"Go" and get it!

[Ocean West]

FileMaker Has just released FileMaker Go for the iPhone/iPod Touch (19.95) and iPad (39.95)

http://www.filemaker.com

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/filemaker-go/id379686220?mt=8

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/filemaker-go-for-ipad/id379690325?mt=8

http://www.filemaker.com/support/product/docs/filemaker-go/fmgo_development.pdf

FileMaker Unveils New FileMaker Go for iPhone and FileMaker Go for iPad

Available now on the App Store, FileMaker Go delivers live access to hosted FileMaker Pro databases, and lets users copy desktop databases to iPhone or iPad

SANTA CLARA, Calif. – July 20, 2010 – FileMaker, Inc. today announced FileMaker Go for iPhone (http://www.filemaker.com/fm_go_iphone_pr) and FileMaker Go for iPad,(http://www.filemaker.com/fm_go_ipad_pr) the highly anticipated new Apps now available from the iTunes App Store which let users work remotely with FileMaker Pro (http://www.filemaker.com/products/filemaker-pro/?nav=products-pro) databases on iPhone or iPad. With FileMaker Go – available as two separate apps for iPhone or iPad – users can easily view, edit and search for information in FileMaker databases on their iPhone or iPad.

Ideal for mobile teams, FileMaker Go provides access to databases created with FileMaker Pro and hosted on FileMaker Server or FileMaker Pro. FileMaker Go can access databases residing on a Mac or PC using a local wireless network or over the Internet via Wi-Fi or 3G. All changes are instantly updated in the hosted file.

FileMaker Go users can also copy databases between their desktop or laptop computers and FileMaker Go via File Sharing in iTunes, perfect for single user databases. Databases may also be downloaded by email, popular file sharing sites, or the web.

“Imagine being able to check inventory levels, update the status of a project or add a new customer contact and share it with your remote sales team – just a few of the many workgroup tasks made easy with FileMaker Go for iPhone or iPad,” said Ryan Rosenberg, vice president of marketing and services for FileMaker, Inc. “We are genuinely excited about the ways FileMaker Go caters to mobile users who need remote interaction with their data.”

FileMaker Go makes it easy to add, modify, or delete data; find, sort and navigate through records; open new windows; and switch between layouts. Many popular FileMaker Pro features are supported on FileMaker Go, including Tab controls, Quick Find, Web Viewers, External SQL Data Sources, containers, portals and even most scripts.

The new Apps work in both portrait and landscape views, automatically switching as necessary. FileMaker Go also allows users to search, modify and sort records using touch gestures – simply pinch, swipe, rotate and zoom to manage data. Existing FileMaker Pro layouts look amazing on the large iPad display screen – no modification is necessary for most solutions.

Praise from independent FileMaker developers

“We expect immediate adoption of FileMaker Go by outside sales teams, housing inspectors, warehouse inventory managers, and event planners among others,” said Richard Carlton, president, Richard Carlton Consulting, Inc. (http://www.rcconsulting.com/index.html)

“It’s stunning how well FileMaker Go on the iPad and iPhone ‘just works!’ ” said Scott Love, Chief Operating Officer, Soliant Consulting (http://www.soliantconsulting.com). “By extending beyond the Mac and PC and onto the iPad and iPhone platforms, FileMaker continues to deliver an unbeatable ROI for our clients.”

Availability, Pricing, and Compatibility

FileMaker Go is available now from the App Store. FileMaker Go for iPhone and iPod touch (running IOS 4) is $19.99 and FileMaker Go for iPad (running IOS 3.2) is $39.99. Additional details are available at http://www.filemaker.com/fm_go_pr. Compatibility information for both FileMaker Go for iPhone and FileMaker Go for iPad can be found on the iTunes store.

About FileMaker, Inc.

FileMaker (http://www.filemaker.com) is the leader in easy-to-use database software. Millions of people, from individuals to some of the world's largest companies, rely on FileMaker software to manage, analyze and share essential information. The company's products are the FileMaker Pro line - versatile database software for teams and organizations, for Windows, Mac, iPhone, iPad and the web - and Bento, the personal database for Mac, iPhone and iPad. FileMaker, Inc. is a subsidiary of Apple.

Customer contact:

800-325-2747

http://www.filemaker.com

FileMaker Go Videos:

FileMaker Go for iPhone:

http://fmdl.filemaker.com/MISC/filemaker_go/fm_go_iphone_two_minutes_600x400_en.mov

FileMaker Go for iPad:

http://fmdl.filemaker.com/MISC/filemaker_go/fm_go_ipad_two_minutes_600x400_en.mov

Copyright © 2010 FileMaker, Inc. All rights reserved. FileMaker and Bento are trademarks of FileMaker, Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

Edited July 20, 2010 by Guest

[Vaughan]

Frak!

[comment]

Ah, a thin client at last. It would be nice if they made one for the desktop too.

[Fitch]

And here I just downgraded my iPod Touch to iOS 3.

This looks really promising, and it's great to see you can use it without connecting to a server.

[Greg O'Connor]

Great Stuff, FileMaker|

[sky]

Does look great!

Biggest limitation I can see at the moment though is the inability to export PDF or Excel from within the app... Ideally, would be great to be able to save a record as a good quality PDF and then be able to email it... I'm thinking things like Invoices, Contracts, etc... Then the hand-held office will really work! Please please may it come in future update....

For now though, I guess a workaround would be to use a server hosted database and have a sort of queue system with a scheduled script running on the server to pick up 'waiting' records/documents and have it process and email them from there... oops, no that wouldn't work either - Server cannot export PDF or Excel either... Hmm, maybe could work fine just using regular FileMaker client with an OnTimer Script running... ho-hum...

Still, it's brilliant that FileMaker have made good strides with this...

Edited July 20, 2010 by Guest

[Aussie John]

Well that's a home run.

Seems to work a treat!!!!

Edited July 20, 2010 by Guest

[jonnyt]

One big thing for me is Syncing.

In the UK we have patchy 3G coverage.

If the product had the ability to do some sort of active sync and merge/sync records only when it has a 3G connection that would make it a product that can be used on a business level across the country.

Im assuming at the moment it would just display "cannot connect to server"??

I would love to know I was wrong!

[Ocean West]

The folks at Soliant Consulting have developed a ToolKit for FMG

http://www.soliantconsulting.com/gotoolkit/

[JerrySalem]

Any idea why the iPad version costs more that the regular iPod/iPhone version? I didn't see any enhanced functionality in the iPad version.

It has to make more pixels, so it cost more

Jerry

[bruceR]

Pricing. Maybe it's because the iPad version uses an antique OS? Or maybe - just because they can (or think they can).

[Jason Tallman]

Maybe because its Filemaker and this is what they do....

[Osman]

Ah, a thin client at last. It would be nice if they made one for the desktop too.

+1

[supernatural]

Tested on v11. The chart does not show up

[Vaughan]

I look at it this way: if there was a thin client then FMP Advanced would be the "fat" client: where would that leave normal FM Pro? I reckon it'd be dropped.

We'd end up with less, not more.

[El_Pablo]

A massive hurdle for FM is the steep price for licenses.

Most business sees MS Access as more convenient because it's more popular or MSSQL/MySQL as cheaper since there is no license fees for small business. They don't see the development cost.

If FM could sell a real thin client such as FMGo, I guess the volume sales would make FM way more popular. Let say, instead of having only less 1% of the market, they might get way more.

Many software are offered with multiple license schemes, eg. iMacros, Office, etc. Pay for what you need.

A nice license scheme would be FM Go for desktop, FM Pro for non-developer and FM Pro Advanced for developer.

Anyway, FM Go is a nice start!

[JerrySalem]

In my experience, the cost of development of a solution far exceeds the cost of licensing the client software.

A desktop thin client is not where FMP should go. If your users really need a thin client for casual use of their database, I would suggest using a PHP web interface. Open source, and there is your open source component!

[Osman]

FileMaker Go Videos:

FileMaker Go for iPhone:

http://fmdl.filemaker.com/MISC/filemaker_go/fm_go_iphone_two_minutes_600x400_en.mov

FileMaker Go for iPad:

http://fmdl.filemaker.com/MISC/filemaker_go/fm_go_ipad_two_minutes_600x400_en.mov

Link is broken.

[HazMatt]

I look at it this way: if there was a thin client then FMP Advanced would be the "fat" client: where would that leave normal FM Pro? I reckon it'd be dropped.

We'd end up with less, not more.

Well, what does the "Pro" mean in FileMaker Pro then? FM Pro Advanced is really the "pro" tool anyway, and FileMaker Pro is usually deployed to users who will never ever drop into layout mode. I think a whole lot of FileMaker customers would be OK with a true desktop thin client that does less, if the price is dropped.

On the other hand, I've gotten into the habit of installing FM Pro Advanced on EVERY client workstation (allowable with my FM license) because of the convenience of the script debugger. If one of my employees has a problem, I can step through the scripts on the spot.

As for FileMaker Go, I bought it and am playing around with it. Very cool to see FileMaker come out with this finally! I'm a bit mystified by the price difference between the iPhone and iPad versions, but the price is right otherwise.

[comment]

the cost of development of a solution far exceeds the cost of licensing the client software.

...

If your users really need a thin client for casual use of their database, I would suggest using a PHP web interface.

PHP web interface adds even more costs to the solution development. I think a thin client with roughly the same features as FMGo would be a good alternative to IWP (of which Filemaker doesn't see a dime, I might add).

[supernatural]

Fully agreed. PHP (even IWP) adds more cost to the development. Not to mention ongoing maintenance.

The Pro license adds little value to my customers because all they ever do is to remote login to the main database that I developed.

A desktop thin client like GO at much lower cost is really welcome here.

[El_Pablo]

I'm looking toward getting an iPad with FMGo, just to make some promotion of the possibilities of FM.

I must confess that I've been (and still) looking for a software that could do rapid application development like FM but on a major DBMS (SQL Server|MySQL) and haven't found one yet. That is the reason why I still stick with FM. The development time is greatly reduced compared to any other products.

[xoomaster]

Excellent work.

I love both the iphone and Ipad versions.

Thank you FM staff for coming through :)

Edited July 22, 2010 by Guest

[Himitsu]

I have been working all night on updating new layouts that work and I am really loving it. One bug I don't like is the portal scroll bar.... really a bugger to work with... does anyone know of a work around for this?

Also, run in the background has to be worked out... I fear of damage to my system when someone calls or texts me...

[Jackie Z.]

no files available :??

I went through the steps in FM to share the file... what am I doing wrong? FM Go just says (no files available).

Am I the only one with this issue?

[Himitsu]

Jackie, please tell us more about your set up... Do you have the file open on a regular Filemaker Pro software on a computer on your local network?

[Jackie Z.]

Hi.

I'm not on a FM server, I just use FM Pro 11 on my PC at work and at home. I use Dropbox to keep one file synced between the two places.

Do I need to be on an actual server to use FM Go?

[John May - Point In Space]

You can use FileMaker Pro to host your databases to FileMaker Go, which involves leaving it running with the databases open and the proper port (5003) open to the internet.

However, I would highly suggest using FileMaker Server to host your databases, as it is much more robust and is a server-class application.

You may want to consider a FileMaker Hosting provider, such as ourselves:

http://www.pointinspace.com/

We provide the FileMaker Server Advanced software, server hardware, updates, monitoring, etc. so you don't have to. Feel free to let me know if you have any questions either here or off-list to jmay(at)pointinspace.com.

- John

[John May - Point In Space]

One thing I did miss here is that you can actually just transfer your database files to your iPhone/iPad with FileMaker Go and run them directly on the device.

- John

[bruceR]

"Pro adds no value..."

Only true because nobody has stepped up to the job of providing effective training on what IS within easy reach for normal users. It is like looking at a mansion and deciding that a hammer has no use for normal people.

[jstaphse]

I noticed that I cannot connect to my laptop from my phone when my laptop is only connected to my lan via wireless.

This would probably not be the best setup for hosting anyway, but I was just tinkering with a test file. If I plug my laptop into the network, I can see the files being shared.

This may be an intentional limitation by FM.

[Himitsu]

you mean when you you click on "Open file Browser..." you can not see anything on the "Local Network Hosts"? Or do you mean that your wireless connections shuts off when you laptop is wireless?

[Vaughan]

Also, run in the background has to be worked out... I fear of damage to my system when someone calls or texts me...

My understanding is that it is a REQUIREMENT from Apple that iPhone and iPad apps instantly close/quit if the home button is pressed or the phone rings.

[windy138]

I phone n I pad are the best machine I had. Love them so much. I can live without them everyday.

[jstaphse]

This was resolved with the latest update to FMGo. Before it would only connect to the shared file if I plugged my laptop into the lan.