AOL takes AIM and shoots for new features

America Online has unveiled a new version of its instant messaging service, as the Internet service provider seeks to stem the tide of defecting customers.

AIM Triton, announced Tuesday, is designed to serve as an integrated communications hub for AOL users, the company said. The new service offers IM, e-mail, SMS mobile text messaging, voice and video chat, as well as an online address book from Plaxo. The Plaxo service will display a snapshot of information on up to 5,000 contacts listed on a user's AIM "buddy" list.

"We anticipate that the AIM Triton service will accelerate the growing use of voice, video and desktop-to-mobile messaging across all users," Chamath Palihapitya, AIM general manager, said in a statement.

The launch comes as competitors, such as Yahoo and Google, have rolled out similar IM services.

Other features of AIM Triton include tabbed IMs, which are designed to improve multiple, simultaneous chats and a drag-and-drop feature for file transfers. The service aims to connect up to 20 people from a user's Buddy List for a live, multi-party chat. The chat service is also designed to allow people to join an existing AIM discussion.

AOL plans to roll out its AIM Triton service throughout its network via a system upgrade and will also offer the service to users who download it from its AIM Web site. The new service requires users to have Windows XP or Windows 2000 running on their systems.

[SqlserverCode]

Who still uses AOL?

Everyone I know is using verizon or comcast and Google Talk or MSN Messenger

http://otherthingsnow.blogspot.com

[VI Joker]

I do

I still use the service, but not the application. Trillian is the best way to go.

[smkatz]

what?

Comcast is launching an IM client.. but I know of no one who uses
it. Verizon is partnering with AOL, which owns both AIM (aim.com
for the unintiated) and ICQ. Many people in the U.S use AOL-
maintained IM services.

http://www.techweb.com/wire/26801920
www.a9.com/Comcast IM
www.a9.com/Verizon IM
(if they launch a client, it will be like Trillian)

[Wildcat0695]

Not I So to Speak

When I last tried it I was run off by that ringtone razy advertisement. I promptly deleted the program and began using Gaim. Much like Trillian, Gaim handles other IM clients, but I think it has a cleaner interface.

[DrIdiot]

"New features" not so new

Tabbed IMs? Um, IM clients like Gaim and Trillian have had tabbed browsing since pretty much the beginning of time.

I love it when mainstream products implement features that have been in alternative (and superior) but lesser known products for years, and all of a sudden these mainstream products are "innovative" and everyone thinks they came up with the idea.

Tabbed IMs aren't new. Not worth the bloat that comes with Triton. And I heard Triton is a real pain in the ass to just CLOSE.