Hi Esther, Courtney and All, I haven't purchased the new iPad App, but I've been following the unfolding Bento 4 for iPad story a as time allows. I like the idea of making a version of Bento that can truly stand on it's own on the iPad, but it sounds like there's a lot of confusion happening with the various versions and sync options right now.
What really has me scratching my head is the move by FM to disconnect the Mac/IOS addressbook/contacts & ical/calendar databases in this new version of the iPad App and, apparently, from all future versions of the Mac and iPhone Apps also. The ability to view and manage those databases in a straightforward tabular format in Bento is one of Bento's strengths. Since the folks at FM are trying to pass off this new iPad version as a full fledged standalone database, I would think the ability to interact with the iPad's cal and contacts databases would be a no-brainer. Bento for Mac has long provided a way to view and manage those databases in a siple tabular format. It also provides the ability to do a mass import of csv data into those databases, which is useful given the weak import options included in Lion's ical and address book. Aside from that gripe, I haven't bothered to look further into the new iPad version as I made very little use of the previous ipad version. That one had a few accessibility glitches including a sync PIN that was invisible to VO last time I checked, but the real reason it gathered dust is because I was perfectly happy using the Mac & iPhone versions. Here's a File Maker KB article updated today that attempts to explain the current status of how the various Bento products handle the iCal/Calendar/Contacts/AddressBook databases. http://help.filemaker.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/10702 I did update to the new Bento 4.1.1 and the iPhone 1.2.1 and they both seem to be working fine alone and together so far. Fingers crossed. Cheers, Bryan On Jun 22, 2012, at 5:40 PM, Esther wrote: > Hi All, > > I know that some list members use Bento, and that Bryan (and perhaps others) > use the iOS version of Bento. Bento 4 for the Mac is being featured at an > introductory price of $29.99 through July 31, 2012 (vs. the regular $49.99 > price) on the Mac App store. I looked at the iOS apps, and there is both > Bento for iphone ($4.99) and Bento 4 for iPad (also $4.99, but apparently > also an introductory price reduced from $9.99, good through July 31, 2012). > However, the app (at least the new Bento 4 for iPad app) has been getting > very bad reviews, apparently because the previous Bento app is no longer > compatible with the Bento 4.1 release, and most iPad users (who paid $9.99 > for the previous app) are upset that they now have to purchase both a > completely new app called Bento 4, in order to use this compatibly with the > current Bento for Mac release. > > I'm paraphrasing the comments that I've been reading through. I was > wondering whether any list users who have the app on their Mac, and also any > of the iOS versions, can comment on this? The previous posts about Bento > have been complimentary enough that I might get this database app. However, > I'm extremely confused about the compatibility with the different iOS > versions of the apps. For example, the iPhone version is still named Bento > (not Bento 4), has apparently had a recent update, and does not show the same > comments that are cropping up in the (on sale) Bento 4 for iPad app. But is > it compatible with the current Bento 4.1 Mac release? The comments on the > Bento 4 for iPad app state that this new app was issued specifically to make > users buy another app again in order to have compatibility with their Mac > Bento releases. This is all very confusing, and I'd appreciate any comments > from users of these products in their most recent versions. > > Thanks, > > Esther > <--- Mac Access At Mac Access Dot Net ---> > > To reply to this post, please address your message to > [email protected] > > You can find an archive of all messages posted to the Mac-Access forum at > either the list's own dedicated web archive: > <http://mail.tft-bbs.co.uk/pipermail/mac-access/index.html> > or at the public Mail Archive: > <http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/>. > Subscribe to the list's RSS feed from: > <http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/maillist.xml> > > The Mac-Access mailing list is guaranteed malware, spyware, Trojan, virus and > worm-free! > > Please remember to update your membership options periodically by visiting > the list website at: > <http://mail.tft-bbs.co.uk/mailman/listinfo/mac-access/options/> <--- Mac Access At Mac Access Dot Net ---> To reply to this post, please address your message to [email protected] You can find an archive of all messages posted to the Mac-Access forum at either the list's own dedicated web archive: <http://mail.tft-bbs.co.uk/pipermail/mac-access/index.html> or at the public Mail Archive: <http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/>. 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