Here is where the real innovation of MIT App Inventor shines through because it makes programming the application very visual. Each function is represented by a colorful jigsaw puzzle-like block.

App Inventor — a Google cast-out that is now maintained by MIT — is a graphical tool that unlocks the power of an Android handset to those with the most basic of programming understanding.

Back in July 2010, Google announced a nifty educational project called App Inventor. The goal? Give non-programmers a relatively easy way to build their own applications for the Android platform ...