New Release Features Extensions, Bluetooth LE & LEGO EV3

Late the evening of June 15, EDT, the MIT App Inventor team pushed a significant component release to its live, public-facing main instance. More information about the release is available.

This release enables extension components, which for now are non-visible components only, which may be written by anyone (with sufficient Java know-how) and then used with the MIT App Inventor service, without cluttering the component palettes for other users.

The first officially recognized & supported extension component is a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) component, generously made possible in part by a grant given by the University Program Office at Intel Corporation. The BLE component will enable Internet of Things (IoT) applications, many of which will come from our community: we expect to be blown away by amazing examples!

Additionally, we are happy to announce and release LEGO EV3 components, generously shared with the wider community by CAVEDU, a robotics and computer education organization based in Taiwan, and workplace of Master Trainer David Tseng.