VIPorbit Software International has launched a free ‘lite’ version of its contacts-management software, writes Andy Penfold.

Designed especially for the iPhone, VIPorbit Lite has reduced functionality when compared with the £5.99 full version, and offers an in-app purchase to upgrade. VIPorbit Lite manages up to 100 contacts, whereas the full version has no limit on the number of contacts the user can input.

The app is built on the idea of establishing and building Orbits, or spheres of influence, among your relationships. According to the company, VIPorbit provides professionals with “a more robust way to manage all the information about their contacts – anytime, anywhere – so they can deal with more people, more effectively.”

“VIPorbit Lite allows you to test drive the app before purchasing it, so you can experience powerful, affordable, easy-to-use software that lets you manage and instantly access precise details about your contacts on a device you have with you all the time,” says VIPorbit CEO and founder, Mike Muhney. “With VIPorbit, you’ll elevate the value you deliver to your contacts, which in turn will help you build more successful relationships.”

VIPorbit works with a contacts manager and a calendar to let the user schedule and log communication activity with contacts, and keep a track of meetings and to-dos. The app works around its dashboard, which gives a daily activity summary, database stats, and access to calendar views. The calendar is linked to contacts, and includes alerts, recurring activities, group scheduling and an automated log of completed activities.

There are six user-definable fields for contacts, so users can store the information they want on each individual contact. The software allows for quick connection to contacts – via phone, email, text, Twitter and Facebook – through the VIPorbit interface. Users can also use a feature called ‘VIPLinks’ to create and leverage connections between contacts, according to the company.

VIPorbit Lite and VIPorbit are available now from the Apple App Store.