2013-07-19 14:00:00
Announcing zBase
Update (12 December 2013)
We are not accepting new zBase signups at this time.
Available now for iPad and iPhone in the App Store: zBase, The Mobile Database App with Multi-User Sync
What is zBase?
zBase is a mobile database app. You can use it to keep track of all kinds of information.
How do I know if zBase is the kind of app that I need?
If you have a group of people who need to use mobile devices to keep track of a list of something, then zBase is probably a great fit for you.
What are some examples of how zBase can be used?
Issues, tasks, deadlines, to-do lists, inventory, expenses, contacts, customers, shopping lists ...
Does zBase require me to be a programmer to use it?
No. If you can perform basic operations with a spreadsheet, you can use zBase.
Is zBase designed for business users or consumers or what?
I hope that zBase is flexible and affordable enough to be used by a wide variety of users, everything from corporate teams to families.
But many of the features of zBase were designed with small businesses in mind.
Can you give an example of how a small business might use zBase?
Suppose you are a company that installs fences, located in a town of around 100,000 people.
Weather permitting, at any given time, you have multiple crews around town, each working on a fencing project.
You have lists. Lots of lists. Lists which are related to other lists. For example, you have a list of customers. If a customer is a company, you have a list of people at that company. You have a list of projects, each one associated with a customer. Some of your customers have worked with you on more than one project. You have a list of tasks associated with each project. You might have a list of photos for each project, or photos for a task, clearly indicating a problem to be fixed. You have lists of vendors, fence types, equipment, tools, inventory, vehicles, invoices, employees, and so on.
And because of the nature of your company, you and your people are all over the place. It would be incredibly helpful if you could have all those lists on your mobile device, with you, everywhere you go, even in places with no Wi-Fi or cellular data.
If you were a company of 50,000 employees, you might consider hiring a firm to build a custom mobile app just for your needs. But actually you are a company of 50 employees, so that kind of expense is unthinkable.
Eventually, some vertical software vendor will create a mobile app specifically for fencing companies. But when they do, it'll be expensive, and it'll be focused primarily on the specific needs of the fencing company that sponsored it, which may be sufficiently different from yours to render the app frustrating or even useless.
You have one person in your company who is kind of a geek. She knows that your problem just isn't that complicated. She is not a programmer, but she has used things like Excel and Access. She knows how to set things up the way you need. She started trying to use one of the other mobile database apps, and quickly realized that it was designed only for personal use, and wasn't going to work at all for a group of people who all need read/write access to the same data. So she concluded that the mobile bandwagon currently doesn't have room for small businesses like yours.
This is the kind of situation where zBase shines. (One of the samples in the zBase app is similar to this story.)
How does zBase organize data?
The basic unit of data is a record within a table. You can think of a table like a spreadsheet, where each record is a row, and each field is a column. You define the fields to suit your needs.
You can have multiple tables in a single database file. And you can have multiple database files in your zBase account.
What field types does zBase support?
text, web, email, phone, choice, user, checkmark, integer, real, date, datetime, image
Who are some examples of competitors for zBase?
Primarily, zBase could be compared to products like Bento, Tap Forms, and HanDBase, all of which I admire.
How is zBase different from its primary competitors?
zBase supports multi-user sync.
Other mobile database apps are focused on situations involving only one person. The data exists on the mobile device. There is no easy way to allow multiple users to access and work with the data.
zBase is designed to be used by a group of people. The data on each user's mobile device is synchronized with another instance of the data, stored in the cloud. Changes from multiple users are automatically integrated together.
If zBase stores data in the cloud, does that mean the app needs a network connection all the time?
No. zBase is built on the Zumero Database Platform, so it only needs a network connection for the purpose of synchronizing with the server. All regular database operations (including adding, deleting, updating, filtering and viewing records) work when the mobile device is "offline" (at the beach, in the middle of a cornfield, in a basement, etc).
Does zBase use iCloud?
No. iCloud has no support for multi-user sync or for non-Apple devices.
How is zBase priced?
The zBase app itself is free. Using zBase with the cloud-hosted multi-user sync service requires a subscription, priced at $1 per user per month.
Can I try zBase without paying?
The zBase app has a "demo mode" which allows you to try out all the database features without signing up for a zBase account.
Can I just use zBase demo mode without a subscription?
If you like. zBase in demo mode is basically similar to other iOS database apps. None of the sync or multi-user features are available in demo mode.
Is there an easy way to migrate my data from demo mode to a zBase account?
Currently, no.
Is zBase secure?
All data on your mobile device is encrypted such that if you lose your device and you have signed out of the zBase app, it will be difficult or impossible for someone to access your data.
zBase accounts are protected with user names and passwords. Make sure the members of your group choose good passwords.
The sync communication between the zBase app and the cloud is secured with SSL encryption.
For your most sensitive data, you can use an encrypted field, which means the data will be encrypted in the cloud as well.
Can zBase import my data?
zBase supports import of CSV files, which can be exported from most spreadsheets, databases, or similar apps.
Can zBase export my data?
zBase can export CSV files as well. If you decide that zBase will not meet your needs, you can move your data into something else.
Does zBase have relational capabilities?
Yes. You can use one-to-many relationaships between tables to link your data in powerful ways.
Does zBase support different permissions for different users?
Yes. zBase has "regular users" and "admin users". Admin users can use all zBase features, including the ability to setup tables and fields and other users. Regular users can mostly just add/delete/update records.
Will there be an iPhone version of zBase?
Yes. As of version 1.0.1, zBase is a universal app with support for both iPad and iPhone.
Will there be an Android version of zBase?
Yes. zBase for Android phones and tablets is under development now.
What is Zumero?
Zumero is a mobile database sync platform built on SQLite, the standard database software installed on over a billion mobile devices.
zBase is just one example of a mobile app built on Zumero. You can use Zumero in your mobile app as well. On the client side, Zumero supports iOS, Android, and WinRT, plus PhoneGap/Cordova and Xamarin. The Zumero server can be licensed either on-premises or hosted by Zumero in the cloud.
For more information, see the zumero.com website, or the blog post I wrote when we first announced it.
How is zBase constructed?
zBase is written in C# using the Xamarin tools.
Is zBase a real product or is it a showcase app for Zumero?
It is both. In order to be a great showcase app for Zumero, zBase needs to be a real product, ready to serve real users. And it is.