data to geotag my photos.
I Bird Canada. I can bring birds to my feeder with this ap on my ipod touch 2.
I cant purchase on US Itunes though.
I've never seen so many highly rated apps. You have obviously done your research, seeing that each of the apps that I've used are highly reviewed. I'm super impressed with Battleship. As a kid I imagined ships blowing up and this app really illustrates what I've always imagined. Great review and video, if it wasn't for this review I may have never seen it.
I've never seen so many highly rated apps. You have obviously done your research, seeing that each of the apps that I've used are highly reviewed. I'm super impressed with Battleship though. As a kid I used to imagine ships blowing up and with this app it really brings to life what I have always imagined. If it wasn't for this review I may have never seen it! Great Review!
Thanks much!
Terry,
I'm looking for an app that will allow multiple users to log individuals who sign up for a class that we teach. Do you know of an app that will allow multiple users to enter in information for people who sign up for our classes.
Thanks for your help,
Cody
In a case like that you probably want something web based or even FileMaker Pro on the web and then use your iPhone(s) to add records from each user at the same time.
Thanks for all your help I will check those out.
i love the app UYH – use your handwriting to do list. I just upgraded to the Gold version. This is the easiest to do list because you just write with your finger – no more typing.