AIM’s New Chat Experience; Add Chatrooms To Your Website

AOL has just exposed the new AIM Chat Experience on their front page. The new chatrooms ditches Userplane’s flash based interface and attempts to ease the migration for AOL users into a web based format. This will also be the first time AIM users can enter an AOL member created chatroom.

The Setup

On the left column lists all the users in the chatroom. Each user has their own icon which you can upload at profiles.aim.com. If you hover over the screen names, you can either view a profile, IM, ignore, or report a user. In the center is the complete chatroom, it places every text in it’s own little speech bubble. If someone types more than one line, the chat bubble expands downwards. On the right side is the media panel. Users can paste links to videos, photos, or just a plain old link.

The Implication

Yes, even after the invention of MP3s, the WAV chatrooms still exist.

From the names of the chatrooms that are appearing in the user created area, it seems AOL has finally migrated the old “FDO Chats” to the internet. FDO Chats were previously exclusive only to those with @aol.com screen names under AOL client software. Now that AIM users can also chat in AOL chatrooms, expect a clash.

The Design Flaws

The designers chose to have each line of chat appear in a speech bubble. The basic design and colors used for the chat bubbles are very distracting and clash against the main background. Some themes, as noted in the screenshot above, make the situation even worse. I also didn’t quite understand why the screen names are placed on the right side of the speech bubble.

If the designers could try to follow in iChat’s footsteps by creating smoother speech bubbles and placing names on the left side, it might make these chatrooms more visually appealing.

Chat widget

The chat widget runs under yourminis.com platform which AOL acquired recently. At least it is being put to use unlike Bebo, as we have yet to hear any news on how AIM Profiles will utilize it.

[via the daily chatter]

A New Aim For Macs

AOL has released a brand new version of AIM for Macs through its beta website. No, this is not Aim 4.7 that was released several years ago, this is a brand new 2008 version that follows behind Aim 6 for Windows. Though this has been released a while ago, the  lack of advertising has Mac users still complaining about Aim 4.7.

Feature List

• Customize Aim icons, Wallpapers, and Emoticons, and Sounds
• Tabbed IMs just like Aim 6
• Aim Groups, Aim Blast, Aim Chats
• Aim File Transfer even while buddy is away
• Friendly/Nickname support
• Full Offline IM support

Feedback & Bugs

While this product is in beta, expect some bugs to appear. Background color for text may not show up. Offline IMs may appear twice. Generally users have been very happy with this release, so Mac users should try it out too if you dislike iChat or Adium.

Download Aim For Mac

Download is available at AOL Beta.

Offline IM Storage is Full AIM 6 Error Message

Some users have reported having a message pop up whenever they IM someone who is offline. This message states:

Offline IM Storage is Full

So far we know that this problem has to be fixed through AOL staff. Which unfortunately means you’ll have to wait your turn for your screen name to be fixed.  In case it has taken several days and your screen name has not been fixed we would like for you to test out the possible workaround below and post a comment below:

Access AIM Logging Settings

• Open AIM 6
• Click Edit > Click Settings
• Click IM Logging

The quickest way to work around this problem would be to click “Delete log files“. You may not want to lose every past conversation, instead you can delete certain screen name logs you no longer need.  Click within the address path where all the logs are stored, right click and press Select All, then press CTRL+C to Copy, you will now be able to go directly to that folder.

Access Logs Stored on Computer

• Open Windows Explorer
• In the Address Bar, press CTRL+V on your keyboard
• Press Enter to reach the folder

You can delete any screen name that appears there. This shall free up some space for your offline storage and will postpone the error message.

When AOL splits, Where do we end up?

The Great Divide

Time Warner plans to split AOL into two factions, an advertisement unit and a dial-up unit. The plan will be to sell off each unit to potential buyers.

Dial-up users do not make up the majority on AOL so giving them away won’t be such a big deal. Plus this means that AOL will finally have no use for India call centers, although they still might work as online tech support.

The advertising unit also known as Platform A, accounts for the whole AOL community, but mainly focuses on Ad.com. Platform A consists of tons of websites and brands all across the internet. Its a very lucrative spot to potential buyers as they will have ad spots in tons of areas including the massive AIM user base.

I am a Dial-up User, Where do I go?

Earthlink has been in talks to take over dial-up subscribers. I believe dial-up users will be switched over to an entirely new Earthlink email address, Their AOL account will automatically be switched over to free and they will be encouraged to use both emails. This is just purely speculation.

I am a Broadband User, Where do I go?

As for the advertisement unit, it looks like we’ll end up joining Microsoft or Yahoo, or hopefully someone else who wants to step up to the plate.

Romance of the Three Kingdoms

The most interesting part of this merger is the drama between each of the major companies. Google, Yahoo, and Microsoft are battling it out to gain the largest footprint over internet advertisement revenue. If AOL merges with Yahoo, Microsoft gets upset. If AOL merges with Microsoft, Google gets upset. Added to this problem includes the recent deal Yahoo and Google are making to share advertisement plans. Microsoft isn’t so happy about that either and wants the decision blocked. I’m hoping neither of these companies buy AOL. As you can see its already a tangled mess. Joining forces with AOL will only complicate matters.

If Microsoft or Yahoo does indeed buy AOL, interoperability will finally be on the table. Whoever buys AOL will now have to integrate all AOL screennames together with the buyer’s IM service. For the first time we may finally have AIM with the ability to add Microsoft and Yahoo subscribers to the buddy list. I know many have have been clamoring for that.

The other great feature is advertisement revenue. Now Yahoo or Microsoft will have an even larger audience to host advertisements, including non-AOL owned websites that Ad.com serves.

The Buzz Around the Internets

There seems to be no agreement as to who should buy AOL. One thought is that If Microsoft buys AOL, it could allow Yahoo to prove themselves to investors that they can run independent of Microsoft. Another speculates that AOL won’t be able to save the Microsoft brand. We may find ourselves watching the same thing happen years from now when Microsoft announces it will try to sell off AOL.

During this battle, users are always the victims. If I were to choose a company that could attempt to save the AOL community to bring them back together, I would choose Yahoo. Yahoo has proven its expertise in this aspect with sites such as Yahoo Groups and Yahoo Answers.

What do you think will happen to AOL?

Post a comment on your ideas and thoughts as to what might happen to AOL. You’ll have to wait until 2009 its announced what plans AOL will be forced to make.

Aim 6.8 Skin Packs

In the upcoming weeks all skins on this site will be converted over to Aim 6.8 format. This also allows us to group selected skins together to make it easier to download all of them at once. The following skins have been grouped together into one pack:

OS Pack

• AimXP
• AimXP Blue
• Leopard OS X
• Leopard OS X Frost
• Vista Basic

Bump X Pack

• BumpXRed
• BumpXBlue
• BumpXGreen
• BumpXPink

Aim 6.8 and Aim For Windows Mobile

Aim 6.8

Aim 6.8 was recently went GM a few days ago. Its new features have been covered here already, but as with newer versions, comes new complaints. Most of which deal with the plugins carousel at the bottom of the buddy list.

Aside from that, now that this version adds the ability to save and load buddy lists, it should make it more friendly for Aim 5.9 users who never switched over. The stock ticker might not be back as of yet, but instead it does come with a stocks plugin for current information only.

Aim For Windows Mobile

Oh yes! The mobile revolution has been finally been made. Its been years since we’ve been waiting for mobile applications made directly by AOL with no carrier tie-in. Thus Aim For Windows Mobile has been made for Windows Mobile 5 and Windows Mobile 6.

Aim for Windows Mobile uses your cellphone’s data connection, not SMS messages like Verizon and T-mobile uses. Please make sure you have an unlimited data plan or you may be incurring extra charges per MegaByte.

[via AOL BETA]

Blocking AIM CRUSH, Free iPhone, and Virus Links in Aim 6.8

Recently, there has been a rise in AIM Spam links being sent out to everyone. Most of the messages go along the lines of:

Someone has an AIM CRUSH on you!
Click here – to find out who it is

I just got a free iPhone in the mail. Want to get your free iPhone? Go HERE and find out how!

I’ve got a bit of crush on you! But if you wanna find out who I am you gotta play along with my game! First, go here and you’ll find out more!

Somone special has sent you a –   – (kiss)
Find out who here

Although Spam messages are certainly not new. This recent influx has annoyed people to no end. You can essentially protect yourselves and other persons using AIM on your computer by trying out these methods.

If they have been annoying you, call up and complain to the “Mobile Messaging” company at 1-800-416-6129

Link Preview Plugin

Link Preview plugin is one of the first place winners in the Open Aim Top Coder Contest. Essentially Link Preview lets you preview an image of a website before you actually visit it. Now it certainly won’t protect you from viruses but you can use it to get an idea of where these spammy links are sending you to. More likely than not, if its an adult site you’ll be bombarded with popups as soon as you reach.

Gundoff: Malicious Link Question

Gundoff plugin essentially asks you if you really want to go to the link. Using bright red text and an ominous warning, the plugin will more likely prevent newer computer users from clicking on links. Still it won’t stop viruses, but at least you won’t get infected by accidentally clicking a link.

Blocking Them

The best way to not receive any SPAM from random screen names is to block everyone not on your buddy list.

• Click Edit
• Click Settings
• Click Privacy
• Click Allow only Users on my Buddy List
• Click Save

Now only people on your buddy list can IM you. We do know that certainly this is not the most effective way but this will do until someone out there creates a plugin that pre-screens all IMs and closes the conversation if it detects spam. Yes I know there is a plugin for this on Trillian but Aim 6 still needs one.

AIM Users Furious over Ads in Buddy Info

As Randy Falco, CEO of AOL, gets closer to his dream of making AOL the most profitable advertising network, users were treated with a brand new ad inside the buddy info. These ads now take up a considerable amount of space at the bottom of the buddy info. The window is now stuck at a much larger width than before

This did not set off well with the AIM userbase, as there have been complaints about this new ad system:

“THANK YOU PEOPLE FOR UNDERSTANDING HOW ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS THIS IS!!!  I HATE WHAT YOU HAVE DONE TO THE BUDDY INFO BOX, I CAN’T STAND IT!! ITS ANNOYING AND POINTLESS AND MAKES THE BUDDY INFO LOOK LIKES ITS NOT ABOUT BUDDY INFO AT ALL” ~DanceStar

“EPIC FAIL FOR AIM.” ~nj

“AIM MANAGEMENT NEEDS TO WAKE UP” ~a concerned mother

” SUCH A SMALL CHANGE AND I WANNA RIP MY EYES OUT >> GET RID OF THE ADS !” ~Robby

“Your actually doing negative advertising for these companies.  SCREW VERIZON…the first company to buy the ad.  I make a point to never buy any product of people you advertise for.  STOP ALREADY.” ~jimmy

As you can see from all those CAPS LOCKS, people are enraged over this! I did notice that there was not much complaints against the text ads AOL placed in the buddy info, maybe they should reconsider implementing that instead.

In other news, AIM has added more integration with AIM profiles by adding a “Profile Buddies” tab in the Buddy Info.

Also Note AimAdHack now removes these Ads.