It's time to check your App Store updates, because 1Password touch 2.0 is here! This is the biggest update we've made since the 1.0 release in July 2008, and we've added some great new features for you.
First, you can now edit and sync Wallet items like credit card numbers and software licenses with your iPhone or iPod touch (1Password 2.9.16 or greater on the Mac is required). In order to improve reliability, enable new features, and pave the way for new features in 1Password 3.0, we also added a brand new Wi-Fi Sync system. The new WiFi Sync greatly simplifies the setup process with your iPhone or iPod touch, and it adds the perk of being completely automatic. Anytime 1Password on your Mac and 1Password touch 2.0 on your device are connected to the same Wi-Fi network, they will automatically sync all of your Logins, Secure Notes, and Wallet items so you never leave home without them. Because of this convenience, we have removed the old "iPhone Sync" menu from 1Password's Sync menu with a recent 1Password 2.9.17 update. Run "Check for Updates" from 1Password's application menu to grab the new version.
To demonstrate how easy it is to get the new Wi-Fi Sync feature set up, I created a short two-minute screencast, which is embedded below:
Give this a spin or check out our official Wi-Fi Sync Guide page on how to get started if documentation is more your thing.
Master Password Required For Upgrade
After installing 1Password touch 2.0, you will need to provide your Master Password so we can migrate your data into the new format required by 2.0. Put another way:
If you do not know your Master Password, DO NOT UPGRADE yet.
We have a forum post that covers your options for upgrading to 1Password touch 2.0 if you have forgotten your Master Password.
The new Agile Keychain format
In order for the new Wi-Fi Sync feature to be all it can be and sync your stuff with 1Password touch 2.0, we now require users to switch to the new Agile Keychain format. If you are not ready to switch from the Mac OS X keychain, you can continue to use 1Password 2.9.15 on the Mac (available from our version hisory page) and 1Password touch 1.4 on your device (just remember to not update to the new 2.0 version) for the near future. If you are not syncing with a device at all, you can continue to use the Mac OS X keychain format until 1Password 3.0 (more on that in a minute).
There are a number of reasons why the Agile Keychain is the wave of 1Password's future, so I'll explain a few:
Reliability - As some of our customers know, making the Mac OS X keychain bend and stretch to 1Password's needs can sometimes be problematic. Apple designed its keychain so that many applications can store one or two items, and it's great for that. But over the years, we have learned that 1Password users need something a little more robust (fun fact: the average 1Password customer stores around 300 items in a keychain). These differences in the fundamental design approaches between the Mac OS X keychain and 1Password cause a lot of our problems. Further, when we analyze a log of something gone wrong, it contains cryptic error messages that speak more to Apple's engineers than ours.
The new Agile Keychain format is designed from the ground up with security, extensibility, and the ability to store hundreds, or even thousands, of items in mind. It's optimized for syncing encrypted data not only between multiple computers, but portable devices like the iPhone, iPod touch, and Palm OS 4 handhelds. You can even keep 1Password open on two Macs, and if you're using a service like Dropbox to sync your Agile Keychain, you can create new items from either copy and they will appear almost instantly in both.
These and other features are difficult to run (reliably) on the Mac OS X keychain, which is one key reason why we're transitioning to our new Agile Keychain. But more importantly, an in-house keychain format allows our developers to control and optimize 1Password much faster. It also gives our support reps a much better glimpse into problems when they happen.
Supporting our users - I've listed just a couple of the problems that we run into when creating newer, better versions of 1Password that have to support the Mac OS X keychain. But really, you're the ones who run into the problems; we're just here to help.
The fact is, our users are the ones who suffer the most when our software has to support a keychain format that was never intended for the greatness of 1Password. Switching to the new Agile Keychain format will cause fewer problems and make it much, much easier for us to build a better 1Password for you. Don't get me wrong: Agile Web Solutions is a firm believer that behind every great product is equally great customer support. We love helping our customers, but we also love to make software faster, better, and just plain cooler. The new Agile Keychain format solves as many problems for our customers as it does for us, and it fits much better into 1Password's future.
New 1Password 3.0 features - No, I can't spill any specific beans here just yet. But 1Password 3.0 is going to bring some great new features that Apple's keychain is simply not designed to support. You won't be disappointed, so stay tuned for more details on these soon.
We hope you really like 1Password touch 2.0. As always, we love to hear your feedback in the 1Password touch for iPhone and iPod touch forums.
David Chartier
Chief Media Producer
