AOL Launches Next-Generation AIM
AOL's next-generation AIM release, known as Triton, is officially out the door and replaces AIM 5.9 as the company's default instant messaging client. Triton aims to bring together text, voice and video chat and has become the veritable front door to AOL's services.
The new release features one-click access to AOL Explorer, Search, AOL and AIM Mail, AIM Talk and the new TotalTalk VoIP calling service. Triton additionally bundles a new AIM Address Book that syncs with Plaxo, and offers built-in access to AOL Radio featuring 20 XM music stations.
From a new tabbed messaging interface that corrals all chat sessions into a single window, a user can transition from standard IMs to SMS text messaging, AIM Talk voice calling or streaming video with one click. Multi-party voice chat with up to 20 buddies is now supported in AIM Talk.
The Triton Buddy List has been upgraded as well, with support for 500 contacts and "type down" searching.
AOL has rebuilt AIM from the ground up, says Chamath Palihapitiya, vice president and general manager of AIM and ICQ. And the changes are hard to miss; the client introduces an entirely new, simplified user interface. The underlying code is also modular, enabling AOL to tack on additional features over time.
"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," added Palihapitiya. AOL's new Buddy Info feature will take advantage of the service's social nature by letting users post and read comments about AIM Profiles.
Initially, AOL had planned to include a beta version of AIM Talk Plus with Triton 1.0, which would have enabled users to make calls to standard telephone numbers. But the company has separated the products for now and currently plans to launch the new service in the first half of 2006.
Although AIM Triton will remain an optional upgrade, users will be prompted to download the new client, AOL says. The software is only supported on Windows 2000, Windows XP and newer.
AIM Triton 1.0.2 is available for download from FileForum.