UI improvements

The most obvious changes to the user interface in FileMaker Pro 11 are found in Table View, where you see fields as columns and records as rows, much like you would in a spreadsheet. Table View is now the default view for new databases. As soon as you name a new database, you start defining fields right in Table View. And since you are actually working in browse mode, you can start entering data at the same time. (ProVue’s Panorama database has had this for a long time.)
As a data-modeling fanatic and notorious killjoy, I worry that FileMaker Pro 11 may have made things easier here than they should be. You can’t create a new table or define a relationship working this way. I will bet a plate of barbecued pork ribs that somebody is going to make a mess of a new database using this new user interface, since it really doesn’t require much thought. On the other hand, careful do-it-yourselfers building flat-file databases (i.e. fairly simple lists) will surely be grateful for the running start that the new interface provides. Experienced developers will probably continue to do things the old-fashioned way, using the Manage Database dialog.
Another neat enhancement to Table View: You can now quickly show or hide fields without having to edit the underlying layout, which wasn’t possible before.
FileMaker Pro 11 expands upon dynamic subsummaries, which were introduced in FileMaker Pro 10. With dynamic subsummaries you can total sorted groups of records while you continue to edit data. To set up a dynamic subsummary in FileMaker Pro 10, you had to define the summary calculation (say, count of records by state) in the Manage Database Dialog, then you had to switch into Layout Mode and use a couple of dialogs to set up the subsummary display. In FileMaker Pro 11, you can do all of this on the fly (so to speak) without leaving browse mode. You tell FileMaker Pro what you want to summarize and how (count by state, average by total sales, etc.) and FileMaker does the rest for you: creates the summary field and the subsummary layout part, and displays the results immediately. However, there is one potential gotcha—if you create a subsummary total this way, you won’t be able to format the result, so you might see “7.333334” when you would prefer to see “7.3.” For experienced developers, these changes are not a big deal, but for ordinary do-it-yourself users, they represent a real step forward.

The new Quick Find search field in the Status Toolbar looks like your Web browser’s search field or the quick search fields in many other Mac OS X apps. It simply does a quick search for records that have your find criterion in any of the fields on the current layout. When you need precision, you simply switch into Find mode and enter your find criterion in the right field, as you’ve always done in FileMaker.
Although FileMaker Pro 11 tries to make it unnecessary for you to go under the hood, you will end up in Layout Mode sooner or later. When you do, you’ll notice the new Inspector, which provides quick access to various property palettes that used to be hidden in a variety of modal dialogs. And the Manage Layouts dialog now allows you to organize layouts in folders.

Charts

Perhaps the most exciting new feature (and the top reason to upgrade) is the ability to make charts. This isn’t an entirely new capability for FileMaker Pro; earlier versions could create charts with the help of third-party plug-ins or through the use of ingenious but very complicated calculation techniques. But now charting is available to everybody and is easy to use. It took me only a couple of minutes to create and format my first chart (a bar chart) and then change it into pie chart.

Sharing data

Two nifty features in FileMaker Pro 11 relate to the exchange or sharing of data.
The new Snapshot Link saves the precise found set, layout and sort order of your current view in a FileMaker Pro Snapshot Link (.fpsl) file. You can send this little file to another user (who must have FileMaker Pro 11 and access to the database) who can open it and instantly see exactly what you were looking at.
The Snapshot Link file isn’t a true snapshot, as if you made a screen capture; nor does it save the find criteria you might have used to get the records you are looking at. It simply saves the record IDs of the records in your found set. A Snapshot Link won’t reflect records that have been added or deleted after the Snapshot Link has been created. If something has changed in a record, the record will be displayed with the new data. For these reasons, Snapshot Link seems most useful when you’re dealing with relatively stable data and you want to save customized record sets that would be hard to recover otherwise.

Snapshot Link is also a neat way to save your own found set. Say you’re planning a wedding and trying to sort out the guest list. You could create a Snapshot Link to save your mother’s preferred list, and another Snapshot Link to save your own preferred list. Here again, this functionality has been within the reach of experienced developers for a long time, but saving and retrieving found sets involved marking records or capturing record IDs and saving them in the database itself, and in either case required a little intermediate-level scripting. Snapshot Link, on the other hand, is quick and easy.

The new Recurring Imports feature was something that could be done in FileMaker Pro 10 with a little scripting, but FileMaker 11 will write the script for you in response to a couple simple questions. A Recurring Import is simply an import that occurs over and over again. You might use it, for example, to update mortgage rates daily.

For serious developers only

The emphasis in FileMaker 11 seems to be on making things easier for normal, do-it-yourself users who are not experienced developers. Nevertheless, there are a few things in FileMaker Pro 11 for experienced developers to get excited about.

The new Portal Filters option makes it fairly easy to design a portal—a list showing related “child” records. For example, if you’re looking at a record in the CLASSES table, a portal might be used to show the students enrolled in a particular class. Portal filtering allows you to filter that list of related records so that, using our example, you see only students whose current grade in the class is below a certain number.
Now this, too, is something pro developers have been doing for a long time using calc fields and/or scripts. FileMaker Pro 11 makes it easier than ever before, but it stills requires some setup and the writing of a calculation formula, and I suspect it’s still a bit beyond the reach of the average FileMaker user. Experienced developers will be most grateful for this new feature, since it eliminates much of the work they used to have to do to achieve the same result.
Other improvements found exclusively in FileMaker Pro Advanced include a modest simplification of the Custom Menus dialogs and the ability to copy/paste and/or import custom functions.
Perhaps the best news for developers in FileMaker Pro 11 is that the database file format remains .fp7, the format introduced years ago with version 7. In other words, FileMaker Pro 11 does not require you to upgrade all of your existing databases if you don’t want to do so immediately.

Macworld’s buying advice

FileMaker Pro 11 is a solid upgrade with one really exciting new feature (charts) and a whole slew of more modest but nonetheless welcome improvements. If your database needs are very simple indeed, you should consider FileMaker Inc’s consumer database product, Bento (). If you need to share a database, if you are building a relational database, or if you simply need the more advanced scripting and other features found in FileMaker Pro or FileMaker Pro Advanced, then this new version of FileMaker Pro offers Mac (and Windows) users the best combination of power and ease of use you’ll find anywhere. And if you’ve been using spreadsheets to list data because you found the spreadsheet user interface easier to understand or because you needed to chart your data, well, you really ought to take a look at FileMaker Pro 11. You might never launch a spreadsheet again.

According to eBay CEO John Donahoe, shoppers have already spent about $400 million on the popular commerce site using the company’s free iPhone application.

The number pales in comparison with eBay’s total sales figure ($59.7 billion last year), but it’s fairly significant considering the fact that the iPhone has a relatively small market share – about 15% of the smartphone segment – and mobile payment transactions are still new to many. Who would have predicted around half a billion dollar in sales a year would be recorded through the eBay iPhone app when it debuted on the App Store last year?

According to this report by the Financial Times, some wealthy people have used the mobile app to buy a Lamborghini, a Bentley and a $150,000 boat. And if Mobile Marketer heard Donahoe right when he talked numbers at a summit in Las Vegas, the Lamborghini went for $350,000. Talk about being at ease with making purchases from mobile devices.

Most likely, these are the high-profile exceptions to the rule and most people use the app to buy books, clothing and electronics much like regular eBay shoppers do. In total, approximately 4.6 million iPhone owners have downloaded and installed the app to date.

Adobe's Flash supports a large portion of the internet's rich content. And it will soon be coming to almost all smart phones, opening a world of internet possibilities. All the smart phones, that is, except one of the most popular smart phones on the market -- Apple's iPhone.

Apple remains cold and aloof about the topic of Flash. While the iPhone could easily support hardware-accelerated Flash, CEO Steve Jobs has stated in interviews that Flash is irrelevant and not something that iPhone customers have demanded. He insists the iPhone is the perfect internet phone -- even if it can't run Flash.

Adobe seems to be hoping to push Apple's customers to demand the feature with a new humorously passive aggressive browser failure message.

On the iPhone customers trying to use Flash now get a message stating:

Apple restricts the use of technologies required by products like Flash Player. Until Apple eliminates these restrictions, Adobe cannot provide Flash Player for the iPhone or iPod Touch.

Before the message merely read:

To view this content upgrade your browser and flash plug-in.

Will the new message inspire users to complain to Apple, or will it merely annoy iPhone users, making Adobe look bad? It should be interesting to see how Apple's customers react to the new, more pointed error message.

The National Basketball Association is now offering mobile phone owners the ability to watch entire live games for $40 per year.

Just a few games into the 2009-2010 NBA season, this is the first time entire games are available for streaming -- only game highlights were previously available through an official service.

There are now three methods to watch complete games in the NBA: via TV, PC, or now using a mobile phone. Initial estimates report 59M mobile phone owners have the ability to watch streaming NBA games using their mobile phones.

The coverage is available through AT&T and T-Mobile, with Verizon Wireless beginning service on November 6. Apple iPhone and Google Android phone owners have access to the streaming feature now, but RIM BlackBerry owners are expected to have streaming NBA coverage at some point in the near future.

Mobile subscribers can watch 40 live games each week while accessing game statistics and game replays. In addition, it's possible to record 30-second video clips that can be watched up to 48 hours after the game ends.

Want to use Skype to make calls when you’re out of WiFi hotspots? Imagine if you could use Skype ANYTIME, ANYWHERE by using your Rogers/Fido data plan! You can do so by following the steps below…

1. Jailbreak your iPhone (follow our guide here). If you’re on an iPhone 3GS, I’d highly suggest purchasing 3G Unrestrictor to allow Skype to work over 3G.

If you’re using an iPhone 3G, just install VoIPOver3G via Cydia, and it will automatically hack Skype to work over 3G.

2. Turn off WiFi to test the 3G capability. Launch Skype, login. Now, go try to make a call and voila! Skype over the Rogers/Fido 3G network on your iPhone! The sound quality is amazing! Listen for yourself with the Skype Test Call.

3. Now with calling over 3G, you can subscribe to Skype and pay $3 for unlimited calling to Canada/USA! AND get Caller ID for Skype!

Enjoy making calls over 3G. Don’t worry, it won’t use up your 6GB data plan unless you’re talking for 24 hours straight non-stop. Skype has been one of my favourite apps now because of this little hack. Let me know how this works for you!

Has it ever happened to you that you are so impressed with an iPhone app after reading through its reviews only to find after purchasing it that your own experience with the app is not even close to what the reviewers said?

Folks at the iPhoneography blog have now unearthed an iPhone ratings scam that has wiped off close to 1% of the entire App Store.

The reviews and ratings scam comes to light after one of the readers of the iPhoneography blog revealed that a relatively less popular iPhone app, 'NightCam Pro' had nearly 44 reviews with 5 star ratings. What's more, each of these reviewers had posted all their reviews on iPhone apps released by just a single app developer - China based Molinker Inc. The issue which was brought to the notice of Phil Schiller from Apple resulted in an immediate removal of all the 1011 iPhone apps developed by the company from the App Store.

While the removal of 1000+ apps should come as a bolt out of the blue, not many should find the scam itself surprising. Most iPhone users would have come across reviews that appear shady at least once in a while. How does this actually happen? In this particular case, it is possible that the app developer made use of the 50 promo codes that Apple offers to the developers for every approved app to create these ghost reviewers. Ironically, one of Molinker's apps, ColorMagic which had nearly 203 fake reviews was till recently on the iPhone apps front page as an App Store 'Staff Favorite'.

Every day from december 1th until december 22th there will be one iPhone game free

for 24 hours worldwide. December 23th and 24th 2010 there will be no free games but

you will find other great surprises here. Stay tuned

Google has released an entirely Web-based version of its service that works on the iPhone as well as Palm’s Pre and Pixi handsets.

Apple may still officially be “pondering” whether it should approve Google’s Google Voice app for iPhone, but there’s finally good news: Google has released an entirely Web-based version of the service (at m .google.com/voice). It works on the iPhone as well as Palm’s Pre and Pixi handsets, and brings a large chunk of the functionality of the native Voice apps for Android and BlackBerry to your phone’s browser.

This new version, like mobile Gmail, is among the most app-like browser services I’ve ever seen, period, letting you dial from your Google contacts list or a keypad, read and listen to messages, send text messages, and configure the app right within mobile Safari. When you make calls using it, the person who answers sees your Google Voice number, not the “real” one associated with your phone: Google makes an outgoing call from the iPhone, then reroutes it over a line of its own.

If you look in the app store you will find tons of free apps. Some may think that free apps are a waste of time but I assure you they can definitely lead to financial success with your other apps.

Use this price point when you are trying to:

- Build your app development portfolio.
If your just starting out in iPhone development, this would be a great way to showcase your skills and let others know that you are fully capable of developing quality iPhone applications.

- Release a trial version which could lead to paid version sales.
This can be extremely effective for cheap games, that have addictive properties. If you let people get a taste of your app and they enjoy it, it is very common for them to want more and be than happy to purchase the full paid version.

- Supporting another product.
If you sell a service and want to offer additional ways to use that product. Building a free iPhone app is a great way to increase customer usage.

- Generating a base for future sales conversion.
The more people use your apps, they more likely they are going to buy one in the future.

- Use it for advertising
This can be extremely lucrative if your app is downloaded enough. There are also a lot of services available now that makes advertising in your app easier than ever.

Free apps are definitely capable of generating income, you just need to know when to use them.

Norway-based Opera Software ASA's mobile browsers -- Opera Mini 4 (currently in beta for Mini 5) and Opera Mobile 10 -- are the world's most used cell phone browsers. One of the key challenges to Opera's mobile market share over the past couple years has been Safari, the browser used on the iPhone.

Traditionally Apple did not allow third-party browsers on the iPhone. It recently relaxed these restrictions allowing third-party browsers -- but only those based on webkit. Now Opera has offered a sneak peak of Opera Mini on the iPhone, leaving many unanswered questions.

Opera Mini is based on the Presto layout engine, not Webkit, and is underpinned by Java ME API calls. Opera has already been welcomed on less unrestrictive platforms, such as Google's Android OS (which uses an emulation layer to translate the Java API calls to appropriate Android API calls). However, it seems pretty amazing if Apple actually allows Opera Mini -- a huge threat to its big mobile browsing market share -- on the iPhone.

While some of the most useful iPhone apps already come installed — including the Safari Web browser, camera, maps and voice memos — journalists and bloggers often need more apps to be on the cutting edge of any news story. But, often armed with thin budgets, it can be difficult to arm your iPhone like the commando station you require. That’s why we’ve provided twenty-five essential iPhone apps for journalists and bloggers that are totally free.
The following list is categorized and apps are listed alphabetically within each category. We’ve also included a few tips that may help with your journalistic efforts.
Tip: If you plan to use a lot of apps, don’t get caught short with a dead battery. Do invest in an external battery backup to save all your work and keep a charger in your car.

Productivity

Tip: iPhone supports Cisco IPSec VPN and WPA2 Enterprise for secure access to corporate networks. If your office uses Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 or 2007, you can wirelessly push email, calendar events, and contacts to iPhone.

1. Central Desktop MOBI: Red Oak Technologies has moved this app from beta into a 2.2 version, which makes it more reliable. Us this app to connect to your desktop with workspaces, tasks, events and calendars.
2. Dropbox: Download files for offline viewing, sync photos and videos and share links. The app works in conjunction with Dropbox’s downloadable programs for Windows, Mac and Linux computers and works even if you do not have access to cellular or Wi-Fi. The online basic version is free. Read more about this app at Mashable.
3. Evernote: Take notes, create lists, search through images and share information with others. Seamless integration across all devices, including Mac, Evernote Web, and Evernote for Windows.
4. Google: This app includes maps, Gmail, YouTube and Google’s new Buzz as well as search options — including Google Mobile Search. Read through this site to learn how to incorporate options into the iPhone.
5. iBillTo: Freelance journalists and bloggers can keep track of client billing information, rates and hours on specific projects.
6. Instapaper Free: One of the easiest ways to store Web pages for later offline reading. Go to Instapaper.com and install the Read Later bookmark to mark any pages you’d like to read later.
7. Qik for 3GS: A reliable and fast way to upload videos to the Internet. Includes Facebook Connect, YouTube, Twitter, and Qik.com.
8. Soonr – Integrated online workspace: Soonr secures documents in the cloud and makes it easy for teams to collaborate on projects when everyone is mobile. Automatic continuous backup of your PC or Mac makes sure that the files you need are available for remote access even when the computers are offline. Your phone or any web browser is your control panel.
9. WordWeb English Dictionary for iPhone and iPod Touch: Use this dictionary to gain access to 285,000 words, phrases and derived forms including many proper nouns, compounds and phrases. ull coverage of American, British, Canadian, Australasian and Asian English and it works offline. The standard edition is free, audio version is about $5.00 USD.
10. Zoho Office Suite: Offers six online applications including email, calendar, online word processor, spreadsheet, presentation and database applications. Syncs with online application.

Communication

Tip: You can talk to more than one person at a time on your iPhone and merge up to five calls, depending on your carrier. Conference calling may be an optional service in some countries. Contact your carrier for more information.

11. Cisco WebEx Meeting Center: Use this application to attend, schedule, start, and cancel WebEx Meetings. Get the full meeting experience with native 3G or WiFi support for simultaneous data and audio. You don’t need a WebEx account to attend WebEx meetings.
12. Facebook: Facebook for iPhone makes it easy to stay connected and share information. You can view news feed groups, view events, and upload photos and videos, but you cannot view videos that have been uploaded to FB. App includes built-in web browser.
13. iTalk Recorder: If you are serious about capturing the sounds around you, Griffin iTalk is the app you need for your iPhone. Your recordings are saved for replay on your iPhone or iPod, and you can use iTalk Sync (free download) to drag-and-drop them as high-quality AIFF files to your computer over a Wi-Fi connection.
14. LinkedIn: Stay connected with your professional network with this free app. Get the latest updates and messages from your network and keep them up-to-date with your status in real-time.
15. Skype: With Skype on your iPhone or iPod touch you can call and instant message anyone else on Skype for free. You also can call landlines and mobiles and send SMS anywhere in the world at great rates.
16. TweetDeck for iPhone: Filter messages by columns, create groups and use multiple accounts at one time with this app. If you use the desktop version of Tweetdeck, you can sync across all computers and your iPhone.

Outside the Home Zone

Tips: Before you leave, take a photo of your passport for safekeeping. Should you lose your iPhone, keep it safe by setting a passcode lock. You also can turn off data roaming while traveling abroad to save on data charges.

17. A Simple to use Translator: Very basic translator that reaches into ten different languages. You select a source and a destination language, enter the text and learn the translation.
18. Places: Tap one of the preset buttons for coffee, gas, ATM, etc., or enter a place name and you receive information for the best route to that source. Uses Geolocation to find you and to offer the best routes.
19. TripIt – Travel Organizer: TripIt Travel Organizer puts all your travel plans right on your iPhone no matter where your travel was booked. If you’re a frequent traveler, you might want to upgrade.
20. XE Currency: Keep track of mid-market rates for every world currency with this app. You can use it offline and the last updated rates are stored on your iPhone.

Stay on Top of News, Information

Tip: Open the Stocks app, then rotate to see breaking news about investments and the stock market.

21. AP Mobile: You probably know by now that AP is on top of the story both locally and globally. AP Mobile news helps you keep up-to-date with what’s happening anywhere, in your hometown and across the globe. Additionally, you can personalize the news to meet your needs.
22. ESPN ScoreCenter: Stay on top of the latest scores from hundreds of sports leagues around the world. Get full-season and single-game scoring alerts, game starts, scoring plays, end of period/qtr/half, and final score alerts.
23. Stanza: Read books on your iPhone or iPod Touch with this highly-rated ebook reader. Purchase popular new books from a selection of over 50,000 contemporary titles available in various partner stores, or choose from an additional 50,000 free classics and recent original works available from Project Gutenberg, Feedbooks, and many other sources.
24. TED: Inspiration, knowledge, news and story ideas all in one place. This application integrates multiple information feeds from TED into an unique user experience on the iPhone.
25. The Weather Channel®: Take your weather experience to the next level with in-motion radar maps, traffic cams (select markets), improved graphics and more.

Now the Biggest iPhone users use over 1GB monthly

Apple struck a chord with competitors and consumers alike when it launched the first iPhone. The device wasn't perfect, but it sold in droves and each successive version of the iPhone has sold exceptionally well. The device is one of the most popular smartphones on the American market, despite only having one carrier.

The popularity of the iPhone and the tendency of customers to actually use the smartphone for its intended purpose means that owners tend to consumer more data bandwidth than users of other devices. In fact, AT&T has threatened in the past to charge iPhone users who consume more data than it thinks they should more money, despite the fact that iPhone data plans are said to be unlimited.

AT&T may blame the huge number of iPhones that it sells for its data woes, but the company recognizes how important the iPhone is to its bottom line. The company has pledged to improve its network and in Q1 Apple reported sales of the iPhone doubled so the number of iPhones on the AT&T network will only increase.

Consumer Reports has published the results of research that it commissioned from a company called Validas. Validas is a web firm that analyses the bills of wireless users that the customers willingly upload and the data is used for research when the providers won’t give first party numbers

AT&T's network woes since the iPhone launched have become legendary with the company unable to support the bandwidth that is being consumed by iPhone users. The poor performance of the AT&T network has led to bad press for the mobile provider and a number of attacks from U.S. mobile wireless market leader Verizon.

To keep the load on its network at a lower level, AT&T has a long history of banning applications that could consume significant bandwidth when used. AT&T banned 3G streaming when using the SlingPlayer app back in May of 2009 on the iPhone despite the fact that other handsets on the AT&T network were allowed to use the SlingPlayer with 3G. AT&T also originally banned VoIP apps from being used over its 3G network only to lift that ban on with the unveiling of the new iPhone/iPad SDK in January 2010.