FileMaker Announces FileMaker Go For iPhone, iPad
Apple subsidiary FileMaker today announced FileMaker Go -- two apps for the Apple iPhone/iPod Touch and iPad. Ryan Rosenberg, vice president of marketing and services for FileMaker, Inc, told CRN that the FileMaker Go apps can run "unmodified" FileMaker databases in terms of searching, displaying, editing and updating data. The apps also take advantage of common iPhone/iPad features such as rotating, zooming and 'swiping' between pages.
"We're doing it all in the context of someone who doesn't have to be an advanced user," Rosenberg explained.
FileMaker Go can access databases served over the Internet via Wi-Fi or 3G wireless networks, as well as transfer databases directly to the client device. Updates are shared between client and hosts in real time. With FileMaker Server as intermediary, FileMaker Go can also act as a front end to enterprise SQL databases. (Some desktop and server features, including printing and database authoring and management, are unavailable in the "Go" versions.)
"We are genuinely excited about the ways FileMaker Go caters to mobile users who need remote interaction with their data,” Rosenberg added in a statement.
Filemaker's most recent upgrade, FileMaker Pro 11, launched this past March. New features included charting capabilities and improved data sharing and authoring functions.
FileMaker's move is a long-anticipated one and continues the trend of putting more powerful business tools on mobile clients. Competitor Salesforce.com, for instance, announced it's own Salesforce Mobile for the iPad in May.
FileMaker Go is available in the iTunes App Store for $19.99 for the iPhone version and $39.99 for iPad. FileMaker will also be adding sessions on FileMaker Go to its Developer Conference next month in San Diego.