Syndicate
) December 17, 2008 --
AOL launched an updated beta version of AOL Web Mail, http://beta.webmail.aol.com,
offering users one of the most complete e-mail experiences available,
with one-click access to Gmail and Yahoo! Mail accounts, customization
capabilities and over-the-air mobile sync of AOL Calendar and Address
Book. The new AOL Mail Web Suite also includes a gallery of plug-ins and
applications offering immediate access to favorite sites and content. In
addition, a new set of APIs will also be made available to third party
developers and advertisers interested in creating special themes and
plug-ins for the site.
We are trying to make the mail experience as personal and relevant as possible
“Over the past year, we have been continually adding new features and
functionality to improve our Web-based mail product,” said Kevin Conroy,
Executive Vice President, AOL Products and Marketing. “With this
release, we’re offering consumers something they can’t get from any
other e-mail provider, including easy access to third-party e-mail and
content, mobile sync, and full integration with AIM, delivering relevant
mail, messaging and content to users all in one place.”
AOL Web Mail’s new plug-in gallery will offer more than 30 plug-ins and
gadgets, including four plug-ins showcasing AOL's use of Google’s open
standard for container development. Users can place an unlimited number
of plug-ins on a customizable toolbar on the right-hand side of the
page, providing easy access to AIM, popular websites third-party e-mail
accounts, stock updates, weather and more. In addition, users can choose
from more than 45 new “skins” or themes to personalize the Web Mail page.
According to Richard Landsman, Senior Vice President, AOL Mail,
customization opportunities are key to AOL’s long-term strategy. “We are
trying to make the mail experience as personal and relevant as
possible,” Landsman said. “By creating galleries with new themes,
gadgets and plug-ins, we can offer users the opportunity to customize
and populate their page with favorite content and applications, while
also offering advertisers a chance to build and engage audiences with
branded themed experiences and gadgets."
For now, third-party developers can sign-up on http://dev.aol.com/mail
for more information on creating plug-ins.
The newest version of AOL Web Mail also includes over-the-air mobile
sync of AOL Calendar and Address Book, allowing users to make real-time
updates to both applications from a variety of wireless devices
including the BlackBerry and iPhone. With these new sync capabilities,
the AOL Address Book and Calendar becomes the desktop hub for syncing
multiple devices and data sources. In addition, this version of the
product includes true iCal support, giving users the opportunity to
create a calendar or subscribe to an existing one from a third-party
provider.
Users who wish to access this updated version of Web Mail can go to beta.webmail.aol.com,
and use it with an existing AOL or AIM e-mail account, or using an
e-mail address created through http://www.tunome.com,
which offers over 150 custom domains. The product will be available for
general release in January.
About AOL
AOL is a global Web services company that operates some of the most
popular Web destinations, offers a comprehensive suite of free software
and services, runs one of the largest Internet access businesses in the
U.S., and provides a full set of advertising solutions. A majority-owned
subsidiary of Time Warner Inc., AOL LLC and its subsidiaries have
operations in the U.S., Europe, Canada and Asia. Learn more at AOL.com.
MULTIMEDIA GALLERY