November 22, 2005
AOL Launches Its Triton
AOL today officially launched its new AIM Triton service, which includes an integrated communications client that offers instant messaging, e-mail, SMS mobile texting and voice and video chat services.
In a system-wide upgrade that begins today, the AIM client is available for download on . The AIM Triton service is based on an entirely new code base and will be the new default AIM client, replacing all other PC-based versions of AIM.
Triton features a Plaxo-enabled AIM Address Book and gives users one-click access to the AOL Explorer, AOL Mail, AIM Mail, AIM Talk, and AOL Radio services. It also provides access to AOL's new TotalTalk VoIP calling service.
The service also offers a redesigned companion programming screen for news and entertainment content from the AOL.com portal and across the Web.
The AIM Triton service includes:
- Tabbed IMs: a new IM interface that collects all active messages into a single window, listing Buddy names vertically and communications services horizontally.li>
- A second tab on the Buddy List feature that offers a new, Plaxo-enabled address book that makes it possible to import contacts from Outlook, Hotmail or Yahoo!. The new address book stores up to 5,000 contacts and provides a thumbnail view of contact information.
- A new Quicknote feature that replaces the initial IM window to provide a snapshot of contact information for each buddy and lets users initiate voice chat or send instant messages, mobile text messages or e-mails to anyone in their AIM address book.
- A file transfer service that now sends files of any size with just drag and drop.
- One-click access to the AOL Mail, AIM Mail, and AOL Radio services.
- A new PC-to-PC VoIP voice chat service that uses the Pingtel open source-based SIPuxa and Global IP Sound (GIPS). The AIM voice chat now lets users talk live with AIM buddies around the world free of charge and supports live, multi-party voice chat for up to 20 buddies, and enables users to add buddies to ongoing calls.
- Access to advanced voice calling features for TotalTalk subscribers using AIM, including a digital dial pad or "soft phone" that lets subscribers make, receive and manage calls from any computer with Web access.
- A beta version of an updated live video instant messaging experience with a larger screen and moveable "picture-in-picture" interface.
- An anti-spim feature called IM Catcher that screens IMs from unknown senders.
- A Buddy List that holds up to 500 buddies and includes a "type down" search function for finding individual buddies.
- A redesigned away message setting that doubles the amount of storage for away messages, as well as a
- A feature that allows users to print all information, key information or mailing labels for buddies in the new AIM Address Book.
- Integrated AOL Search, including the ability to highlight phrases in the IM window and click "go" to call forth a search results page.
- Session-based logging that preserves IM conversations until users sign off.
"We rebuilt the AIM service from the ground up to offer a superior communications experience and universal address book that makes it easier for users of all ages to stay in touch with friends, family and colleagues," said Chamath Palihapitiya, vice president and general manager for AIM and ICQ, America Online, in a prepared statement. "We anticipate that the AIM Triton service will accelerate the growing use of voice, video and desktop-to-mobile messaging across all users. And with the inclusion of our free AIM Mail product, we expect AIM to remain the most viral, social and popular communications application among the Internet generation."
The new software will be rolled out across the AIM network over the next couple weeks in a system-wide upgrade and will be woven into the AOL.com portal, according to AOL. The AIM Triton service requires Microsoft Windows XP or Windows 2000.
13%
25%
38%
25%
