AOL's new web browsing

[ShyShy]

AOL Creates Its Own Browsing Software, Trying to Stay Relevant in a Broadband World
The Associated Press

Dec. 12, 2004 - As part of its reincarnation, America Online Inc. is creating its own software for browsing the Web and playing movies and songs. It's a question of staying relevant in an increasingly broadband world.

AOL got its start as a dial-up Internet service provider, connecting millions of first-time users with software that had to be installed on computers and often made some serious modifications to the operating system.

That approach no longer makes sense, said Kerry Pearce-Parkins, director of AOL Product Management. For one, corporations generally prohibit their employees from installing software. That means many subscribers can't access AOL programming during the day.

And because broadband users get their Internet connection through a company other than AOL, they no longer need a software package that includes access tools.

That's why AOL is building a standalone Web browser, while keeping an all-in-one package available for those who really want it.

The browser's core will be Microsoft Corp.'s market-dominant Internet Explorer. Though AOL financed an organization behind a competing browser called Firefox, Pearce-Parkins said the company stuck with IE so users won't have to make "a leap of faith."

But AOL engineers are working to add such features as tabbed browsing, letting users open new Web pages without cluttering the screen with new windows. Unlike tabbed browsing in the Opera and Firefox browsers, AOL's will display a mini-version of the Web page, or thumbnail, as users scroll over a tab.

The AOL Browser will also have tools to thwart e-mail scams known as phishing and to index and search files on the user's computer.

But most importantly for the company, the browser will incorporate several ways to drive traffic to AOL programming and products, increasing ad opportunities.

The new AOL Media Player, built on AOL-owned Winamp technology, will also seek to integrate software with AOL's online radio stations and music store.

"Access to the AOL content and services is always a click away," Pearce-Parkins said.

The programs are expected to be ready for free download early next year.

http://abcnews.go.com/Business/wireStory?id=323350

[Vie]

IE based huh... ..thats going to be messy.

[mysterious_w]

So they have the right to use the world's best, most stable, most secure browser, and go for IE. If they do that, it doesn't really bode well for winamp, does it?

[Vie]

WELL there player is going to be "Winamp Based".

Wich probably means it will be a Classic skin with AOL on it, for WiMP.

[gaekwad2]

Well, have you heard about the next Netscape?

Warning: don't click if you've just eaten!

[mikm]

I want one!

[Vie]

Oh good god... ..what is Netscape thinking?

[Mr Jones]

My ISP did something similar when it joined forces with Yahoo, they lauched the BTYahoo web browser, amongst many other hybrid products, it too was based off the IE engine and it was by far and away one of the worst hacks around.

Bloody awful, and took some removing as well, not from my machine I might add....

[S-uper_T-oast]

The new AOL Media Player, built on AOL-owned Winamp technology, will also seek to integrate software with AOL's online radio stations and music store.

hummmmmmmmm
Winamp pwnage?
or
Pwnd Winamp?

[MegaRock]

Originally posted by ShyShy
Trying to Stay Relevant

ROFLMAO. That says it all. Something abou trying to sell AOL dial up for 23.99 a month when DSL is going for 19.99 a month that makes anything they do kinda fruitless.

If you ask me AOL missed the bus and should just become a content provider.

[mikm]

Actually, The AOL Media Player will be based of Winamp 5.00, but will give the option to switch to the WMP engine.

[GarbagePoe]

Originally posted by gaekwad2
Well, have you heard about the next Netscape?

Warning: don't click if you've just eaten!

That is the ugliest thing ever!

[mikm]

Originally posted by GarbagePoe
That is the ugliest thing ever!

Aren't you forgetting something?

[shakey_snake]

Woah! Sonique looks awesome!

[Mattress]

The browser's core will be Microsoft Corp.'s market-dominant Internet Explorer. Though AOL financed an organization behind a competing browser called Firefox, Pearce-Parkins said the company stuck with IE so users won't have to make "a leap of faith."

Unless it is called Internet Explorer, I would wager that the majority of current AOL users will see this as a different browser, they will have no idea that it's IE underneath. I don't know if it will be a "leap of faith" to use it or not, but that's a dumb excuse.

[Jay]

i am just curious what is going to happen when Microsoft actually does an update to IE, guess they will be looking for new relevance. If AOL isn't going to be a contender in the broadband market then they either need to make their dialup competitive or just become a content distributor. The new AOL commercials are still pretty ghey.

[Smeggle]

The browser's core will be Microsoft Corp.'s market-dominant Internet Explorer. Though AOL financed an organization behind a competing browser called Firefox, Pearce-Parkins said the company stuck with IE so users won't have to make "a leap of faith."

hmmm...rekindles thoughts of the 'microjerk' buy-out rumours to Time Warner - who own AOL if I remember right[?]

And isn't that a clash of principle? And with microjerk losing market share of the browser market at an ever increasing rate with users becoming more aware of other and 'Better more Secure' browsers.....looks like AOL are doing the usual - shooting them selves in the Ass.

I'd love to get them in A 'Donald Trump' boardroom with me playing the part of old Trumpton.....

only two words would be needed for the ejits 'Your Fired'

[Raz]

Originally posted by mikm
Aren't you forgetting something? [Image]

Where's the play button?

[Jay]

Originally posted by Raz
Where's the play button?

probably like wmp and quicktime it converts it to a pause button when something is playing.

[gaekwad2]

Originally posted by mikm

Aren't you forgetting something? [Image]

[electricmime]

its quinamp!

[gaekwad2]

It's a vogon ship painted grey.

[ryan]

Great, another underdeveloped browser that won't support web standards like it should.

[ctkatz8086]

Unlike tabbed browsing in the Opera and Firefox browsers, AOL's will display a mini-version of the Web page, or thumbnail, as users scroll over a tab.

over/under on when opera will institute this new feature.

i say somewhere in the opera 7.7-.8 range

[shakey_snake]

^/_ when there will be a Ff plug somewhere...
4-5 weeks.

[Cognition]

It would be a pretty rare occasion where the text in a tab was ambiguous enough to warrant the extra internet and CPU usage to bring up a little picture of the page.