App Inventor for Android: Dev't for Dummies
Promised: No programming skills required
Google recently advertised its new App Inventor for Android, an object-based integrated development environment (IDE) designed to make coding Android OS apps easy for the average joe. According to Google, App Inventor requires "no programming knowledge". Users will simply define the app’s appearance by laying out interface controls, and assign "blocks" to specify how these controls interact with each other.
While the App Inventor team promises that this block-based development process will make full use of platform's full capabilities—including location-based and telephony services—it looks like Google's promoting the IDE as an education-friendly tool. The sign-up sheet clearly makes provisions for educators who want to explore Android's suitability for their purposes.
We've just submitted our details to the App Inventor's sign-up sheet, and our waiting a reply from Google. Updates to follow as they become available.
App Inventor (Beta)
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Finally an IDE from Google. I'm sorry, but eclipse is too ancient for me. Now we need a full IDE not one for dummies.
Finally an IDE from Google. I'm sorry, but eclipse is too ancient for me. Now we need a full IDE not one for dummies.
Eclipse isn't just an IDE, it's practically an OS.
I think I'm going to sign up and check this out, I currently use Eclipse for the bit of Android programming that I do, but I'd be interested to see how capable App Inventor is.
Actually, I quite like Eclipse. I've completely migrated to it for all the supported languages that I use. Of course, I'd just be using a text editor otherwise.
This graphical IDE may allow Joe wannabe to whip up something, but ultimately it's just going to flood the market with poorly-programmed apps. Good developers are intimately familiar with their code.
If I was developing for Android I'd check this out.
Eclipse is getting worse with every release... Unstable, Features not working, difficult to configure certain perspectives (PHP), slow like hell (try developing something having ZendFramework in the include_path), crashing sometimes, issues with SVN out of a box... Yet it's best IDE I've managed to find... the only one that is better is Zend Studio - but it's not free - so sort of - out of range... I cannot say Eclipse is BAD... it's not... it just lacks the "integration" and "smoothness" - that evil MS gives you when it comes to their Express Series...
IDE has been a dual use acronym for about 20 years now, get over it.
Is it available as freeware?
What's a Jongleur?
I guess this is good for newbies learning the basics. But a true Android dev will probably use DroidDraw to generate the XML (saves a hell of a lot of time for me) and do the rest via code.
This looks like it has potential... Just like appOmator for the iPhone which has been out since january.
I recommend you check it out if you have an iPhone.
http://www.appomator.com/