Google Launches Do-It-Yourself App Builder

Fancy yourself an Android app developer, but don’t have the slightest clue about programming? Does Google have a deal for you. Currently available only in closed beta, but coming to the general public soon, Google’s new App Inventor for Android is designed to bring app building to the unrefined masses. The program strips the actual programming out of the app-building process, allowing you to put together apps with a series of blocks that provide the functions that you want.

App Inventor isn’t limited to games and novelty apps, it includes access to GPS information for location-based apps, works with phone functions and works with Web applications.

Here’s a little more explanation from Google:

“To use App Inventor, you do not need to be a developer. App Inventor requires NO programming knowledge. This is because instead of writing code, you visually design the way the app looks and use blocks to specify the app’s behavior. App Inventor is simple to use, but also very powerful. Apps you build can even store data created by users in a database, so you can create a make-a-quiz app in which the teachers can save questions in a quiz for their students to answer.”

You can sign up to be notified when App Inventor becomes available. [Google via PC World]