Google App Inventor tutorial/overview for beginner

OVERVIEW :
Googles app inventor is a drag and drop web(html + java webstart) based IDE(not eclipse based)- which aims to simplify  building of apps.
For techies this is(almost) like equivalent of Visual basic, while Eclipse based android  development is like equivalent of visual c++/c#.

BASIC STEPS:
The basic step is to design(buttons) screen using web(html) based IDE. Next step is to add events(click) for the components(buttons) using Blocks editor which uses  JNLP(java webstart) launcher. You may then add events to your GUI or click the connect to phone button - on block editor to test your app .

 App Inventor (unfortunately) does not generate/emit java source code - and hence it may only be good for educational purpose(or small customizations).
You can get started using : http://appinventor.googlelabs.com/about/ (though beta version is not offered to everyone). If you dont have an actual phone then you
may try build app using simulator(very very slow) using this link: http://appinventor.googlelabs.com/learn/reference/other/emulator.html.

Getting Started with Hello world example :

a)Setup your phone and computer:
You will need to have java and "app launcher extras"(google sdk+ ) installed on your machine. (for droid incredible etc you have to add USB related settings in the sdk driver inf file as mentioned in below step )

http://appinventor.googlelabs.com/learn/gettingstarted.html


b) Go to appinventor.googlelabs.com . Click on MyProjects link on RHS. I am assuming that your google user Id has
permissions to use app inventor , you will also need to accept the T&C(first time). You will see window like below.
Drag a textbox, button and label as shown below. You can click on Properties on RHS to change button/label text.
If you need to delete something then you may use the delete button below components column. You may note that
if you change labels then it may not immediately get refreshed. After making changes click on "Save" button on top.
Now click on Open blocks editor button on top and download/accept any JNLP permissions to start it.
Since this IDE is HTML(not thick client) - it will not be user friendly(or fast) as compared with the "Blocks editor"
(which uses Java web start .. However java web start is harder to install )

(Click on above picture to see full image)

b) Let us add code/events so  that if button is clicked - then we will set labels text - to whatever values was typed in textbox.

Click on Button1 and drag "when button1.click" event. Similarly as shown below click on "Label1" and "Textbox1"
events.You may click on connect to phone to test the app. After testing - you can close block editors - and click on "package
for phone" button on top rhs to permanently deploy this sample on your phone.

(Click on above picture to see full image)

ISSUES: You may have trouble(eg could not create java runtime) running the launcher - and hence you may download (save) the JNLP file , edit it (eg remove j2se tag)- and then run it(or you may need to configure java control panel for proxy server settings).

For droid Incredible you should connect the USB/phone in "charge only"(not disk mode), else you will have error like "error uploading/connecting to media"(in short avoid app or settings which will automatically mount the drive) . For other phones

you may need the mass storage options.

You can then go back to Web based ide - and click on package for your phone - to install the app.

For other issues refer to : http://appinventor.googlelabs.com/learn/troubleshooting.html

Next Steps: Try some tutorials from google :
http://appinventor.googlelabs.com/learn/tutorials/index.html

Reference manual : http://appinventor.googlelabs.com/learn/reference/

Invoking external API (or Webservice) :
Try the experimental TinyWebDB to invoke your webservice(TinyWebDB
is almost like a  hashtable over web - and supports only storeAValue and getValue
operation - and hence you may have to do some hacks or mapping -
to call external service):
http://appinventor.googlelabs.com/learn/reference/other/tinywebdb.html
http://www.appinventor.org/talking-to-an-api

In future google app inventor components can be developed using java per
http://appinventor.googlelabs.com/learn/userfaq.html
(In that case it will be similar to developing components in VC++ to make VB
lot more productive/easier to use)
Similarly - mulitple screen can be deveopled via a hack.
Online Book  :
There is a text book link(outdated) on LHS at
http://www.appinventor.org/

Developing app using java using Android SDK:
You can click here to go back - to the beginning of this blog to develop android
app using java(and eclipse).(instead of using app inventor)

Others:
If  you are confused about various android phone - then my opinion is at:
http://bestandroidphone.blogspot.com/ (though cnet.com will be better from specs perspective
But they wont tell you bugs in phone.)
My index of technical blog is at :
http://www.jroller.com/zahid eg selenium tutorial, seam etc