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AOL Prepares Standalone E-mail Client

By David Worthington, BetaNews

July 1, 2005, 2:25 PM

America Online is developing a standalone e-mail application that can be accessed independently of its client software. AOL has designed the software to provide its members with more open e-mail access and a customized way to access their AOL e-mail on their PC.

The "AOL Mail Client" sports a new look and feel from the classic AOL e-mail component found in its client software with a three-paned tabbed interface, better handling of attachments and more management options to sort and group e-mail. AOL Mail is based on entirely new code; however, AOL's existing spam filters do carry over.

As the testing progresses additional features will be introduced including the possibility for third parties to develop plug-ins and screen reader software for the visually impaired.

AOL will also add anti-phishing technology similar to what is found in AOL Explorer, an Internet Explorer-based Web browser. AOL's protection against phishing schemes will be updated and expand upon in later builds.

AOL opened up e-mail access in late 2003 when it began allowing members to choose their own preferred e-mail client. Any client that supports SMTP for sending mail and IMAP4 for reading mail may be used to access AOL e-mail. Currently, AOL Mail Client limits access exclusively to AOL Mail and does not provide support for additional accounts outside its service.

Other initiatives to broaden e-mail access include a new Web-based AOL Mail that offers unlimited e-mail storage for subscribers.

AOL has made a preliminary Windows XP compatible mock up of AOL Mail available for download and is for members only.

Add a Comment (11 Comments)

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By Drich

posted Jul 6, 2005 - 8:19 AM

Right now its junk. Doesnt work correctly. It does have a nice clean GUI. All of AOLs beta software has a the same GUI. Clean. When the bugs get worked out it will be a good alternative to the AOL email client they use now.

Score: 0

By Scipio

posted Jul 3, 2005 - 9:48 PM

AOL has always used proprietary software in order to keep their monopoly and shut other providers out.

CS2000, designed after AOL took over CompuServe, uses the AOL engine but allows you to use IMAP to pick up your mail with Outlook Express or your email client of choice.

AOL could have done the same thing with their mail program years ago, but elected not to, because they wanted to retain their monopoly.

If they are doint this now, it's mainly because they are rapidly losing customers, so they either have to give them a better deal or go belly up.

I agree that AOL is trashy software. After it has been run on my computers I often have to reboot, because it has a way of sucking up memory and refusing to give it back, and sometimes of screwing up the internet connection.

I tried beta-testing for AOL for a couple of years, and I don't think I'm giving away any proprietary secrets by saying that the whole program was a farce, and that there was absolutely no useful feedback.

Score: 0

By funcheung

posted Jul 2, 2005 - 10:21 AM

Installed, a complete piece of crap.. dun work at all -- keep popping up an IE message box saying script errors..

AOL? LOL!!!

Score: 0

By pafinator11

posted Jul 1, 2005 - 10:30 PM

theyre definately trying to get rid of the client. I like the e-mail interface, its very, very, clean and simple. I hope it has features under there that you can access though. I wonder if it will be pop3 capable so i dont have to switch to an email address. I wonder when theyll start making decent linux programs i mean look at the aim client for linux. Thats horrible i hope triton comes to linux cuz gaim is annoying.

Score: 0

By GoodThings2Life

posted Jul 1, 2005 - 6:39 PM

AOL hasn't been able to write decent software programs since the days of 2.5... with each new release they spend more time dumbing things down rather than actually improving things.

Considering they are creating the AOL Explorer browser, AOL Mail Client, and the Triton version of IM... it's apparent to me that their intent is to eliminate the need for the full-blown AOL client in favor of the individual components.

Score: 0

By Pipewrench

posted Jul 1, 2005 - 3:41 PM

It's funny watching all these companies trying to "one up" each other. It's great for the consumer, but it's just funny.

AOL cannot "one up" Google or their Gmail or come even close to Yahoo! Mail.

Hahahahahahhahaha

AOL will always stink.

Score: 0

By Mike162005

posted Jul 1, 2005 - 6:49 PM

Trolls

Score: 0

By horsecharles

edited Jul 1, 2005 - 9:17 PM

Heh! That would make 9 out of every 10 members here trolls: AOL's been one of the two biggest corporate trolls in this industry---

Try this: do 2 "AOL" searches-- one each of your system, and registry-- then tell us what you found: desktop, favorites, links, start menu, cookies, etc.

Scrub that all out-- if you can, without getting any error messages or worse....

If successful, perform that search again one week later & report back to us again.

Oh, and when you dust/polish the life-size Steve Case poster you have pinned in your bedroom-- give his patootie an extra kiss for me will you?

Score: 0

By Mike162005

posted Jul 2, 2005 - 6:55 PM

"Oh, and when you dust/polish the life-size Steve Case poster you have pinned in your bedroom-- give his patootie an extra kiss for me will you?"

Ok ;)

Score: 0

By GoodThings2Life

posted Jul 2, 2005 - 10:00 AM

I had exactly 5 entries in my registry matching either "AOL" or "AIM"...

All of them serving as entries for the Internet Explorer Restricted Zone listing.

Score: 0

By Kramy

posted Jul 1, 2005 - 10:00 PM

No "AOL" files on my system. Lots of registry keys though - by the looks of them tied to netscape 7.2.2. Guess I'm not removing those. :P

Score: 0

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