Setting Up the App Inventor

You can run the applications onto your Android device with two different ways: via Wi-Fi connection (AI Companion) or a USB cable. In the first case you need both your computer and the Android device to be connected to the same Wi-Fi network. If you do not have an Android phone or tablet, you can still build apps with App Inventor. App Inventor provides an Android emulator, which works just like an Android device but everything appears on your computer screen. You can test your apps onto the emulator and still distribute the app to others even through the Play Store. In this case you must have App Inventor Companion App installed on your device.

Installing and Running the Emulator in AI2

The steps for installing and running App Inventor are as follows:

Step 1. Install the App Inventor Setup Software

Step 2. Launch aiStarter (Windows & GNU/Linux only)

Step 3. Open an App Inventor project and connect it to the emulator

Connecting to a phone or tablet with a USB cable

The steps for beginning to use App Inventor with the USB cable are as follows:

Step 1: Install the App Inventor Setup Software

Step 2: Download and install the MIT AI2 Companion App on your phone

Step 3. Launch aiStarter (Windows & GNU/Linux only)

Step 4: Set up your device for USB (Turn USB Debugging ON)

Step 5: Connect your computer and device and authenticate, if necessary

Step 6: Test the connection

Connect your Phone or Tablet over WiFi

The following steps will walk you through the process:

Step 1: Download and install the MIT AI2 Companion App on your phone

Step 2: Connect both your computer and your device to the same WiFi Network

Step 3: Open an App Inventor project and connect it to your device