May 11th, 2006
Dabble DB nearing launch - Web database and app builder
I’ve been hearing a lot about Dabble DB recently - everybody seems to be excited about it. It’s described as:
"Dabble DB combines the best of group spreadsheets, custom databases, and intranet web applications into a new way to manage and share your information on the web."
Take a look at the 7-minute video demo to get an understanding of what it does. The features include ability to get a lot of different views on a data source (table view, calendar view, etc), filtering data by keyword etc, and ability to easily change data types. It’s hard to describe, but a phrase that comes to mind is ‘all-purpose online data manipulator’ (I think I just made their product positioning even more complicated!).
It’s similar to other online spreadsheet apps like JotSpot Tracker, Zoho Creator, NumSum and iRows - but also has some simlarities to DIY web app builders like Ning and ‘online database’ apps like Google Base. So the one problem I see is it’s going to be difficult to market Dabble DB, because it encompasses so much. Anyway Solution Watch described it here:
"With Dabble DB, anyone can easily create their own database of information managed by a custom application built by themselves and work on the database collaboratively. You can create practically any kind of web application in a matter of minutes and without needing to know any programming. For example, you can make an address book, todo list, project management application, bookmark manager, or even a calendar of events in no time. Or maybe you run a company and you’re looking for a way to manage clients or timecards or expense reports. Dabble DB can help you accomplish this."
See also this excellent overview and comparison with other products by Roger Jennings. His description:
"Dabble DB is intended to be the Web-based replacement for ad hoc spreadsheet applications (a.k.a. hacks) that should have used the database model from the git-go. Typical Dabble DB solutions are databases for sales contacts, students and grades, billable time, customer service issues, employee vacation and sick-leave time, event planning, and similar tracking applications."
Probably the best thing to do is check Dabble DB out and have a play. Kind of like The Matrix, nobody can tell you what Dabble DB is, you have to use it for yourself. :-)
Update: looks like I jumped the gun on the launch announcement. The company emailed me to advise: "We haven’t launched yet, though - we’ve just announced pricing. We’re certainly accepting requests for free trials." I’ve updated the post title accordingly.
