Filemaker, an Apple subsidiary, has now brought its signature database solution to iOS devices. Filemaker Go, a new app for the iPhone, and Filemaker Go for iPad can run databases locally or act as a client to Filemaker databases that are hosted on the desktop or server version of Filemaker Pro. Filemaker devotees should be thrilled with the ability to run existing databases without modification on their iPhone or iPad.
Filemaker Go is not meant to create database solutions on its own, but rather to access and update an existing database. You still need to create the database schema and design the layouts on the desktop application Filemaker Pro and then move them to your iPhone or iPad. You can load the databases by transferring them in iTunes, emailing them as an attachment to an account that is set up on your device, or by clicking a web link to download the file directly. If you run the database locally, you can transfer it back to your desktop computer via iTunes. Filemaker Go can also access a database over the network and thus makes a fantastic mobile client to a hosted, multi-user solution.
In the demonstration that I saw last week, Filemaker Go performed like a champ when opening desktop databases. By using pinch and zoom and smart zoom on input fields, it was actually pretty easy to use existing database without any modifications. The controls have been adapted to iOS in a really smart way so that the touch UI works very well on existing layouts.

Scripts run on Filemaker Go without modification. There are a few functions from the desktop application that are not available in Filemaker Go. Some are obvious, like printing script steps that just will not work on an iPhone or iPad. There are a few other features like charts and snapshot links (both introduced in Filemaker 11) that have not made their way into the Filemaker Go app yet. You can find more details in the Filemaker Go Development Guide.
[inline-ad align=”right”]I am really excited about the potential of Filemaker Go. The only downside for me is the decision to split the app into an iPhone version and an iPad version. The higher price for the iPad version is tough to accept when there is no difference in functionality. I would have much preferred a universal app that I could buy once and use on both my iPhone and my iPad. That said, even the $40 for the iPad version, while high for an app, seems very reasonable for a great mobile client for Filemaker when you compare it to the cost of a desktop license.
Filemaker Go requires iOS 4.0 or higher on the iPhone. Filemaker Go for iPad requires iOS 3.2 or better. Because the file format has not changed since Filemaker 7, Filemaker Go can run databases created on any version of Filemaker from 7 on up to the current 11. You will need Filemaker 10 or 11 to host a network database that can be used by Filemaker Go. Filemaker Go and Filemaker Go for iPad are available today for $19.99 and $39.99 respectively.
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