RSSAOL Testing Next Generation AIM Client
By David Worthington and Nate Mook | Published April 26, 2005, 12:00 AM
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Triton will also sync up with address book contacts. AOL would not comment on the specifics of its planned synchronization, but has already added presence to Microsoft Outlook through a preliminary release of AIM Sync by Intellisync. In the interim, AOL will provide AIM users with a host-based address book.
Extending beyond just contacts integration, Triton introduces a plug-in architecture for third party developers that AOL says will "add value" for consumers. The plug-ins will be hosted by AOL at a developer's community Web site.
It is no coincidence that AOL is fielding so many betas concurrently. AOL Browser, an Internet Explorer based Web browser; AOL Media Player, a standalone audio and video player; AOL search technologies and AOL's synchronization utilities are all part of what was once a unified communications client called Fanfare.
However, AOL has since opted for a more modular architecture to building software. Many of these applications will integrate with AIM, but AOL has yet to determine how they will be installed. Dropping a much-maligned practice, third party add-ons such as WeatherBug will not be bundled with the new AIM client.
To complement its application development, AOL is striving to attract a broader audience of consumers on the Web by offering up a new search portal, open Web mail, music videos and streaming radio, as well as other services targeted at non-members.
AOL's AIM Today window will showcase content from these sources, with AIM serving as the centerpiece of AOL's open audience strategy.
The Triton beta comes on the heels of the launch of MSN Messenger 7. Microsoft's new IM software pulls more communications options into the client and touts full-screen video, mobile phone connectivity and PC-to-PC audio capabilities.
"I think AOL is feeling a lot more competitive pressure from MSN, Yahoo, and Skype. The advanced audio and video capabilities of these products are attracting a lot of users and changing the scope of IM," said Marcel Nienhuis, a Market Analyst with The Radicati Group. "This release will show AOL's users that it hasn't become complacent and that it will continue to develop cutting edge technology."
Currently, many of the core Triton features that enable users to swap pictures or send and receive files remain unimplemented. AOL has told BetaNews that it will refresh the beta in a two-week cycle, although the timeline for a final release has not yet been determined. Triton will be distributed as a standalone download, but will also be bundled with AOL's upcoming "Copland" suite of client products.
While users await the final Triton bits, AOL is working in parallel to put the finishing touches on a new version of AIM 5.9 that fixes known bugs.
Triton beta build 0.1.12 is available for download via FileForum.
So they are rebuilding the client from the ground up yet they are using the old protocol? What gives? Why the heck are they not going with SIMPLE since It's based on SIP which is what I assume they are using for their VoIP ? If they stick with their existing protocol wouldn't that be much like putting lipstick on a pig?
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|Behind my network it says my password is wrong. I changed it to all letters (had numbers before) and that didn't work either. "Invalid password" or something like that.
While I know it's Beta, you would think they'd use SOME portion of the old code just to get it off the ground.
Then again AIM's protocols, in general, are not very forgiving. I can't use trillian at times because of it. (DC, Chat, etc.) sometimes I can only use msging.
Oh well. It looked purty ... from what I saw.
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|Tabbed messaging is for the birds..
I dislike it, heck I do not even use Wordpad or any other program with tabs, other than VC++ 6
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|Nice software development cycle, AOL creates AIM, Trillian build own client using AOL IM Protocols. AOL's client blows so now they copy Trillian? Even have a similar name. Oh well, with AOL being an advertising wh*** i'm sure Trillian will continue to rock AOL for years to come.
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|I would say this version is an upgrade, but is far removed from the label "Next Generation".
I also notice AOL appears to be ripping out its client software features and putting them in Triton and its new AOL Browser. It seems as if AOL's plan is to slowly phase out the bulky software in favor of smaller clients.
If you try using the AOL client software, almost all the keywords you go to open up the in-client browser anyway, so really the bulky client is not necessary.
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|Why is it that so many small or independent developers give us so much quality software, often without reward, and huge companies like AOL can only spit out this bloated garbage?
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|You've been Slashdotted and modded up: http://slashdot.org/comm...147421&cid=12351254
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|And what about us Mac users?
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|And us linux users (or we can always use gaim)
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|iChat - I wish I could get it for Windows, it's one of the best designed IM clients I have ever used.
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|it looks nice and clean, hopefully it stays that way :|
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|Apparently they are going to integrate the banner ads into the final release.
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|This is a really weak beta, it crashes a lot, takes up to 30 seconds to exit windows, the layout is nice but still clunky and slow and hard to navigate. Right now the learning curve seems hard after using old AIM. I already went back to the old AIM until a better beta comes out
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|And then well have a new Aim AdHack
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|This beta was just put out, like most betas, to give the general public a look into what the company is doing behind the scenes. You cannot even begin to compare it to an old, finished version of AIM. As far as you or anyone else knows, when they're done it could prove to be faster, easier and simpler to use than any other version of AIM ever was.
At least that's my $0.02 as a developer.
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|nice looking. too bad i couldn't get it to work.
well, that's why it's a B E T A.
If I could just get my mom to learn how to install Yahoo IM, I could dump AIM for good.
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|The new client installed and runs fine on my computer. The settings take a little longer to load though; But all in all it looks promising. There are some thing I don't like though:
*After I establish a conversation with a buddie in a single conversation [after I "Tore it out"] I can not drag a new buddy into the conversation!
*The trails in the menus are a bit extreme-tone it down guys.
*You cannot edit the Settings unless you are looged in. Why not?
*It automaticly bugs you if you can't Sync an address book, but it won't remember your buddylist settings?
*(Default setup)Closing the buddy list disconnects you and then it doesnt remember your screen name and password?
Triton is still in need of basic improvement to cath-up to AIM before it can compete with third party clients!
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