FileMaker Go launches today for iPad and iPhone

Aqua Connect Joins the FileMaker Developer Conference to Exhibit Their Enhanced Remote Access Solutions
Industry-Trusted FileMaker Solution Allows Organizations to Increase Remote Access Speeds to Databases with Mac Terminal Services

Los Angeles, CA – August 11, 2010 - Aqua Connect, Inc., the provider of the only enterprise grade Mac terminal server, today announced that they will be joining the FileMaker Developer’s Conference as an exhibitor in San Diego from August 15-18.
This year marks the first time Aqua Connect will be demonstrating their unique solutions to increase the performance of FileMaker for remote users. Querying a large database on FileMaker Server sends the full records across the network. Aqua Connect Terminal Server allows you to edit and manipulate databases without sending all of the data over the network- increasing productivity, access speed, security and ease-of-use.
“Aqua Connect has always worked closely with the FileMaker community and user base,” said Renee Mehrian, Executive VP of Aqua Connect. “Our goal is to continue to improve the FileMaker experience through the added benefits of Mac terminal services.”
Aqua Connect will be demonstrating the latest release of the Aqua Connect Terminal Server 3.5. The Aqua Connect Terminal Server delivers Macintosh OS X desktops to PCs, thin clients, legacy Macs and smartphones. Aqua Connect allows FileMaker Pro to be deployed to PCs and even the iPad.
“Aqua Connect expands the capabilities of FileMaker Pro and FileMaker Server especially in lower bandwidth situations. FileMaker, Inc’s Volume Licensing Agreement program makes it easy to link FileMaker Server to Aqua Connect for robust remote connectivity,” said Steven H. Blackwell, President and CEO of Management Counseling Services, a FileMaker Business Alliance Platinum Partner and well-known FileMaker security and server expert. “Aqua Connect’s presence at the developer conference is a welcome addition to the community.”
FileMaker Devcon takes places August 15-18 at the Sheraton San Diego Hotel & Marina. The four-day conference includes over 80 sessions and 30 exhibitors. Aqua Connect demonstrations and representatives will be available at booth #28.

About Aqua Connect Inc.

Aqua Connect Inc., is the leader in enterprise-grade Mac terminal services software. With Aqua Connect Terminal Server organizations can reduce energy consumption while increasing security and decreasing deployment costs. Aqua Connect's development team has formidable experience with Mac, PC, Linux and UNIX platforms with expertise in several application and technology categories.


Follow Aqua Connect on Twitter: @AquaConnect

Facebook: Facebook/Aqua Connect

Press Contact: ronnieexley@aquaconnect.net

Sad thing is that I have a solution ready for Filemaker Go with high-rez images in containers that look amazing on the iPad, hence will look amazing on the Retina Displays as well, but no iPhone4s to demo them on and even if I did demo, they way things are no iPhone4s to fulfill the needs of the customer... So they'll get some mobile solution which involves Citrix Receivers on Windows to do the same thing... Oh well!

Those of us in the FileMaker community have been waiting for this since the iPhone came out. FileMaker has done an amazing job with this product; with no additional work you can have your FileMaker file running over a 3G connection. The possibilities are endless! FMTouch requires an entirely different development cycle and effort. While I love the guys at FMWebschool and applaud them for their efforts, I can't imagine why anyone would consider developing with it now.

This is an extraordinary bargain! I full fledged FileMaker client on your iPhone or iPad. The limitations are the obvious stuff:
- Script steps that access the filesystem (e.g. Finder) are unavailable
- Likewise, printing, importing and exporting are not supported
- Scripts that run AppleScripts, unavailable
- No custom menus (there's no menu)
- No preview mode
- Can not host a file
- No saving or sending records as Excel, PDF
- No charting

There are others, those are examples. I saw obvious, because the limitations are those of the platform. That I can access an a FileMaker database, unaltered, on my iPhone is incredible. Full support for tabs, portals, almost every script step functions.

You can access a file live over wi-fi or 3G; you aren't syncing, because it's a live connection. Otherwise you can sync the file using iTune to use the database offline, then sync the changes when you reconnect with iTunes.

I'm a FileMaker Certified Developer, and have tested this with a number of my clients' hosted files; some really complex solutions. I was surprised to see layouts with multiple portals, tabs, and transparent gradients render perfectly. It appears that conditional formatting is working. I've not yet tested with a file using script triggers.

Looks wonderful on the retina display, though these are files not intended for a screen the size of the iPhone's; lots of zooming in and panning. I will likely tailor iPhone specific layouts that won't require the zooming.

Existing alternatives up till now:
• FMTouch - really a fantastic product; but, buggy and a steep learning curve to set up. I'd use it for myself, but never recommend it to a client.
• FileMaker Instant Web Publishing (IWP) - click a check-box, and walla, FileMaker reproduces your layouts as webpages accessible from most modern web browsers with javascript enabled... including Mobile Safari. Lots of trade-offs though; you get a subset of FileMaker's capabilities.
• FileMaker Custom Web Publishing - using PHP, custom sites are built using calls specific to the iPhone, reproducing the iPhone's interface. Same trade-offs as using IWP, but a more elegant result. Up till now, this has been my chosen avenue.

NOW, we have a fully native, uncompromising (ok, very little compromising) FileMaker client on our iPhone/iPad.

I'm disappointed that the [replace field contents] script step is not supported. I hope that in subsequent updates we'll see Preview mode, send/save as PDF, and charting.

FMTouch already supports "picture containers" from the camera or photo library. You can also "sign" a signature field with your fingertip.

From what I have read it appears FileMaker GO does NOT support this.

I use FMTouch and it works very well, certainly syncs which is absolutely critical for me.
It cannot create databases either, but that's less of a concern for me.
The database in an XML file that syncs with the iDevice, and is operated locally on the device.
FMTouch seems like a bargain at $10 (altho I bought it after 2nd price drop from $90(!)

Looks pretty decent. Annoying they didn't just make a universal app though.

Pretty pricey.

Great news! Limitless possibilities for businesses that now rely on Filemaker for their database needs. Biggest question is... can you PRINT from it???