AOL Updates: Standalone Browser, Search, VoIP

Eric writes "In the face of increasing pressure from the likes of Google and MSN, America Online has opened beta testing for its standalone AOL Browser and Desktop Search to anyone with an AOL or AIM screen name. The AOL Browser beta utilizes Microsoft's Internet Explorer engine (not Firefox's, like Netscape) and integrates the company's Desktop Search client. Unlike Netscape it looks decent from the screenshots and also includes some nifty features like tear-off tabs and zooming." And prostoalex writes "In what could be the biggest VOIP push into US households, AOL will start offering VOIP services, as reported by Light Reading. 28% of online Americans subscribe to dial-up or broadband version of AOL, AOL has 4 million broadband users, and beta testers in the Light Reading article seemed to be pretty happy with the service."

Comments

Blecchhh!

[Stanistani]

The unholy combination of IE and AOL made pretty? ...it always puzzled me why they bought Netscape and never made it their browser...

Re:Blecchhh!

[Eberlin]

It was primarily used as a pawn to negotiate with MS. You know, that whole monopoly thing, a neat little settlement, and probably a nice bargaining chip to keep those "Subscribe to AOL" icons on default windows desktop installations.

When all that was done, they chopped off the Mozilla people and spun them off with their own mozilla foundation with a mil or two (?) to get started.

Then they bastardized the Netscape brand to sell cheaper Internet access under the guise of a different name, hoping to capitalize on name recognition.

It would've been great, though -- a giant chunk of "Netizens" (granted, most AOLers deserve their label) switching to Firefox all at once because AOL defaults to it would have been nice.

Oh well.

Internet Explorer... because we don't own it ... ?

[popo]

Someone please remind me why AOL bought Netscape again?

Does it strike anyone else as odd that AOL does almost everything they possibly can to *not* add market value to one of their best known brands?

You'd think with the amount of cash AOL has on hand, and with the entire marketplace suddenly beginning to question whether or not IE is worth the trouble... they'd slap some of the dust of Netscape and breathe some life into it. No?

Re:Based on Internet Explorer

[Greenisus]

I don't think that's the case. It sounds to me like AOL can just dangle Netscape in front of Microsoft's eyes to get them to play nice.

Who paid?

[Elektroschock]

As far as I know AOL owned Netscape and funded Mozilla development. Then MS paid them large amounts of money that they continue to support their IE Engine. It was a multimillion deal. A real payoff for open source investment that secures independence. As some economists told us monopolies are not that bad as long as there is the option of antoher player to enter the market and take it over. It is really funny to see MS paying for IE usage.

Re:Internet Explorer... because we don't own it ..

[bill_mcgonigle]

Someone please remind me why AOL bought Netscape again?

For leverage against Microsoft.

They don't want to fight the IE-only sites with either development resources or educational resources.

They're also icing non-AIM clients...

[Evro]

I've had 3 screennames banned from AIM in the past 2 weeks due to using a non-AOL client (I've been using naim, a command-line aim client). One of the banned screennames had been mine since 1997. The page they direct you to - www.aim.com/suspended_accout - results in a 404 for me.

Received: by 10.54.59.6 with SMTP id h6mr97856wra;
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From: AOL Instant Messenger <newman@newman.newman-grt.oscar.aol.com>
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Date: Mon, 07 Feb 2005 13:03:03 -0800 (PST)

AIM User

We have detected that the AIM Screen Name sixtyfourcubits associated with
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