App Inventor for Android

[Hook]

This is kind of cool and kinda scary at the same time.

App Inventor for Android

I love the idea of a front-end software designer that then turns your design into code without programming. I used to run my College Lab with such a creation. And, by the way, I plan on getting on the list to get this.

But I also can't help but worry that we are about to see a thousand new half-baked apps produced by what is to software programming what the Easy-Bake Oven is to your average kitchen.

It will be fun to watch, but the video demo (though fun to watch) doesn't quell my fears.

[Varjak]

I was pretty impressed by the quickly assembled apps made by school kids:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/12/te...Android&st=cse

[jigwashere]

I'm pretty impressed by this: The Easy-Bake Oven, Gourmet Style : NPR

[Stryker]

My concern was that those apps would find their way to App Market; however, word is that they won't be allowed there (at least not initially).

[Mi An]

But I also can't help but worry that we are about to see a thousand new half-baked apps produced by what is to software programming what the Easy-Bake Oven is to your average kitchen.

That seems like more of a store structure problem, and frankly it bothers me even before any flood of fart apps made by people who couldn't have programmed them would. I'd like to see better reviewing structures, better editorial work (some professional sorting), good pricing differentiation structures (so expensive but good apps still get attention even though they're outsold by crap), good recommendation structures (netflix style, Android Market recommends this because of your interest in this and this [because lots of other people who liked this also liked this and this]), tagging, user lists (Amazon style), even (ugggh) social networking (people in your contacts are using this and this) etc.

I wish there were a lot of good competing android marketplaces by CNET and pocketgear and Amazon (and, dare I say suggest something that's a little confusing: Google), et al, and frankly, I wish developers still sold their wares from their own site as a matter of coruse. But barring that, sorting and searching is pretty important stuff. I don't know a ton about the Android market specifically so I apologize if it's actually sorting nirvana, but what I don't see anyone doing is taking the most useful digital retail mechanisms we've developed over the past 10 years and integrating them into these app stores.

Back on topic , I notice it claims to have "There are even blocks to talk to services like Twitter." If those blocks do now or ever do include some google APIs, that could be a really killer feature for me and my own personal use. Far moreso if App inventor could build Chrome extensions as well.