New app prototyping tool aims to break the mould

Sometimes it seems like there are more web building tools being released than people who work in web design. But every now and again, a new tool or platform pops up that creates true buzz, and gets designers excited again about the possibilities of creative tools on the web.

Pixate might just be the latest tool to crack that nut. Launching in public beta today, the platform aims to make mobile app prototyping easier, via a simple, visual platform that requires zero knowledge of code.

Part of the buzz is down to Pixate's big-name partners: with the likes of Apple, Yahoo, Twitter, Amazon, Disney and Snapchat on board, they must be doing something right. But also, feedback from those involved in the private beta has been very positive, suggesting this could be a real game changer for the industry.

"Pixate is an insanely powerful tool for designers," says Jason Tusman, Senior Product Design, UX at Pandora, for one. "Having a background in motion design and animation, it is incredibly valuable to have access to a tool like Pixate that allows us to define the very important nuances of motion and interaction design that help elevate our experiences with products we use every single day."

The new tool allows designers to:

• See a visual editor on your browser or desktop.
• Test 100% native apps directly on your device in real-time.
• Develop prototypes within a few minutes
• View designs within teams on multiple devices simultaneously.
• Communicate their ideas for animations and interactions without having to write code.

Pixate is available starting at $10 per user per month for the Personal Edition. A Team Edition is also available with an Enterprise Edition coming soon. You can find out more information about Pixate here.

Have you tried Pixate? Let us know what you think in the comments below!