Tynker Now Enables Kids to Build Customized Apps Directly on the iPad and Android Tablets

July 24, 2014, Mountain View, CA - Tynker, a leading Silicon Valley startup that helps kids become tomorrow's makers, announced the expansion of the Tynker platform to enable kids to use the Tynker app on iPad and Android-based tablets to build customized apps, including games, animations, interactive stories and puzzles. Tynker becomes the world's first visual programming platform to allow all young "makers" to create their own apps on both web and mobile platforms. The Tynker app can be downloaded from the Apple App Store or from Google Play.

Tynker's award-winning creative computing platform is now used by more than 8 million kids and 10,000 teachers, making it one of the largest applications in the world focused squarely on the next generation of "makers". Tynker's latest app is designed to extend the Tynker platform to an even broader audience of young programmers, encouraging creativity and collaboration so kids learn valuable programming concepts while taking advantage of today's advanced computing capabilities, including Web animations and the native touch-based capabilities of Apple and Android-based tablets.

"Phase one of our growth was all about evangelizing the benefits of acquiring STEM skills and teaching kids to learn how to code, and with millions of kids on Tynker today, we've made tremendous progress on that front," said Srinivas Mandyam, co-founder and CTO of Tynker. "Today, we're moving one step closer to our ultimate vision, helping kids not only 'learn' programming but helping them 'create' using a creative computing platform that is built specifically for today's youth. Now, using their iPad, Android-based tablet or virtually any computer, every child can unleash their creativity and take their programming projects as far as their imagination will take them, preparing them well for whatever career they choose."

Kids Use Tynker to Create Apps Directly on their Tablets

With the launch of Tynker's new app for both the iPad and Android-based tablets, kids can now use Tynker to create their own "app-like" projects, animations and games from templates that provide a starting point from which to build. These 'skeleton' projects prompt kids into using Tynker's powerful visually-based creative computing platform through prompts such as "Can you make the spaceship fly?" or "Can you make the dragon find the treasure ?"

Kids can easily get started with Tynker whether they have prior programming experience or not. Beginners use Tynker's drag-and-drop visual programming blocks to build a feature or function based on the theme or template they are working with; more advanced young programmers can create new original projects, providing Tynker users with a continuum of opportunities to keep developing their programming skills-from beginner to advanced.

Tynker's new app works seamlessly across the Web as well as both the iOS (iPad) and Android development platforms. This allows kids to start their projects in one environment (for example on an iPad at home) and then pick up where they left off on an entirely different device (such as a computer at school). With a single user login, kids can also program projects online or offline and use Tynker at Home or Tynker for Schools in the classroom. Completed projects can then be "played" across any iOS, Android or web-enabled device-an industry first-regardless of which operating system was used to create the project in the first place.

Highlights of the new Tynker app include the ability to:

• Create games and apps quickly with 9 complete pre-built game kits;
• Access a downloadable library of sample coding projects to learn from;
• Build musical projects using the built-in notes for piano, electric guitar and drums;
• Add tilt, touch and other native behaviors to your games;
• Build an unlimited portfolio of games and projects to play with friends; and
• Work offline without Internet connectivity.

With the Tynker app and Tynker on the Web, children learn pattern recognition, problem solving, sequencing, spatial visualization, algorithmic thinking and how to debug programs. Tynker introduces concepts like sequencing, repetition and conditional logic and reinforces basic geometry concepts while using programming to draw angles and lines.

Availability and Pricing

The free iPad version of the Tynker app now includes the new game building features. The new game building features are also included in the Tynker Premium app (includes additional coding puzzle adventures), priced at $4.99, and available for download from Google Play (all-new Android version) or the Apple App Store (iPad version). Volume pricing options for educators are available for both apps.