Genealogy Programs for the iPhone

If you own an iPhone or an iPod Touch, wouldn't you like to carry your genealogy database with you? Apparently many newsletter readers are interested in doing just that. I recently wrote an article describing one genealogy program for the iPhone or iPod Touch and was pleasantly surprised at the amount of interest it received. That article was only posted yesterday but has already generated 18 comments and a number of e-mail messages. Apparently quite a few newsletter readers are interested in genealogy programs for the iPhone.

I am aware of no less than five different genealogy programs for iPhone owners to choose from. All of them can be downloaded and installed within seconds from the iPhone App Store. However, you do need to choose carefully as two of the programs will only work in conjunction with specific desktop genealogy programs.

I have decided to write reviews of all five programs and publish them in this newsletter over the next few weeks. The first was already published yesterday and the others will follow soon. However, here is a brief description of the available genealogy programs for the iPhone and iPod Touch:

Shrubs is a user-friendly program written by Benoît Bousquet that is easy to install and use. Shrubs reads a GEDCOM file that you create with any modern desktop genealogy program on a Windows, Macintosh, or Linux system. The program sells for $9.99 and works in either French or English.

You can read my review of Shrubs at http://blog.eogn.com/eastmans_online_genealogy/2009/06/shrubs-a-genealogy-program-for-the-iphone.html and visit the program's home page at http://software.benoitbousquet.com/view.php?app=shrubs.

FamViewer by Aster Software also allows you to view GEDCOM genealogy database files on your iPhone. GEDCOM files can be uploaded to FamViewer with a web browser on a desktop computer or downloaded to FamViewer from any web site or web server via wi-fi. FamViewer will import the GEDCOM file and display its contents. Once your GEDCOM file is on your iPhone, you can view individuals, families, individual events and attributes, notes, and sources. You can navigate the family tree with a touch.

Like Shrubs, FamViewer can be used with any Windows, Macintosh, or Linux genealogy program that will create GEDCOM files, which  all modern genealogy programs can do.

FamViewer sells for $14.99. For more information about FamViewer, go to http://www.astersoftware.biz.

GedView by David Knight is another viewer for your genealogy database. The program reads any GEDCOM file created by any modern Windows, Macintosh, or Linux genealogy program and displays the information in an easy-to-understand manner. You can browse information via either: (1.) a surname index, which then opens an index of individuals with the same surname or (2.) a family index, which then opens a list of the parents and children for the selected family, along with family related events.

GedView doesn't have quite as many features as Shrubs or FamViewer, but it sells for less money: $3.99. For more information about GedView, go to http://www.ritter.demon.co.uk/Projects/gedview.html.

Reunion by Leister Productions is a well-known genealogy program for Macintosh computers. The company also sells a module for the iPhone and iPod Touch by the same name: Reunion. It is a sophisticated program with many features. Reunion for the iPhone only reads databases created by Reunion for the Macintosh. As a result, Reunion for the iPhone is not a suitable program for anyone using either Windows or a different Macintosh program as it will not be able to read your data. If you do use Reunion for the Macintosh, however, this is probably the best program for your iPhone.

Reunion for the iPhone sells for $14.99 in addition to whatever you paid for Reunion for the Macintosh. For more information, go to http://www.leisterpro.com/iphone.

MobileFamilyTree by Synium Software is an iPhone/iPod Touch program that works in several languages. The program only reads databases created by Synium's MacFamilyTree program, available only for Macintosh systems. As such, MobileFamilyTree is not a suitable solution for Windows or Linux owners or even for Macintosh owners who use a genealogy program other than MacFamilyTree. However, if you already use MacFamilyTree on your desktop or laptop Macintosh computer, MobileFamilyTree is probably the best solution for you.

MobileFamilyTree sells for $4.99, in addition to the cost of MacFamilyTree. For more information, you can read my earlier (brief) article at http://blog.eogn.com/eastmans_online_genealogy/2008/08/mobilefamilytre.html and look at the program's home page at http://www.synium.de/products/mobilefamilytree/index.html.

All of the iPhone and iPod Touch programs mentioned here can be downloaded and installed within seconds by visiting the App Store on your handheld device.

Comments

[Laura H. Congleton]

There are other Apps that are equally useful for the iPhone-toting genealogist. I am using Time Master to track how much billable time I spend in various repositories, and working for assorted clients.

[Claire Bettag]

I love Reunion on my iPhone!
Claire Bettag

[Cathi Desmarais]

Thank you for writing this series of reviews, Dick. I am holding off on making a purchase until I read the upcoming reviews of FamViewer and GedView, and compare them with your review of Shrubs. Hard to wait!

[Cort Sims]

I had Reunion for the iPhone with me on a long trip following my great grandfather's Civil War unit. We passed through several towns that had some genealogical interest to our family and it was handy just to go into a library with just the iPhone to see what information they might have. It is a good program but Leister Productions seems slow to update it to work with the iPhone OS 3, it now crashes; since I updated the system software, every time I open it up.

[Teresa]

Very helpful and interesting! There are a lot of us Mac and iPhone genealogists out there. I asked SCGS to have a Reunion class at Jamboree but was disappointed to see there's nothing this year. Maybe a suggestion from one of their presenters would get them to do it.

[TC Cottrell]

Thanks for your super newsletter. My experience has been with FamViewer and Pocket Genealogist (on an ipac). The two programs are very similar in look and feel. I use TMG and adjusted the output settings slightly to get what I wanted into GEDCOM file for import to FamViewer on my first generation iphone. My dataset contains over 3500 persons, over 1100 families, and over 2600 sources, all of which imported without problem. I can all important data including custom tags which I built within TMG on my iphone, including all source data. This has been absolutely essential on several research trips to DC and the National Archives as well as the DAR Library in recent months. Hats off to the developers of this excellent program.

[Debi Mori]

Thank you for reviewing these apps. I especially want to see your review of FamViewer. I use FTM and have 16500+ in my tree. Can't wait to have my info on my iPhone.

[Janet Martin]

Reunion is almost reason enough to buy a Mac. I was broken hearted when the Windows version was sold years ago to Broderbund, and later versions were buggy. After changing hands again, it was allowed to die. Fortunately some elements of it still live on in Family Tree Maker, but...