- Before beginning this activity, ensure that you have all the necessary materials
- 1 Computer with Wi-Fi access (and charger as needed)
- 1 Gmail Account
- 1 Android Device (Phone or Tablet) with Wi-Fi access (and charger as needed)
- Internet
2. Download the MIT AI2 Companion App from Google Play
Please note: The MIT App Inventor and MIT AI2 Companion app each have their own terms of use, which must be accepted in order to use these items. Each user must decide whether to accept the applicable terms of use.
Note: It is imperative that each computer has a unique Gmail account associated with it. App Inventor does not allow users to work on an app in two places at the same time. Therefore, if 2 groups are using the same email account, they will override each other’s work. At the Qualcomm® Thinkabit Lab™, we found setting up before students’ arrival helps this activity run smoother. Below are the steps we took to prepare for the activity:
- Create unique Gmail accounts for each computer and label the computer with the email address. Be sure to keep a record of all email accounts and passwords.
- Open App Inventor (appinventor.mit.edu) on each computer and log in with the Gmail account assigned to that computer.
- On the Android device, open Google Play, search for and find the AI2 Companion App, and download the app to the device. If a Gmail account is required, use the accounts created for the computers. It is not necessary to have unique Gmail accounts on the Android devices which means you could use the same one for all devices.
- If students are using their personal Android devices, we recommend for them to download the AI2 Companion app prior to beginning this activity.
If you know all students already have Gmail accounts, you can opt to have them use their own account to log in to App Inventor. One advantage of having students use their own mobile devices and Gmail accounts is that it allows them to continue building their app in App Inventor from any computer.
Don’t have a Gmail account
- Go to gmail.com and sign up! You’ll need this account to access App Inventor. The apps created will be stored under that email address.
Don’t have an Android device, rather I have an Apple (iOS-based) device, can I use it with App Inventor?
- No, App Inventor is currently only compatible with Android-based devices. Although many apps are available on both iOS and Android, the coding process for these 2 platforms is quite different.