Palm OS Apps Ported to the iPhone: HanDBase

DDH Software has announced the release of HanDBase for the iPhone and iPod touch. HanDBase is a popular mobile database application ported from Palm OS (and Windows Mobile). It costs $9.99.

This is the first and only self-contained relational database for the iPhone OS of which we are aware. It is standalone and does not require a desktop computer. However, you can still order and use versions of HanDBase alongside the native iPhone application if you choose to do so on your Mac or PC. The desktop versions are more feature-rich, but a feature called "Desktop Connect" connects the desktop versions to the mobile versions for access to databases over a wireless connection. This feature is included in the mobile versions of HanDBase.

Once you've loaded a database into one of the desktop applications, you can perform functions to import and export CSV files, transfer HanDBase files, etc. Due to the way the iTunes App store works, DDH Software was not able to bundle the iPhone App and desktop Apps together. You have to visit the DDH Software website to purchase the latter. The desktop App pricing starts at $9.99 and up depending on the version and bundles selected.

Swiping the screen from the left or right will navigate between different records and fields on the screen. The iPhone version of HanDBase supports the ability to email records in a database and of course there is the famous HandDBase Gallery. The Gallery is integrated into the iPhone version of the App for direct online access to installing the databases onto the iPhone. There are over 2,000 sample database design templates in the Gallery.

HanDBase allows you to create and edit databases directly on the device can do record sorting, record filtering, customized record views, various levels of searches. It also has security features you can deploy to protect your data. Encryption features work all the way down to fields within records. Records can contain up to 19 different fields types.

DDH Software also sells desktop conduits that allow synchronization with third party Apps like Microsoft Access, Filemaker Pro, etc. Currently many of these are only available for Windows users with an expectation that the Mac versions of these might appear at the end of 2008 or early 2009.

Another database application for the iPhone, FMTouch, costs a whopping $70, but it requires Filemaker Pro in order to create databases so it does not allow creation of databases directly on one of Apple's handhelds like HanDBase. In all fairness the premise behind FMTouch is a bit different since it supplements Filemaker Pro, but does not replace it.

HanDbase is one of a handful of popular Palm OS Apps that have been ported to the iPhone. We previously covered SplashID a password manager along with several other Apps SplashShopper and SplashMoney.

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