I have long been a fan of Bento, which is a personal database application for the Mac.  I have used it since version 1, and have had the pleasure of reviewing it several times since.  Bento fills a gap for people who need a database solution, but do not need an application like FileMaker, which although it’s a fantastic piece of software as well, it’s a bit too much for personal needs.  That is where Bento comes in.

Not only is Bento great for home use, it can also be a valuable tool for small businesses.  Inventory, customer databases, contact management, the possibilities are out there to create a database for almost every type of small business need you can think of.  This new edition brings a bunch of new features and updates, much of which was requested by users.

• iPhoto Integration. Placing images inside a created database was always as easy as drag and drop, but with iPhoto integration, using images in Bento has gone to a whole new level.
• Sharing. This feature alone is worth the upgrade.  Using a local network, you can share your information with others creating a fantastic way to collaborate with family members or co-workers.
• Grid View. They have added a new grid view which gives a much cleaner way of viewing images, documents, etc. inside your databases.  They have also improved the File list view as well.

These are just a few of the new features, and I had the pleasure of checking these out early for myself, and I can say without a doubt FileMaker listening to their users and really took the time to improve even more upon an already exceptional product.

More templates have been added, and many more are available at the Bento Template Exchange where users can upload their own templates to share with others.  After using it myself, I can recommend the upgrade to existing users, and if you are in need of a personal database solution, then look no further.

A free trial is available at http://www.filemaker.com/trybento3pr, and existing Bento users can take advantage of a $20 rebate by purchasing through the http://store.filemaker.com/US/ENG/RTLFileMaker Store.  New users can grab a copy for just $49, or a family pack of 5 licenses for just $99.

For more information about Bento, visit http://www.filemaker.com/products/bento/overview.html