Progress Report of December 14, 2012 | Part One of Three
Background Information About MIT App Inventor for Android
With a gift and other support from Google, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Media Lab formed the Center for Mobile Learning (CML). Hal Abelson, MIT Class of 1922 Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science and CML co-director, proposed an idea while on sabbatical at Google in 2008 that resulted in the development of App Inventor for Android. As one of its first activities started in September 2011, the Center for Mobile Learning focused synergies on the App Inventor for Android programming environment so that "developer-learners" could more easily create mobile device applications for Android-based smartphones and tablets (and for running PC-based prototypes using the Android emulator tool).
By connecting "programming blocks" using a web browser -- like the pieces of a puzzle -- apps are created using the "App Inventor Designer" tool, where the components for an app are selected. They're then assembled by using the "App Inventor Blocks Editor" tool, where the smarts are formed for how the application's components come together and run as a functioning piece of software.
App Inventor servers store your work as you go and also assist you with tracking projects. To get going with a MIT App Inventor project, one only needs a Google account online and a Mac OS X, GNU/Linux, or Windows personal computer (to develop with and run the PC-based Android emulator). An optional Android mobile device is very useful for app-testing and to "go-live" with when the app is complete!
As you develop step-by-step in the MIT App Inventor for Android environment, it will appear on your tethered Android device or in your personal computer's Android emulator (which looks just like the screen of an Android smartphone). This is great for purposes of testing the app! And after its finished, you're able to create a standalone installation package for upload to an Android smartphone or tablet.
Sources
http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/2011/center-mobile-learning.html and
http://appinventor.mit.edu/explore/content/what-app-inventor.html
http://www.youtube.com/user/appinventor
Background Information About MIT App Inventor for Android
With a gift and other support from Google, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Media Lab formed the Center for Mobile Learning (CML). Hal Abelson, MIT Class of 1922 Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science and CML co-director, proposed an idea while on sabbatical at Google in 2008 that resulted in the development of App Inventor for Android. As one of its first activities started in September 2011, the Center for Mobile Learning focused synergies on the App Inventor for Android programming environment so that "developer-learners" could more easily create mobile device applications for Android-based smartphones and tablets (and for running PC-based prototypes using the Android emulator tool).
By connecting "programming blocks" using a web browser -- like the pieces of a puzzle -- apps are created using the "App Inventor Designer" tool, where the components for an app are selected. They're then assembled by using the "App Inventor Blocks Editor" tool, where the smarts are formed for how the application's components come together and run as a functioning piece of software.
App Inventor servers store your work as you go and also assist you with tracking projects. To get going with a MIT App Inventor project, one only needs a Google account online and a Mac OS X, GNU/Linux, or Windows personal computer (to develop with and run the PC-based Android emulator). An optional Android mobile device is very useful for app-testing and to "go-live" with when the app is complete!
As you develop step-by-step in the MIT App Inventor for Android environment, it will appear on your tethered Android device or in your personal computer's Android emulator (which looks just like the screen of an Android smartphone). This is great for purposes of testing the app! And after its finished, you're able to create a standalone installation package for upload to an Android smartphone or tablet.
Sources
http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/2011/center-mobile-learning.html and
http://appinventor.mit.edu/explore/content/what-app-inventor.html
http://www.youtube.com/user/appinventor