iChat Beta Links with AIM for Video Messaging
America Online and Apple have worked to ensure that users of AOL Instant Messenger and Apple's iChat can now link up for live video conversations. The video messaging feature in AIM 5.5 is fully compatible with Apple's new iChat AV version 2.1. Updates to both clients that enable this interaction were launched this week.
AOL's 5.5 upgrade was in beta testing for several months. The most recent betas delivered on the company's longstanding promise to add rich media to AIM.
Other new features available to users include concurrent logins, linked screen names and online gaming. AIM users can now be logged into the service from multiple locations, and be signed on with more than one account within a single client window.
While a stable version of iChat AV shipped bundled with Apple's Panther upgrade to Mac OS X, the iChat AV 2.1 client required to connect with AOL users is a public beta test.
The non-beta version, iChat 2.0, is available as a standalone upgrade for Mac users who have not yet installed Panther. Adding video conferencing capabilities was Apple's primary focus for the release.
"With the introduction of iChat AV in Mac OS X 'Panther' and the iSight camera, Apple revolutionized the way people communicate with each other over the Internet," said Philip Schiller, Apple's senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing. "Now iChat AV users can video conference with their AOL buddies around the world who use PCs."
In addition to souping up iChat, Apple updated its Safari Web browser with support for keyboard navigation commands, a smart download feature that resumes interrupted transfers, personal certificate authentication, and enhanced support for Java.
Apple and AOL have been close bedfellows as of late, teaming up to bring the iTunes Music Store to millions of AOL subscribers. AOL screen names can be used to purchase music from Apple without the need to establish a separate account. iTunes is the largest online music store with over 25 million songs sold at the last official tally.
AOL Instant Messenger 5.5 may be downloaded from FileForum.