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AOL Preps for Windows Vista Launch

By Ed Oswald, BetaNews

January 23, 2007, 3:44 PM

As the January 30 launch date of Windows Vista nears, more and more companies are announcing support for the next generation operating system. The latest is AOL, which said Tuesday its suite of applications is "Vista Ready."

A beta of an AOL Mail & AIM Gadget for the Windows Vista sidebar is now available, and would allow the user to check his or her e-mail and instant messages. The mini-application would allow users to read e-mail messages, receive new mail and incoming IM alerts, as well as including other AOL-related features.

The AOL 9.0 client has also been updated for Vista, and is immediately available for download from the AOL Web site. In addition, the new version would also feature legacy support for Windows 98 through Windows XP, the company said.

While AIM 6 will not be compatible with Vista, the company is offering beta of the next update to the client, version 6.1 This would allow early adopters to get a first look at the updated client, as well as gain Vista compatibility.

In addition, OpenRide 1.5 is now Vista ready and available from AOL's beta software site. The application is intended for broadband users and has been billed as the Dulles, Va. company's next-generation software, replacing the aging AOL client.

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By c4p0ne

edited Jan 25, 2007 - 2:59 PM

Windows Vista: MS's is biggest BOMB ever. And with the planned co-release of the Chinese made "offline activation" utility should teach MS a stern lesson about spending [wasting] 4+ years of development (and billions) on the stupid demon-spawned software protection and only 2 f*cking years on the actual internals of the OS.

Great goin' bill. Now face the wrath of chinky eyed commies!!!

AOL? brwahaha, still gay as ever but old man, haven't you heard? theres a NEW AOL in town.. It's called: MYSPACE. There's users on there that will give anyone from AOL a SERIOUS run for their money, many are actually l337 AOL transferee's!

Score: 0

By pattyk

edited Jan 24, 2007 - 8:53 PM

Does this Beta launch have anything to do with the problems AOL has been having since yesterday? I don't know how many people are affected, but we have not been able to access any website via AOL since yesterday. I called last night but gave up after being on hold for 30 minutes. This morning, a 20 minute hold, the rep said "some of our customers are having problems, they're working on it". It's been nearly 36 hours and still not working. This must be associated with all of their beta offerings and/or upgrades. Anyone have any info?

Score: 0

By slinkys_delsol

posted Jan 24, 2007 - 8:51 AM

The Next OS that AO-Hell can crash!

Score: 0

By TomA102210

posted Jan 24, 2007 - 6:35 PM

"The Next OS that AO-Hell can crash! "
---------------------------------------------
Keep your system running properly as do most of us AOL users and you'll have no problem. Or are you bashing AOL with unfounded accusations. That was a rhetorical question because of course you are.

Score: 0

By PC_Tool

posted Jan 25, 2007 - 9:00 AM

Yeah, cuz we all know AOL has never been a source of system instability....

Score: 0

By WraithFX

posted Jan 23, 2007 - 8:46 PM

LOL.. People still use AOL? Cool...

Score: 0

By Natrunner

posted Jan 23, 2007 - 6:48 PM

Vista Ready for that $299.00 pricetag. I need to buy a new system and get it free. Anyone with a spare $2k laying around?

Score: 0

By PC_Tool

posted Jan 24, 2007 - 10:15 AM

Some of the new HP's come with Asus motherboards and cost less than $800. If you're willing to go OEM, you're golden.

Score: 0

By Natrunner

posted Jan 24, 2007 - 12:16 PM

I happen to be a gamer also. So, I need a system that is alot more powerful that an HP.

Score: 0

By ryanod2205

edited Jun 4, 2007 - 11:02 AM

I have been hearing that Windows Vista is all not responding on a HP Computer thats why i think HP Computers are rubbish and vista is good

From Ryan Peter O'Donnell
Please give a score

Score: 0

By PC_Tool

posted Jan 24, 2007 - 12:46 PM

$800 buys you an HP with a dual-core CPU and 1-2GB of RAM. Spend another $100-$600 on a decent PCI-E video card.

$900-$1400 is still quite a bit less than $2000.

Doesn't even have to be an HP, I use them simply as an example.

Now, if you're going full-bore (super-fast RAM, SATA RAID, and tricked out fan setups) then yeah, you're gonna have to build it yourself. The few companies that sell them configured will rake you over the coals.

Score: 0

By Natrunner

edited Jan 24, 2007 - 2:43 PM

True, companies such as Vodoo(Owned by HP) and Alienware(Owned by Dell) plus many others do charge a premium. But, if I wanted a proper rig I would upgrade my entire(self-built)system. This would cost me around $2K. I am talking dual 10,000 RPM drives in RAID plus a mass storage drive. Water cooled, overclocked Intel Core 2 Duo, Soundblaseter X-Fi, 24" Monitor(4ms), 2GB+ of RAM. But I am allowed to dream you know.

Score: 0

By PC_Tool

posted Jan 25, 2007 - 8:59 AM

heh... The equivalent of a tuner.

I like my games and all, even consider myself a gamer, but I have yet to even consider anything other than fans for cooling my system, and I couldn't really care less how fast my RAM is.

*shrug*

If the games work, I'm happy. :p

Score: 0

By foxfyre

edited Jan 23, 2007 - 6:26 PM

Whoopee...

I can just see this slowing the rats jumping from that ship...

Score: 0

By IceyKola

posted Jan 23, 2007 - 5:38 PM

it's about time. But what I want to know is if their 6.1 is going to be at all as cool as Yahoo! messenger for vista is going to be. I guess I'll download the beta as soon as my vista comes.

Score: 0

By bourgeoisdude

posted Jan 23, 2007 - 3:58 PM

Pathetic that even AOL gives a rats a$$ about compatibility when so many other companies don't. Mark my words--Vista will have the press all over it due to a "Windows Bug" that will in reality be a problem with some third party app that was not modified for Vista.

The first bug will be from a third-party app developer that had little if any testing on Windows Vista, but Microsoft will receive 100% of the blame. Remember this. I will apologise here if the first big spill does prove me wrong, but I'm not often wrong about this sort of thing.

Score: 0

By PhrostByte

posted Jan 24, 2007 - 11:35 AM

You don't think that maybe Microsoft deserves some blame for not making their new OS compatible with legacy software?

Score: 0

By bourgeoisdude

posted Jan 24, 2007 - 2:06 PM

Considering they'd have to test it with--hmm, let's see--14.4 billion or so software programs--nope, not at all. Unless they specifically make a feature to purposely 'break' functionality with a specific program, I can't blame them. It's third party companies who write their programs to run on Windows, NOT THE OTHER WAY AROUND.

Score: 0

By bugmenot

posted Jan 24, 2007 - 8:40 PM

Windows Vista doesn't work with National Federation of Fisheries Cooperatives online banking in Korea.

Score: 0

By bourgeoisdude

posted Jan 25, 2007 - 2:56 PM

Exactly...

Score: 0

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