RSSAIM 6 Gets Offline Messages, Logging
By Nate Mook | Published October 20, 2006, 1:28 PM
AOL on Friday released the second beta of AIM 6, adding a number of major features that users have been requesting for years. On the list is the ability to send messages to buddies that are offline, and automatic message logging.
AOL has returned to number-based versioning after launching AIM Triton last year. AIM 6 is the next iteration of Triton, which was named to emphasize that it was a completely new instant messaging platform rewritten from the ground up, but caused some confusion among AIM users.
Beta 2 of AIM 6 introduces a number of user interface changes to the popular IM client. Window buttons, menu items and even the color schemes used by the software have been reworked. AOL has removed Triton's "IM Catcher" feature and replaced it with an Away Status window and an Unknown Sender's curtain.
The Away Status window shows up when set as "away" and lets users disable sounds and pop-up notifications. Unlike previous versions of the client, users can remain away and still send messages to buddies. The Unknown Sender dialog catches messages from those not on a user's list, and can be used to report IM spam.
Offline messages, a feature long offered by Yahoo and AOL's own ICQ service, are a new addition to AIM 6. Messages sent to a buddy who is not connected will appear when they next sign online, accompanied by a System Message that lets the recipient disable the feature if desired. AOL has restricted the functionality to reduce abuse, however, and users can only send and/or receive 40 offline messages in 24 hours.
Message logging, which has long been offered by IM rivals Microsoft and Yahoo, previously appeared in beta versions of AIM Triton and has surfaced once again. This opt-in feature stores logs of chats on the PC, which can be accessed from the Actions menu at the bottom of the AIM 6 buddy list. AOL emphasizes this feature is not turned on by default for privacy reasons.
Another oft-requested feature now appearing in AIM 6 is the ability to quickly become invisible. This enables a user to remain online, but appear offline to those on their buddy list. An "eye" icon has been added to the software to toggle invisibility on and off.
AOL has not said when it plans to release the final version of AIM 6, nor whether the features added to Beta 2 will remain in the official release. Interested users can download AIM 6 Beta 2 from FileForum.
I don't understand why people still use individual IM clients. I love GAIM and Trillian. Allows me to talk to EVERYONE no matter what IM client they are on.
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|I use Gaim for (almost) everything too, but I must admit: I use AIM Pro regularly now too. The desktop sharing and automatic encryption are the only individual IM client features that have actually forced me away from Gaim. =)
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|Why did ICQ lose so much ground compared to the other IM clients?? I loved ICQ back in the day but don't use it because no one else does.
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|Because AOL bought them.
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|yep, still remember the day when i heard that, after that the next version of icq started to loose features.
icq probably was more advanced than most of todays clients, and that was like 6 years ago.
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|It's a little late. Wonder why it took everyone so long to copy ICQ.
Seems everyone has moved to MSN though. There's hardly anyone on ICQ anymore and nobody here (outside of USA) uses AOL. Only know one contact on Yahoo but he doesn't seem to chat with me much anymore :-(
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|Seems everyone has moved to MSN though. There's hardly anyone on ICQ anymore and nobody here (outside of USA) uses AOL.
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You know this how? What is the source for this information. Independant sources I have read dispute what you are saying here.
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|What Felix says is correct. Hardly anyone uses AOL overseas. I'd say the majority uses MSN.
I've been to Amsterdam many times and not a single person used AIM. Everyone used MSN. I'm sure the experience is the same in most countries.
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|I think he was just talking about his personal experience.
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|About time they do that. Yahoo has been like that forever...its a nice feature. I have never seen userplane so i cant comment on that.
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|Download Software & News & Music & ...
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http://www.winpersian.com
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|no.
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|The UI looks just like Userplane.com HMM I WONDER WHY :P
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|because they both use gray gradients and have orange in them???
come on that's not even close.
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|Maybe because AOL owns Userplane? Well done Sherlock. =p
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|Actually, he's right, Userplane is owned by AOL now, and it's a website that offers communication solutions to other sites, and the color and look of the icons are identical.
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|I have it on good authority (from someone on the AOL Beta team) that they will be releasing a feature for color themes for the AIM client, it is something I have been wanting for a very long time.
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|Awesome, I'll be glad to see that. I like the functionality and the feel of the new version, but the orange on gray theme they've got is ugly to me.
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|I was surprised it took them so long to get off-line messaging off ICQ. That was the feature I liked best from ICQ back in the day.
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|I've enjoyed using (and testing) these new versions of the official AIM client. The UI especially is slicker than anything I've seen from Yahoo or Microsoft.
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