AOL Launches New Version of Web Mail

LONDON - January 21, 2009 – AOL today announced the launch of an enhanced version of AOL Web Mail that offers users one-click access to Google Mail, Yahoo! Mail and a variety of third-party sites and destinations directly from the AOL Web Mail page, http://info.aol.co.uk/email. Over the past year, AOL has added more than 30 new features and a variety of new functionality to Web Mail in an effort to make it more open to third-party content and to offer more monetisation opportunities to advertisers. The new version is being released globally, making it available in more than 38 countries and locales around the world.

“With this release, we’re offering consumers something they can’t get from any other e-mail provider, including easy access to third-party e-mail and content,” said Rohit Agarwal, Head of Innovation & Marketing, AOL Europe. “We know that consumers today have multiple email accounts on different services to keep tabs on daily, and we want to make it easier for them. This is an important first step in opening up AOL Mail and gives users the ability to customise their inbox with content and services they use on a daily basis, regardless of where it lives.”

Key features of AOL’s new Web Mail product include: 

• Access to 3rd Party Email Accounts: The third-party mail plug-ins allow users to preview Yahoo! Mail and Google Mail within the AOL Web Mail experience, as well as take advantage of one-click access to their Yahoo! Mail and Google Mail accounts.
• Faster performance: Using updated technologies such as Dojo 2.0, AOL has increased the speed and performance of its Web Mail experience, and enhanced the user interface to make it more intuitive.
• Themed Skins: More than 45 new “skins” or themes let users personalise the page to their liking, and offer advertisers the ability to work with AOL to create themes that will appeal to key audiences.
• Plug-in Gallery: Users can customise their Web Mail page by choosing from a variety of new plug-ins offering one-click access to favourite sites, content, Google Mail and Yahoo! Mail. In addition, AOL is inviting third-party developers to create new gadgets for Web Mail via http://dev.aol.com.
• AOL Sync: Users can make real-time updates to AOL Calendar and Address Book from their desktop or a variety of wireless devices, including the Blackberry and iPhone. In addition, users around the globe can enjoy a completely mobile AOL Mail experience from virtually any device.

“People who are using AOL Mail represent an already-engaged audience,” said Rich Landsman, Senior Vice President, AOL Mail. ““As we continue to extend our capabilities far beyond sending and receiving mail, we are challenging ourselves and third-party developers everywhere to create new opportunities for delivering customised, relevant content using our mail platform.”
 
The updated version of Web Mail is available at http://info.aol.co.uk/email.

About AOL

AOL is a leading provider of digital communications and content to UK consumers. The AOL service and portal deliver a range of market-leading online content, including music, film, sport, news, shopping and community, as well as email, instant messenger, VOIP, safety and security features. AOL is also one of the leading online destinations for advertisers in the UK. AOL UK is part of AOL Europe, a business unit of AOL LLC, which operates a leading network of Web brands and is a majority-owned subsidiary of Time Warner Inc.