In this chapter, we create a personal account on the Google App Inventor site, set up Java on our computer (which runs the Blocks Editor), and connect our phone or other Android device to our computer (so we can test our apps). We then create our first app and see it work on our device.
What we learn in this chapter:
Signing up for the free Google App Inventor account. Part of App Inventor runs on the web (the Designer) and part of it on our local computers (the Blocks Editor).
Logging onto the App Inventor website.
Requirements for PC, Mac, and Linux.
Obtaining and installing Java.
Downloading and installing the part of App Inventor that runs locally.
Running the Emulator (a cute but fake virtual smartphone on your local computer for testing apps).
Finding and downloading device drivers (for our phone or other Android device).
Configuring our device to work with App Inventor.
Once we set up our working environment—that is, we have an App Inventor account, Java and the local part of Google App Inventor on our local machine, and either an emulator (virtual Android device) or our phone connected via USB cable—we are ready to begin.
The good news is that the only thing approaching any degree of difficulty in using App Inventor is this initial installation process. Do that once, and it is forever out of the way.
The rest of the good news is that the bad news was cancelled as soon as we heard it was possible to create powerful apps for Android devices without ever writing a line of Java code!
Drag-and-drop—the new way of programming. But, let's hold the party until we get our working environment…er… working.
If you already have a Google account—which gives you access to lots of Google web applications such as Gmail, YouTube, and many more—you already have an App Inventor account. Just sign in (see the next section for how) and use it.
For most of last year (2010), Google App Inventor was a closed beta testing program—meaning one had to be invited to participate. I was and did, which gave me a small headstart in learning App Inventor, but I'll be helping all you guys catch up and surpass me.
In December 2010, Google opened the App Inventor beta program to everyone holding a Google account. App Inventor is still in beta but that means little, since Goggle tends to keep applications in "testing" for longer than many software publishers.
The point here is that App Inventor is now open to everyone and you, I, and Aunt Mabel can start writing and publishing our own apps.