Tableau 6.1 adds optimized mobile support for iPads, faster data performance, new maps, and French and German versions

SEATTLE (July 31, 2011) – Tableau Software, the global leader in rapid-fire business intelligence (BI) software, today announced the general availability of Tableau 6.1. The new version delivers automatic touch and gesture optimized support for the Apple iPad, whether views are accessed via Tableau’s new iPad App or via Mobile Safari. In addition, Tableau enhanced its in-memory analytics engine with increased query and loading performance. People can also rapidly update existing extracts in Tableau’s data engine. Other improvements include localization and new maps.

“myPad or yours?” – create once and instantly get Tableau on the go

All Tableau views, from both Tableau Server and Tableau Public, are now optimized for touch and gesture experiences when accessed on the iPad. Creating interactive dashboards and reports is still fast, fun, and easy; now those same results are immediately available on the iPad. There is no need for up-front design changes or maintaining multiple versions of workbooks to serve multiple platforms. When a view is accessed from the iPad, Tableau automatically detects and optimizes the user experience. Controls such as filters, parameters, sliders, scrolling, and zoom & pan respond based on touch. The new iPad app, available in the Apple App Store at http://itunes.com/apps/tableaumobile, makes browsing content, accessing favorite reports, and collaborating and commenting quick and easy. An online video showing the new capabilities can be seen here http://www.tableausoftware.com/data-to-ipad-in-2-minutes.

“The ability of Tableau’s mobile BI solution to answer questions wherever they strike is incredibly empowering,” said John Abdo, who is responsible for all web analytics for Cafe Press, one of the world’s leading websites empowering people and organizations to create, buy and sell customized merchandise online. Abdo has been an active participant in the Tableau 6.1 beta. “It’s the same thing Tableau did when they gave non-technical users access to a treasure trove of data.”

According to recent research from Gartner “Forecast Alert: IT Spending, Worldwide, 1Q11 Update,” more widespread adoption of tablets among enterprises will help drive IT spending growth this year. The analysts predict that worldwide media tablet spending is projected to reach $29.4 billion in 2011, up from $9.6 billion in 2010. Global spending on media tablets is forecast to increase at an annual average rate of 52 per cent through 2015.

“BI output has been available on mobile devices for many years, but has had limited success due to the display form factor, computing and memory limitations of handheld devices and the cost of Internet bandwidth. However, the current generation of touch-driven tablets and smartphones is set to make BI content usable and compelling by offering a rich, location-aware and intuitive experience. BI content plus ubiquitous smart mobile devices should equal broader adoption,” commented James Richardson, Research Director at Gartner in his research note, “Findings From EMEA Business Intelligence Summit: Mobile BI Needs Metrics.”

An even faster in-memory data engine

The Tableau data engine, Tableau’s next generation in-memory analytics solution, has been enhanced. Not only does it load and query faster and support bigger data, but people can now incrementally update Tableau extracts quickly with one click or via an automated scheduler. Creating Tableau Extracts is significantly faster with v6.1. For example, loading 6.4 million rows from a file now takes less than 25% of the time it used to.

The data engine lets people speed up the performance of massive corporate databases or integrate large files on the fly. For example, daily visitors to an ecommerce site can result in millions of new records in website log files. With Tableau, those companies can keep their data sets current as they rapidly create and share powerful analytical views and reports.

“The need for speed drives today’s workforce. People have to be able to get interactive access to their dashboards and reports anywhere anytime, even if it’s in a conference room down the hall from their offices. Tableau 6.1 is filled with innovations that help people take charge of massive data and use it regardless of where they are,” said Dan Jewett, Tableau Software’s vice president, product management.  

6.1 new features

As well as mobile support and the enhanced data engine, the release of Tableau 6.1 adds a host of other new functionality including French and German versions, more mapping options, and new features to create brilliant visualizations and dashboards. Detailed information is available at http://www.tableausoftware.com/new-features/6.1.

• Localization and Maps – French and German versions of Tableau Desktop, and enhanced geocoding mean that asking “where?” yields richer answers
• Fresh, fast data – Faster extract creation, incremental updates, data appends, extract history, database impersonation and Teradata improvements make it easier to be up-to-the-minute and secure with all your data
• More tools for authors – more legend options, links on dashboard images and the ability to view data anywhere allow for more control

“The launch of French and German versions highlights the start of our localization drive, translating not just the software text, but a range of other map and locale data as well,” Jewett continued. “Combined with several other innovative new features, this release showcases the vision we have for the Tableau suite worldwide.”

Prior to launch Tableau 6.1 was demoed at Tableau Software’s First Annual European Customer Conference and tested by a group of over 1,000 customers in beta access program.

About Tableau Software

Tableau Software is the leading provider of fast analytics and data visualization software. Ranked by Gartner in 2011 as the world’s fastest growing business intelligence company, Tableau makes its award-winning business intelligence applications available for download at http://www.tableausoftware.com/trial. They enable anyone to easily create and share interactive data visualizations, dashboards and analytics, and can scale to organizations of any size or reach. For more information, please visit http://www.tableausoftware.com.

Source: Tableau Software

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