Android App Inventor takes a page from Ares [The Competition] 18
Google's Android OS has always been a bit of a mystery to webOS fans: Here's this giant web company committed to open standards, yet their mobile OS isn't as web-centric as what Palm has put out. One example: the Ares development environment (just discussed in a podcast), which lets developers build apps entirely in their web browser. Google has apparently heard the news and gotten caught up with the Android App Inventor, which does drag-and-drop, in-a-browser development for Android.
There appears to be a few extra steps required for Android than what Ares + webOS needs, but otherwise we're thinking that these are very similar concepts and implementations. Anybody out there happen to take both for a spin and can tell us the critical differences? Sound off in the comments!
via Android Central; thanks to everybody who sent this in!
18 Comments
I'm waiting for the Android App Inventor invite to try it out first hand, but from reading through the docs this morning there do seem to be some differences. Most importantly, the App Inventor completely hides the code behind a visual "block" programming environment similar to the Scratch programming environment. Ares, in contrast, is great for building up user interfaces quickly, but once you want those buttons to do something meaningful, you need to be familiar with Javascript and the way Ares just setup all those widgets (which can be tricky since the documentation is pretty thin).
Hey what a bunch of Copy Cats!! Hahaha
But ares do kind of lack in the help, say I add a button widget and I want it to push to a new scene I need to know the code for it. I'm going to try this android one and see how different it is.
I just hate that NO OTHER TECH SITE has mention Palm or Ares dev tool!!!! UUUUGGGGHHHH
+1, even I read some which mention some thing from Nokia Ovi but no Ares!
Nokia is much bigger then palm outside the U.S. so that's probably why they mention it. Me i haven't seen a person with a nokia phone in like 9 years.
Really? I just did a Google search and found no less than 10 different tech sites that have articles about Palm's Ares. I even found some dating back to when the thing was still In beta.
I think the poster meant that when the news broke about google's simple app maker, no one referenced palm as having already pioneered the idea and functionality. He/she didn't mean that there has been zero coverage of ares over its entire lifespan
Ah, OK. My misunderstanding then. However, at least on androidcentral, Ares was mentioned in relation to app inventor.
Maybe because...*ooo realizes this might be a sensitive topic and slows down*...no one cares...sorry.
+1 they are making it out that google are the first to come out with this, its suprising how all the short comings by palm is quickly high lighted by some tech sites. I bet if palm came out with ares after the google app inventer they would of made a mention of it being copied from google. They talk about the app inventor as if it is somthing unique in the market.
They are not making it out like google are "first". the referenced article is from androidcentral.com and i don't see a claim anywhere that this is first. even engadget's article says google "followed in Nokia's footsteps." so clearly they are saying Nokia did this before google regardless of who was first. And even if google said it was first i mean it's sales. What what you expect them to say. Regardless the androidcentral.com article does reference ares saying "It's akin to Palm's Ares system" so i'm not sure why others are up in arms.
To google's credit, blame the onesidedness on Palm's lack of mindshare. Although, for tech bloggers to completely dismiss what Palm had done first, it does say testimony to their level of journalistic talent.
i'm sure Google is pushing that agenda mostly, but mindshare is the company's responsibility.
I have a hard time understanding why Palm's failures are being blamed on anyone but PALM. Palm underestimated the competition a long time ago and paid for it. Now in their comeback attempt we keep blaming the competition for their failures? It's called competition for a reason. Let's hope they compete better now that they have a new home.
I'm sorry, but I missed the comment where anyone said that Google, Apple, Nokia, etc. are to blame for Palm's shortcomings...
Have you been reading the posts in these articles?
yeah i think you should read the forums cause I've heard blame placed on pretty much everyone in existence on a regular basis.
I can tell you that I have downloaded ares and briefly skimmed through the tutorial and watched the video. I can follow placing buttons on the screen but I'm at a complete loss when it comes to adding code to make the app do something. This is my big hangup when trying to learn how to develop an app.
As far as app inventor is concerned I have yet to download the browser software but I have skimmed through the tutorial (quiz app) and I was able to follow easier than ares. It seemed to explain what each block does and how they interact with other components.
Android seems to be making it easier to jump on board while HP/Palm seem to be making it harder to stay on board.
I really wouldn't be tooting your own horn on this. OK Palm came out first with this type of development platform. Great. Android is more stable then WebOS at this point. It got a much more robust API. It isn't stuck on just one handset that is over a year old. Has better power management. Is already being used on other types of devices. Has a pretty damn robust market. And it is being used by almost every major handset....but at least Palm has Ares. Ignore everything else, they have Ares.
No really *pulls the curtain around the patient on life support and waves you away from them over to the shiny. We have Ares. *sings* Its all about the Ares baby!
In all seriousness Google had it right. They have over the last year and a half worked predominantly on the OS. With some work on the API and SDK. But its all about the OS. And the more I talk to people who have been trading up from the Pre its something Palm should have been more attentive to: the OS, IMHO. Everyone's opinion is going to differ. But consistently the people and friends I've talked to about WebOS as I tried to figure out if I was going WebOS, are getting tired of WebOS's bugs that come and go with each release. Its like a tide. Every incoming tide (New update) leaves some pearls on the beach, but also a ton of junk. And when the tide goes out again some junk it gone. some isn't.