A New Way to Build That Smartphone App You Always Needed

Google Labs has recently come out with a new program to expand the creative ideas and capabilities contained within smart phone applications: an App Inventor.  Google Labs’ App Inventor program is designed for Android Phone apps, and makes it possible for you to design an app on your computer that can easily be transferred to your phone.  Remember that perfect app that appears in your head, but just can’t be found in the app store?  Good news, you can create it yourself!  Which is more fun than buying it, anyway.

Using Google Labs’ App Inventor does not require any special knowledge or skill set.  The apps are really quite simple to make, and are based on key components of the look and feel you desire for your app.  Some features that App Inventor offers are:

• the ability to store user data in a database – this capability makes it possible for anyone using your app to have their data stored.  For example, if you are asking for user feedback (answers to a question, suggestions for fixing a problem, etc.), answers that any user gives can be stored by your Android app.
• GPS capability – as we have mentioned previously, GPS features are huge in SmartPhone apps.  App Inventor makes it easy for you to incorporate the use of GPS into an app that you design.
• use of Android phone features – this means that any app you design can make use of your phone’s stored contacts information, as well as text message and calling capabilities.  Say you want to design an app that will help you advertise for business events and promotions — you could design this app so that a text message reminder is sent out to those who RSVPed “yes” to an event.
• connections with websites – this particular feature takes a bit more skill level, but if you learn a bit about writing web apps, is easy to take advantage of!  You can connect your Android app with websites of your choice such as WordPress to link up with your blog, or Facebook to help your app better connect with friends and business partners.

In the realm of troubleshooting and FAQs, the App Inventor website includes a user forum and several help pages (some of which are user generated).  App Inventor also offers quite a few tutorials to help new users get started with the program.  Tutorials offered by App Inventor include:

• several tutorials on how to build quizzes that multiple users can respond to (and, as we discussed previously, that can store user information)
• automatic text messages responses (making full use of the Android’s phone features)
• finding your car (this takes advantage of the GPS capabilities this program offers, and could certainly be useful when you’re shopping at Denver’s newly opened Ikea store)
• getting stock quotes (hello, smartphone apps for business!)

So, the next time you’re thinking in terms of internet marketing, don’t stick to the straight and narrow — take the leap and create something new!  Seriously, the possibilities are endless.

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