I was sent a free copy of Bento to try out. Here is my take on the software after playing around with it for awhile. We are giving the software away to a reader. See the bottom of this post for info on how to win.
What is it?
Bento most reminds me of the database program that came with Appleworks on the Apple IIc. It isn’t so much that it works the same, but it is geared toward the same type of market. People who need to store database type information without becoming an expert at understanding databases. The program runs on OS X and has the nice look and feel that you’d expect from an Apple application.
Libraries and Collections
Bento uses the idea of Libraries and Collections. If you think of your address book, that would be a library. If you think of all of the address records of your college friends, that would be a collection. AddressBook in OS X works like this now. You add addresses to the application and then add them to groups. The application corresponds to a Library in Bento and the group corresponds to a Collection.
Bento can pull in your AddressBook, iCal Events and iCal Tasks and display them as Libraries. They are kept synchronized. If you delete an address from AddressBook, it disappears out of the Bento AddressBook library.
In addition to these build in Libraries, you can add a number of other predefined Libraries or even customize your own. So there are libraries for To Do Items, Projects, Events, Exercise Log, Expenses, Membership Lists etc.
Customizing Libraries
You can customize the existing Library templates or create one from scratch. Bento gives you all the fields you need to add text fields, date fields with calendar popups, pictures, calculated fields, etc. This makes Bento a very good general tool for keeping track of almost anything. Data can be imported and exported so you can easily get data in or out of the system.
Some of the different customized fields can be seen in the image on the right.
Linking Libraries
This is one of the more advanced database functions and Bento does a good job of keeping things simple. The items in a Library can link to other items. For example, if you create a Projects Library you can create records for each of your projects. One of the fields on each record is a list of team members. You can type in team members directly into the list or pull them in from the Address Book.
You can add these types of linked records to your own Libraries. For example, if you have Library that holds all your Projects, you can add another Library that contains To Do items and then link them so you can see all of your outstanding To Do items for each Project from within the Project record.
Working with Your Data
You can view your data as a table (like a spreadsheet) or using a form. You can create multiple forms to hold your data fields. Adding fields to the forms is a simple matter of dragging them from a list and dropping them where you want them.
The fields are easy to work with and you can do a lot of drag and drop. For example, you can drag an image from a web browser into the graphic box and then resize it using the same type of tool that is used to add images to Address Book.
Impression
Overall Bento seems well polished. Databases aren’t particularly easy to make simple, but Bento does a good job. Once you get familiar with how it works, you’ll find yourself thinking “this feels easy” as you make changes and customize your database. If you need a simple database, Bento is worth checking out–especially if you use iCal and AddressBook in OS X already.
Give Away
I have a copy of Bento to give away, so we are going to have a contest. Whoever is the last person to comment on this post, gets a free copy mailed to them. When 48 hours goes by without a comment, the last comment wins. :) Good luck!
That being said, it isn’t something I’m probably going to use personally. However, for many people, it can be an ideal way to keep track of information.
I personally didn’t like the concept of Bento being the place for all my stuff. It’s scary to think of in terms of portability, which, as you may know, I’m a big fan of.
I want my data available in open standard, and Bento seems to lock you in.
That being said, don’t include me in the contest (I truly don’t think this will be the last comment anyway) :-) .
As a newby to Apple I would like the opportunity to try Bento. I’ve heard so far a world of good on this application. Please enter my name in the contest
Claude
I actually like the idea of having everything in one place, because my macbook travels everywhere I travel! :D
@Arjun – Bento does give you some options for exporting, so you aren’t totally locked in. It does seem like a good database for people who don’t work with a lot of databases and it is significantly cheaper than some of the other consumer level databases for OS X.
@Claude – The best way to win is to subscribe to the comments and add a new one after any comment that gets posted. :)
As a newbie Mac convert, I’m eager to see any new apps that come out, including Bento. Thanks Mark for this post, Mike
I’ve been looking for a quick and easy way to see just the iCal To Do tasks that are coming due over the next week (for example) WITHOUT also showing the tasks that have no due dates (which are multitudinous). I’m just about ready to conclude that my best bet is to use Bento to get access to the iCal data and roll my own interface to this data.
Last?
I agree it’s better than working with just one database than ten, but how but none :-) ?
Of course, I’m always open to these things, so do let us know how things go!
Bento seems interesting. Kind of a more customizable productivity enhancer and “stuff” storage.
I have been toying with using Bento as a less expensive alternative to multiple FMP licenses. If it can export in a tab-delineated format, I should be able to import it directly to FMP and use the information for whatever report I need. I was thinking specifically for a time & billing solution.
Yep, “last!” rather than “first!” The most mellow competition I’ve witnessed in quite some time…
@Kelly – Yes the Last comment. :) A 48 hour pause in comments ends the competition.
(presumably, the last comment other than Mark S., unless he wants to keep his copy for himself…)
Anything to be able to slap together an simple database and not have to toy around with Access. Seems like a winner to me…
I don’t know if Access is a proper comparison point, since it’s not available on OS X…
It’s proper since most of us work in a world where we have to straddle the fence between Windows and Mac, but maybe you live in Utopia where Microsoft has been exiled to a far off land… =)
I want to win the free copy!
yes, well, that’s true for a bunch of us.
Maybe the thread will be active for several months before we all tire out…
I just like trying new software, to see if there is any benefits from it. If I like it, I will continue to use it and pass it on. If it doesn’t make life easier, I remove it and I move on.
and this too will pass.
Wonder who came up with the name Bento and what significance it has…
Hi Mark
Have you specified how long the contest will be? If not you’ll get entries forever!
Regards
C.
Ah, who cares if the entries go on “forever.” I think it’s an interesting social experiment and quite clever. As an HR Manager for a Fortune 500 I wish I could toss out a little innocent challenge like this to my population just to see what would happen.
@Keith – I think ‘bento’ is a Japanese boxed meal. The type of thing you’d send your kid to school with in Japan.
@Claude – Well I figure eventually people will get busy and let it lapse so the 48 hours will pass. Once 48 hours go by the last person who posted (other than me) wins. It won’t go on forever, but it may go on for awhile. :)
Bento boxes are much like OS X — organized, spare, but beautiful.
Mark: I think you’ve hit on something here. Just think how much money you could make if you had advertising on “last post wins” discussion-group pages…
Well, anything easier to operate than FileMaker for simple projects is a winner in my book. Though some encryption options in the program would be nice.
Encryption probably isn’t necessary if the same data (address book, to do, etc) is stored in Apple’s own apps’ data stores in an unencrypted format.
My recent purchase of the IMAC came with the shock that there actually IS hope for the chaotic digital mess I left behind on my old PC. I have great hope that a creative plan to organize my personal and work life will fulfill a goal to become a casual digital user in this world of technology. My mission is set to find and use (maybe BENTO) some form of digital technology to organize my schedule, contacts, emails, to-do lists, thoughts & ideas, brainstorming notes, personal inventory, basic finance budgeting, basic business schedules & tracking, music & photo organization and so much more using; software for the computer & apps for the cell phone etc…. etc…..
I am not ancient old, but I AM old enough to say that paper-based technology is what ‘I think of first’ when it comes to “organizing my information” comfortably. After endless days surfing and searching for a program that would hold and keep all of my (work & personal) information in one place, I stumbled upon ‘Bento’. I downloaded the trial yesterday and because of my uncontrollable perfectionist behavior and insanely overly-focused mind, I am still wandering if the Bento database will work or if there might be something better out there for what I need? I found this site/page by searching reviews on Bento and I am still going back & forth with how I feel about it. One important question that I have is…..Will the PDA/Cell phone I purchase, integrate and seamlessly work with the data that I enter into “Bento” or will it even be available to whatever phone I happen to choose.
Seem like a long-winded post, but I have never posted to a forum like this and I am not sure what minimum or maximum amount of information should be included.
Thanks for allowing me to share my thoughts about BENTO!!!! Perhaps with a little luck, this will be the application that I have been searching for and I can finally start organizing my chaotic life.
Bento looks cool, I have been looking for a great program just like it.
I am not really sure I have a use for Bento. As a web developer, I am far more likely to just build something from scratch. I already have Yojimbo for notes, and Delicious Library for…just about everything now with the new version. I am really just competing for fun :). Someone else’s turn to post. Ha-ha. Ohh…the unproductive tendencies of Friday afternoons.
Wish it wasn’t Mac only.
Oh it’s worth a shot.
Or maybe 2 shots :)
Or three :)
Nah, not three :)
FOUR?
I see the conversation has strayed off topic, it was just a matter of time :-D
Unfortunately, these things happen.
@Elliot – that was kind of anticipated. So what did everyone think of Wall-E? :)
Oh I loved it! The story was transfixing with and without dialogue; I would be very surprised if it didn’t get a number of awards in the winter.
I’ve been interested in Bento since it was released but hadn’t gotten a chance to check it out. It would be a kool productivity tool.
~ Hailey
Okay, I really want this. I’m trying to start a small youth organization and I need a good database to keep track of our members, our constitution, etc.
I love bento too…maybe one with vegetable tempura and spicy tuna rolls ;) .
BTW, I am really happy with the reviews of Wall-E, Pixar never disappoints, they only get better. Also can’t wait to see Dark Knight…there are too many good movies this summer (I can’t believe I still haven’t seen Ironman…the geek police are going to pull me over and take away my license)
I was just thinking that what would make Bento very useful is an online place for people to post the databases they create (empty). I know Bento comes with alot of templates “out of the box”. But I think integrating an online community in that way would add alot of value.
I think Bento does offer something similar– a lot of the templates you have to download separate from the actual download.
On a side note, I think if you ever want this to end, Mark, you should probably disable the “notify me of follow-up comments by email” option…
@Carolyn: actually, Mark himself said:
The best way to win is to subscribe to the comments and add a new one after any comment that gets posted.
I’m guessing we’ll have a winner over the holiday, but I could be wrong. :)
Touche Elliot.
And Mark, are you trying to win this for yourself?
Hopefully not.
I’m still trying to figure out if Bento will export to something that FileMakerPro will acknowledge. Or are they two totally different protocols?
Depends which Mark you’re talking about…
I think I agree with disabling the comment notification. This is going to go on for a long time.