• Getting Started
  Learn what to download and install, and how to learn Java and App Programming.
• App Inventor Examples
  Some very useful examples including source code you can import into app inventor.
• Resources
  These links provide some tools and other information for app development.

Before you start developing Android apps, you will need to set up your computer for development and testing. While most recommend you test your apps on your target device, I've found it's easiest to use an emulator, especially if you can't seem to connect your device to the PC for whatever reason or just don't happen to even have a device.

1. Download and install Java. This is a must have since the Android platform is basically Java based. App Inventor relies on the latest version of Java to be installed.
2. Download and install the Android SDK and Java SE JDK. This also gives you some very important tools, such as adb which you need to connect your device to your PC if you should go that route, and an emulator that even the App Inventor uses. Note that the Java SE JDK is a different package from the Java you download for use with App Inventor. If you do have the latest Java SE JDK installed but the installation for the Android SDK says you don't, click the Back button during installation and then go forward again. Sometimes this works (especially if you reboot after installing the Java SE JDK but before running the installation for the Android SDK).
3. Easy Way: Set up Google App Inventor. This is the easiest way to start developing apps. App Inventor is a WYSIWYG visual development system which is very easy to learn. The site includes tutorials, video demonstrations, complete setup instructions and much more. You need a Free Google Account to use the App Inventor. At the time of this writing, apps created in App Inventor cannot be uploaded to Android Market.
4. The Hard Way: Learn Java and Android Application Development. This will take some time but will be well worth the effort. And your apps will also be publishable in Android Market. Here are some books and resources that may help you get started:
   • Java for Dummies
   • Android Application Development for Dummies
   • The Android Developer's Cookbook:
     Building Applications with the Android SDK (Developer's Library)
   • Pro Android 3
   • Free Online Java Tutorial
   • Android Application Development Tutorials
   • Android SDK Documentation

NOTE: I am not able to support the Google App Inventor scripts at this time. Google is dropping App Inventor and there's no word yet on when MIT will be picking it up and putting it online (as of December 2011). Use these scripts only as an exmaple to gain ideas from.

I cannot provide support for these scripts at this time.

Here are a few useful examples I have come up with for use with App Inventor. These are public domain so you can adjust them as you see fit.

• Working with PHP scripts: Colors Example
  This example shows how to make an app that interacts with a PHP script.
• TinyWebDB and PHP: Read/Write to File
  This example shows how to interact with a PHP script and save and read data to a file on your server.
• TinyWebDB and PHP: Read/Write from MySQL Database
  This example shows how to interact with a PHP script and save and retrieve information from a MySQL database.

• QR Code Graphic Generator
  Enter the URL of where your .apk file is located and it will generate a QR code image for you to download and add to your web page.
• Google Fusion Tables
  This is a database you can use with your apps. This is customizable, and a little different from Google's App Engine. While you do need a free Google account as a developer to use it, your users won't need a Google account to use any apps you create that use the Fusion Tables.
• Changing Your UserID, Icon and App Inventor Code
  How to change your User ID, icon and other code in downloaded App Inventor Source Code.
• Custom Android Development
  This is a paid service which can help businesses by creating custom apps for mobile devices.