Android App Inventor lets you be the developer (video)

Google is following in Nokia's footsteps today by offering its users a simple-to-use DIY app maker. Employing a design scheme that relies on visual blocks rather than oodles of arcane code, the App Inventor -- still in Beta, of course -- has functions for "just about anything" you can do with an Android handset, including access to GPS and phone functionality. All that's really missing is the raw creative talent, which we're sure you'll be happy to provide. Hit the source link to get involved or skip past the break for an educational video.

[Chrinik Posted Jul 12th 2010 4:09AM]

Omg, I've been waiting for this one for so long. I've had some awesome ideas, but nothing awesome enough to devote my life to Java and C.

[FNi Posted Jul 12th 2010 4:14AM]

What a great idea. Kudos to Nokia and Google.

[fpad77 Posted Jul 12th 2010 4:17AM]

@Chrinik It's good but I'd be curious to see what 'really' useful apps would come of it. If anything I should think it would help blast that silly 'we have this many apps!!!' thing away -- considering a large amount of those are the same level of fodder.

Obviously there's nothing quite like being able to take part in the creation of android apps, it creates a sense of community and involvement, something google seem quite intent on doing. So although I don't think the applications would be of a extreme high standard they do at the same time help in the encouragement of big party developers to the platform if those parties base their target market size on the size of your 'app store'.

[Chrinik Posted Jul 12th 2010 4:38AM]

Exactly, I mean if you're looking at iOS, all of the UI elements in the apps ARE consistent, but it leaves much to be desired for uniqueness. Arrows with bubble accents get old after the 12th million app you see them in. Hopefully Google will offer some variety?
Regardless I have faith in the quality of this creation software.

[Mike10010100 Posted Jul 12th 2010 4:45AM]

@Chrinik

This is awesome! Just the other day I (an Android developer) was talking with an Apple developer, and discussing the relative merits of each.

The only thing that we could get down in stone that we both agreed on was that the iPhone did indeed have an easier to use layout-editor. Thank you Google for seeing that and one-upping your usual awesomeness!!

[Dusse Posted Jul 12th 2010 4:57AM]

@Chrinik I'd wait for some useful apps before cheering. And to be honest..I don't think that'll happen.

[Mike10010100 Posted Jul 12th 2010 5:00AM]

@Dusse

Useful? You'll be sure to see some of my apps. A flashcard reading app that announces out loud what the text on it says. A few simple games. A soundboard app of my own.

This opens things up! Why would you not be for freedom in App development? Because it lets in the rabble? The rabble is weeded out in the app store.

[Dusse Posted Jul 12th 2010 5:07AM]

@Mike10010100 I'm sorry, and perhaps there will be a few apps that'll be useful to a handful of individuals, but seriously, this is just a way of boosting the numbers of apps on Android and what this can do is VERY limited. I'd rather not have in on my platform of choice.

[Masterdebated Posted Jul 12th 2010 5:09AM]

@Chrinik I am going to make the most awesome "Hello world!" app in the entire world with this.

[liftedngifted1 Posted Jul 12th 2010 5:21AM]

@Chrinik Now everyone is going to think there developers lol

[Mike10010100 Posted Jul 12th 2010 5:25AM]

@Dusse

You know that it's very limited? How? Are you already signed up for it?

Secondly "almost every function" sounds like a hell of a lot. This is hardly limited.

This does nearly the exact same thing as the Apple builder. It makes it easier to lay out and build an app while still being able to access its underlying code.

[Dusse Posted Jul 12th 2010 5:38AM]

@Mike10010100 How I know? It's a DIY app creator.

It is limited. All it can do is access what the phones does and yes, that is very limited when it comes to doing useful apps.

To use it as an interface builder..fine. But you still have to know how to code do actually be able to do something really useful with it.

[fpad77 Posted Jul 12th 2010 5:40AM]

@Dusse You wouldn't have a choice on that even if you wanted to. ;)

[Dusse Posted Jul 12th 2010 5:51AM]

@fpad77 Sure I would, I could choose another platform.

[fpad77 Posted Jul 12th 2010 6:50AM]

@Dusse now why would you do that when its so easy to dismiss something you can't have.

[iucidium Posted Jul 12th 2010 6:53AM]

@liftedngifted1 what's wrong with that? It'll be like little big planet...but with android. Your apps could be yours and yours alone. Or practical applications not yet envisioned.

[B3nt Posted Jul 12th 2010 6:59AM]

@Dusse

Yes, I definitely foresaw apple's fanboys putting down Google for giving it's customers more choice. Thank you for confirming!

[tpbftw Posted Jul 12th 2010 7:09AM]

@Chrinik Not everyone knows but that drag-n-drop "coding style" has been there for ages. It was called Scratch and was developed by the guys at MIT.

[MowDownJoe Posted Jul 12th 2010 7:20AM]

@Chrinik As long as I can make tweeks to the code afterwards. I took a couple of classes in Java, but the XML stuff for the UI makes my head hurt.

[Dusse Posted Jul 12th 2010 7:24AM]

@B3nt To give the the choice - fine (but as I said, I don't want it on my platform of choice. Going to destroy the marketplace). But this service is nothing new and nothing exciting.

[macserv Posted Jul 12th 2010 8:55AM]

@Chrinik It's incredibly easy to change the way your app's controls look in iOS. Just look at Gowalla, or myriad other apps that have customized the look and feel. Having a strong suggested visual style and set of functionality is very good for the users of any platform.

[BSprague Posted Jul 12th 2010 8:55AM]

@Chrinik

If anyone has used Multimedia Fusion 2, if they can bring it to even a basic level of that type of creation, we'd see some professional grade Android apps coming from non-developer types.

[macserv Posted Jul 12th 2010 9:08AM]

@Mike10010100 App Inventor doesn't "one-up" Interface builder... in fact, they're really two different things.

App Inventor is a (VERY slick) prototyping tool with a really good set of basic interaction functionality. It outputs designs and simulations that can be used as a basis for building a fully-functional application.

Interface Builder lets you assemble your actual app interface, which will be loaded directly when your shipping app runs. It lets you create connections between your view and controller objects that are instantiated and used at run-time, and referenced in your Objective-C code. It also integrates seamlessly with Xcode.

They're two very different tools, serving two different purposes, and I would consider both to be best in their class.

[Dig Deep Posted Jul 12th 2010 9:19AM]

@Chrinik

Awesome awesome awesome. Take that Apple. Your 1970's Xcode and Cocoa are horrible. This is what an open platforms does. It's always giving it's users cool stuff they WANT all the time. Not just stuff you want to give them once a year...

This could seriously give Android a boost especially if you can integrate Flash content. OMG

[DeFlanko Posted Jul 12th 2010 10:07AM]

@Chrinik

Puurrrrrrrfect

[One Love Posted Jul 12th 2010 10:18AM]

@Chrinik : Hopefully this will lead to an IDE with built-in application and widget templates and wizards. It would be nice to have an established set of generic templates you could customize and reuse to build your applications and widgets. It should cut down development time.

[idib Posted Jul 12th 2010 10:21AM]

@Chrinik
yeah google found the smartest way to boost their android developper's number... smart move google!

[Accelerator Posted Jul 12th 2010 11:03AM]

@Dig Deep
Dude , stop talking about stuff you know shit about.

xCode is 1970s? You gotta be fucking kidding me , have you ever seen the android sdk (which is actually integrated into another IDE ) , ever coded in java?

Seriously the android sdk looks like a fuckcluster to me , did they even try? it sucks monkey balls

And don't even get me started on the goddamn emulator , it takes a full 5 minutes to start up on my pc.

Stop writing comments for the sake of it , the android sdk is exactly what i hate about open source tools.Not to mention the lack of tutorials , undocumented api , obscure errors and obscene installation process.

[wafflenator Posted Jul 12th 2010 11:19AM]

@Chrinik
And here's Palm, who's had it for quite a while now...
http://ares.palm.com/Ares/about.html

[steel Posted Jul 12th 2010 11:49AM]

@Chrinik

Bottomline: You need a Mac to develop for iOS. Fail.

[jroff Posted Jul 12th 2010 12:40PM]

@Accelerator
... You realize the application development guide, along with the API reference manual is on the exact same website as the Android SDK, right? And what's this about an "obscene installation process"? You literally download a zip file.. then extract it. Holy goatnuts, that's obscenely complicated.
And, what exactly is your beef with Java?

[Cats Posted Jul 12th 2010 12:51PM]

@Dig Deep 1970s XCode and Cocoa? You clearly aren't a developer. Or anyone with a clue about software. Laughable.

[HoldenMccrotch Posted Jul 12th 2010 12:55PM]

@Accelerator
lack of tutorials?
did you like, even look on the google site? theres TONNES
seriously, just because it doesnt spoon feed you and tell you how to make your app exactly doesnt mean there arent tutorials, they just require user knowledge...

[crow610 Posted Jul 12th 2010 1:09PM]

@Mike10010100 and don't forget submission process and AdHoc build is a lot easier for Android apps

[therodt Posted Jul 12th 2010 1:50PM]

@liftedngifted1
Yup! I am updating my resume as we speak...

[therodt Posted Jul 12th 2010 1:55PM]

@iucidium Yup I ahve been thinking of an app that liek tells me how freaking awesome i am in my own voice...and then put it on my girls android...I got a name for it too. ROD IS AWESOME

[LiquidAmber Posted Jul 12th 2010 11:01PM]

@Dusse

These are not apps for the marketplace. They're for your phone. So your point is moot.

[stevelam Posted Jul 13th 2010 4:15AM]

@Dig Deep uhh you do realize there are tons of different "app inventor" style development tools for iOS right?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gaR6p7AnkJo

duh.

[WillSmith Posted Jul 12th 2010 4:10AM]

so awesome

[markfischoff Posted Jul 12th 2010 4:18AM]

@WillSmith yes. i want to ditch my iphone 3g for a android handset

[Stotherd Posted Jul 12th 2010 4:23AM]

@markfischoff

Its easier than you'd think. I got a desire for my 16Gb 3G.

[ssguy Posted Jul 12th 2010 4:23AM]

@WillSmith

Looking forward to seeing u in MIB 3, Mr. Smith.

[LiveFromThe215 Posted Jul 12th 2010 11:51AM]

@WillSmith
Indeed, makes me wanna get jiggy with it

[TheSpoonyBard Posted Jul 12th 2010 4:10AM]

All my app-creation sessions and driven by soft jazz and cats.

[NickAVV Posted Jul 12th 2010 5:05AM]

@TheSpoonyBard Many upvotes to you my good sir.

And I'm definitely going to give this a shot. I'd be honored to join the Android app development community in addition to the iPhone one.

[TheSpoonyBard Posted Jul 12th 2010 5:13AM]

@TheSpoonyBard

Gaaahhh "are" instead of "and"

[horchata Posted Jul 12th 2010 4:12AM]

The App Inventor video demonstrates how to create your own LOLcat app. Great.

[haritori Posted Jul 12th 2010 4:12AM]

Now to rip off some good apps and past them as my own!! ;-)

[CptReilly Posted Jul 12th 2010 4:13AM]

Very cool! I will definitely be trying this out.

[AbsoluteDesignz Posted Jul 12th 2010 4:14AM]

Tomorrow there will be 400,000 apps. Lol.