Another thing that is nice about Bento, but something I could not test out (I hate Macs), is the fact that you can sync it to your Mac computer. Filemaker also makes versions of the software for Macs, and so you can use it there. This allows you to create databases with a mouse and a keyboard, which is far easier. It also allows you to use your pre-existing information on your iPhone. To make all syncing easy, any time you make a change on either device, it alters the information on the other. Though this feature is not useful for all iPhone or iPod Touch users, it is great for any that also have a Mac.
The layout and UI of Bento is yet another thing that amazes me. The application feels like it was built by Apple themselves, and it is perfect for the user. Everything is easy to find, nothing is hidden, and editing is a breeze. The touch controls worked flawlessly every time I used the phone, and everything responded well. To move about, you scroll through images similarly to how Coverflow works in iTunes. This is really cool, and works perfectly.
I know, I know, you are hating the fact that I am talking wonders about Bento. What about the problems, you ask. Well, there is one problem – I can not sync it to my Windows computer. While this is not a problem with the application itself (which is why it doesn’t effect the score), I have an issue with this fact. Windows users make up 80+% of the computer population, so ignoring them is not that smart. I really want to be able to create databases in Vista, then move them over. This is something that I hope Filemaker works on, and something that I expect to see in the future.
Overall, I believe that Bento for the iPhone is one of the best apps out there. I use it everyday, and the application is really great at keeping my life in order. The UI and feel is perfect, and everything is flawless. Even the price is great; $4.99 to keep your life running smoothly is well worth it. I truly believe that if you purchased Bento your life would be far easier, and far better. What are you waiting for, grab it today!
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