Bento, the personal database application for Mac OS X Leopard, "may be one of the most user-friendly relational database applications I have ever encountered," suggests Tom Nelson (about.com). "For a remarkably low price of $49, FileMaker has created a truly easy-to-use database product."

More than 1,200 developers from around the world gather this week for our annual FileMaker Developer Conference, in Phoenix, AZ. At DevCon, many FileMaker development firms are announcing new tools, solutions and services for every type of FileMaker user, developer and workgroup.

If you’re participating in FileMaker Developer Conference this week, or just want a taste of the excitement, check out our live Internet radio from DevCon. You can listen to live conversation with DevCon speakers and FileMaker experts, and even phone in and join the conversation. Click on the headline for DevCon live internet radio dates and times, and call-in phone numbers.

Our customers tell us that Bento, the stylish personal database for Mac, is fantastic for organizing everything from their clients and business contacts to jazz collections and goat herd details! And we want to hear your Bento story. Tell us briefly how and why you use Bento and you’ll get a chance to win an Apple iPhone 3G.

It’s almost here: the one essential FileMaker event of the year. FileMaker Developer Conference is July 13-17 in Phoenix, AZ. Whether you’re new to FileMaker or have been developing advanced solutions for years, you need to be there. You’ll learn about new technologies, bridge the gaps in your solution development skill set and discover what’s on the horizon with future versions of FileMaker software. Choose from more than 80 sessions and workshops and network with over 1,000 other FileMaker developers. Don't miss out!

With hundreds of top photographers flocking to the annual Palm Springs Photo Festival, the founders needed a simple system to organize attendee registration and logistics. Problem solved with FileMaker Pro 9. “We could never have managed the number of people we served without our FileMaker barcode system. Our revenue doubled and our customer satisfaction increased and a large part of that picture was our FileMaker system,” said founder Jeff Dunas.

Microsoft will discontinue sales of Windows XP on June 30, 2008. If you plan to move to Windows Vista, now is the time to upgrade to Vista-compatible FileMaker 9 and take advantage of our special upgrade offer with an instant rebate!

Wondering what you can organize with Bento? How about virtually any type of information you deal with! We’ve collected 50 templates, ranging from Contacts to Event Planning to Wine Collection, and much more, to inspire you. Check out these 50 samples, download a free trial of Bento, and get started today.

Bento, the personal database software by FileMaker, Inc., won two prestigious annual awards from Macworld UK on July 13. The honors included Best Consumer Software for 2008, and the Grand Prix Award for most ground-breaking, original and exciting product of the past 12 months.

...MacObserver reports that, "Macy's Parade & Entertainment Group, the arm that manages the retailer's annual Thanksgiving Day Parade, has given up on Microsoft Access and is moving its databases to FileMaker Pro 9. The company plans to use its new databases to manage every aspect of the popular parade from organizing volunteers to keeping floats and balloons on schedule."

KCRA-TV, Channel 3 in Sacramento, invited Steve Kruschen, better known as Mr. Gadget, to share gifts he says Dads and Grads will love. At the top of his list? Bento, the personal database that is as easy to use as your Mac! Click this headline to watch the video of Mr. Gadget and Bento.

Inc.com's Tech Talk column interviews the CIO of Crabby Bill’s, a chain of Florida restaurants, on how FileMaker Pro 9 helps improve productivity and reduce expenses. "We were originally looking at developing something in Microsoft.net. But we needed something we could put together pretty quickly. We knew about FileMaker Pro for a while, but when they came out with version 9, with a SQL back end, we realized we could pretty quickly build a front end and combine our two databases ... To do the initial front end took about a day."

"The dearth of personal database programs for the Mac has puzzled me for a long time,” writes the Baltimore Sun's David Zeiler. “Enter Bento, a database app from the folks at FileMaker designed specifically for personal use ... And it doesn’t just look like an Apple application – Bento integrates with other Apple programs as much as any component of iLife or iWork ... Case in point: On first launch Bento imports any data you have in iCal and Address Book. "Overall, I recommend Bento for Mac users who have need of a database application. FileMaker has created an exceptionally Mac-friendly, easy-to-use database program for regular folk, and just in the nick of time."

Steve Kruschen, better known as Mr. Gadget on the web and TV, writes that he has always used FileMaker Pro as the engine behind MrGadget.com. He’s reviewed Bento, and writes, "In your work, if you need to track hours worked on a project or payments due, Bento it! If you are used to the way you find things in iTunes, Bento works the same way. Create libraries for your music, media and movies. Store your files and photos related to projects and events and let Bento keep it all neat, tidy and manageable, plus, with Bento, you can find what you want when you want it. "Try Bento and you’ll love Bento, I’m sure. It’s clever and cute, but, of greater importance, powerful and fun to use. Most of all, Bento is useful and can become easily indispensable if given the opportunity."

FileMaker Pro 9, the best-selling easy-to-use database software, has won one of the software industry’s most prestigious awards. The 2008 Codie award for best database management solution was awarded May 20 to FileMaker by the Software & Information Industry Association, With this award, FileMaker Pro has won 49 awards, more than its next eight competitors combined, in the past five years in the U.S., and 130 awards worldwide during this time.

RealSimple.com is all about “Life made easier” and they found Bento a perfect fit for their philosophy: “Bento looks, feels and works like other Mac applications. Organizing your information into collections in Bento is much like organizing songs in iTunes. Bento is beautiful in design and you really don't need to understand database concepts or have any experience with databases to use it ... With Bento, I'm actually getting organized in a simple and stylish way. Sorry PC users. Just another reason to consider a Mac.”

Mike Jones, CreativeMac.com, discovers Bento is well-suited for developing and tracking creative projects. He concludes that “Bento isn’t bloated or overloaded with features you will never use. It is simple, functional, focused, very effective, inexpensive and highly adaptable. As a creative professional surrounded by highly complex digital tools, Bento may just be the saving grace that keeps the rest of your digital life together.”

MyMac Magazine’s Mark Sealey awards Bento 4 out of 5 stars, and says, “A balance has been struck: users with complex, evolving and intricately relational databases may still be best with FileMaker Pro. Those for whom the lure of an elegant user interface is important and/or who want a direct equivalent of Numbers, Pages and iPhoto/iTunes and/or seamless integration with iCal and Address Book should look seriously at Bento.”

Oscar-winning film editor Walter Murch, best known for his pioneering work on Apocalypse Now, Cold Mountain, Jarhead and The Talented Mr. Ripley, gives his first video interview describing how FileMaker Pro databases are “the nuclear heart of what I do” in the making of many of his landmark movies.

Qualifying customers may upgrade to FileMaker Pro 9 for only $119 (a savings of $60). If you are using FileMaker Pro 7, 8 or 8.5, you can get three versions’ worth of new features for a special low price by upgrading now. This and other special upgrade prices expire Sept. 26, 2008.