Mac@AOL Blog

AOL Desktop for Mac 1.5 Beta Now Available

Lee Givens — 2008-07-24T14:22:00+00:00

Filed under: Beta News, AOL Desktop for Mac

The AOL Mac Team is not taking a break this summer. We released AIM for iPhone and AOL Radio for iPhone and now we'll be following up with AOL Desktop for Mac 1.5 beta. This new beta program will focus on the next major update of the AOL all-in-one Internet software.

Our goals for this release are:

AIM File Transfer now enabled. Users can send files directly to other AIM users.
Users can now tear off browser tabs (and merge browser windows back to tabs).
Users can now log in with their .Mac user IDs and passwords.
All AOL Screen Names associated with an account will now appear in the Sign-In window drop-down list.
Mail header switching issues have been resolved.

We're looking to make window management better and pull all screen names associated with an account after you first log in. For all you AIM fans, you can now use AIM File Transfer to send files to your Buddies without firing up FTP or attaching to e-mail.

All of these features have been requested by our users and we're making sure we continually make AOL Desktop for Mac the best Internet app on the Mac. Please continue to use the Beta Feedback or leave a comment on the Mac@AOL Blog.

thanks!
Lee Givens
AOL Mac Product Lead

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

AOL Launches Free Versions of AIM, AOL Radio and Truveo on Apple App Store

Lee Givens — 2008-07-10T18:30:00+00:00

Filed under: Announcements, iPhone

Posted: July 10, 2008

Instant Messaging, Online Radio and Video Search Applications for the iPhone & iPod touch

NEW YORK - July 10, 2008 - AOL today announced three new iPhone OS applications: AIM, the leading instant messaging service; AOL Radio, the most popular online radio service and recent recipient of an Apple Design Award; and Truveo, the leading video search engine are available as free downloads from the Apple App Store beginning today.

"With AIM, AOL Radio and Truveo for the iPhone, consumers now have access to the world's largest instant messaging network, over 350 streaming radio stations and millions of online videos," said Kevin Conroy, Executive Vice President of AOL. "Over the past twelve months, AOL has revitalized its Mac development efforts and we're thrilled to be bringing our world-class communications and multi-media experiences to iPhone users around the world via the App Store."

The new AIM, AOL Radio and Truveo applications for the iPhone were built using Apple's iPhone Software Development Kit (SDK) and provide users a rich, full-featured experience, with added features unique to the iPhone.

* AIM for iPhone brings together all of the core features of AIM - such as real-time communication, the Buddy List window and the ability to see when friends and contacts are online and available to chat - and combines them with a host of new capabilities that make IM'ing from the iPhone easy and convenient, whether over a Wi-Fi, EDGE, or 3G network.

AIM has been designed from the ground up to take advantage of the iPhone's unique user interface and advanced capabilities. New features developed specifically for the iPhone include the use of Gestures, which allows users to simply tap to start a new message or to swipe a finger to switch between conversations; Favorites, which puts the buddies with whom you keep in touch at your fingertips; and the ability to easily incorporate a photo taken with the iPhone's built in camera as a Buddy Icon. AIM for iPhone will be available to users worldwide.

* AOL Radio for iPhone gives users in the U.S. immediate, free access to more than 350 best-in-breed stations including more than 150 local CBS RADIO stations and custom channels and more than 200 AOL Radio stations spanning 25 musical genres. AOL Radio for iPhone leverages the iPhone's Core Location framework to detect a user's location and automatically displays CBS RADIO stations nearest to the user. Additionally, AOL Radio for iPhone automatically adapts to the current connection speed of the device providing low-bandwidth streams when on a cellular network versus higher quality audio for Wi-Fi connections.

At Apple's World Wide Developer Conference in June, AOL Radio was highlighted during the iPhone Developer Showcase and received the Apple Design Award for "Best Entertainment Application."

* Truveo Mobile Video Search for iPhone maximizes the device's premium video experience and makes it easy for users to search and browse through millions of online videos while on the go. Truveo's leading video search engine provides direct links to video content that's been optimized for the iPhone from a wide variety of video sources including CNN, Discovery Channel, HBO, NBC, PBS, Channel, Comedy Central, MTV and YouTube. Localized versions of Truveo Mobile Video Search for iPhone will be available for the U.S., Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, Ireland, New Zealand, and the UK, with support for additional countries to follow in the coming months.

All three applications are available for free from Apple's App Store on iPhone and iPod touch or at www.itunes.com/appstore/

More information on AIM, AOL Radio and Truveo Mobile Video Search for iPhone can be found at http://mobile.aol.com/iphone.

In addition to the AIM, AOL Radio and Truveo applications for the iPhone, AOL has also optimized many of its popular websites and services for the iPhone's Safari browser including; AOL.com, AOL Mail, AOL Mobile Search, AOL Money & Finance, Moviefone, AOL Food, AOL Horoscopes, AOL TV Listings and AOL Shopping.

AOL: Getting Back to the Mac

Over the past year, AOL has reinvested in the Mac platform and created new mobile and desktop experiences for the iPhone, iPod Touch and Macintosh computer. Using Apple's tools and SDKs, as well as working closely with Apple's design and development teams, AOL has launched a series of new applications including AOL Mobile Search, an optimized AOL.com portal and AOL Desktop for Mac.

About AOL
AOL is a global Web services company that operates some of the most popular Web destinations, offers a comprehensive suite of free software and services, runs one of the largest Internet access businesses in the U.S., and provides a full set of advertising solutions. A majority-owned subsidiary of Time Warner Inc., AOL LLC and its subsidiaries have operations in the U.S., Europe, Canada and Asia. Learn more at AOL.com.

Contact:

Derick Mains
AOL
(650) 937-2603
Derick.Mains@corp.aol.com

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

AOL Desktop for Mac 1.2 Released

Larry Aasen — 2008-07-07T22:30:00+00:00

Filed under: AOL Desktop for Mac, Announcements

Today AOL released AOL Desktop for Mac 1.2 that resolves mail and AIM issues our customers have reported for the past few weeks. This is our second update to AOL Desktop for Mac which was launched in early May, 2008.

Changes in AOL Desktop for Mac 1.2:

Fixed mail display issues where addressee/subject did not match
Fixed various issues with AIM that may lead to crash on some systems

During first-run of AOL Desktop for Mac 1.2, your online mail folders will be re-synchronized. This is a one-time operation that will increase performance on subsequent launches of AOL Desktop for Mac 1.2. You can continue to use AOL Desktop for Mac 1.2 during the re-synchronization.

Please report any issues using the Feedback button on the application toolbar. Any specific information about connection type and speed, whether you are using wireless, etc. would be greatly appreciated.

Try out the new update and let us know how it works for you. You can download it from discover AOL in the Free AOL Downloads section. We will try to respond to comments that have an email address, but rest assured, every comment is read and evaluated by our team.

Thanks...
Larry Aasen
Developer, AOL Desktop for Mac Team

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Feedback Friday - June 13, 2008

Lee Givens — 2008-06-13T20:10:00+00:00

Filed under: AOL Desktop for Mac, Announcements

The AOL Mac/iPhone team is headed to the airport (I just finished my final session at WWDC '08), I wanted to post a brief, but important Feedback Friday.

This week, AOL released AOL Desktop for Mac 1.1. This is our first update to AOL Desktop for Mac, released early May that addresses issues (and one new feature, address book - sort by last name) our customers have reported for the past few weeks.

Changes in AOL Desktop for Mac 1.1:

Fixed mail performance issues. Now, mailboxes with hundreds of messages (or even thousands) are synched on first run without slowing the system
Fixed mail display issues with incorrect content
Fixed Address Book issues that may have not properly switched to the correct screen name when syncing
Fixed Address Book sync failures which resulted in no contacts
Address Book sort by last name has been added to this release
Fixed sorting in Address Book when clicking the column headers
Fixed sporadic Leopard crash when clicking mailto: links
Fixed Mac OS X 10.5.3 issues with Buddy List search
Fixed Mac OS X 10.5.3 issues that may have caused a crash in AIM
Fixed performance for auto-complete for AIM when user has a large Address Book

Notes:
Mail performance and display issues have been fixed in this release. Please report any issues using the Feedback button on the application toolbar. Any specific information about connection type and speed, whether you are using wireless, etc. would be greatly appreciated.

Please try out the new update and let me know how it works for you. You can download it from Discover AOL.
I will try to respond to comments that have an email address, but rest assured, every comment is read and evaluated by the team.

Thanks...
Lee Givens
AOL Mac Product Lead

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

AOL Wins Coveted Apple Design Award

Lee Givens — 2008-06-13T18:09:00+00:00

Filed under: Announcements, iPhone

Wow! What a week. Five days of sunny weather, 5000+ Mac developers and the AOL Mac/iPhone team received a small grey cube that has a light-up logo.

It's not just any cube, it's a reaffirmation of AOL's dedication to the Mac (and now iPhone) platforms. The 2008 Apple Design Award for best iPhone Entertainment Application went to Ron Anderson and Dan Gilliam, our two most senior Mac developers who built AOL Radio for iPhone (powered by CBS Radio).

I want to congratulate the entire team (including our user experience/visual designer, AOL management and the entire Mac team) on this outstanding achievement. With WWDC '08 winding down, it's back to the Xcode to work on the next (award winning?) Mac/iPhone application.

Enjoy!
Lee Givens
AOL Mac Product Lead

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

IMing all Developers!

Lee Givens — 2008-06-11T14:14:00+00:00

Filed under: Announcements, iPhone, Macintosh

If you're a Mac developer and interested in integrating AOL's Open AIM into your application, you can download the source code for the Cocoa WIMFramework.

This Objective-C/Cocoa wrapper implements the logic for AOL's openAIM WIM protocol. Protocol documentation and AIM Network license requirements can be located at http://developer.aim.com

Description
If you want to integrate AIM into your Objective-C based application, this project is meant to make it easier for you. We're using it ourselves to build some AIM experiences.

This library is just beginning. We will be continuing to make available enhancements. The Framework concentrates on making the WIM AIM server protocol easier to consume. It does not make any assumptions about user interface.

Take it for a spin!

Lee Givens
AOL Mac Product Lead

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

AOL Desktop for Mac Beta 18 Released

Lee Givens — 2008-06-08T21:30:00+00:00

Filed under: Beta News, AOL Desktop for Mac

We're Listening to Our Users!
The whole Mac team reviews comments from the Feedback button and posts on the AOL Mac Message Boards. We have addressed the top issues reported by our customers and we released AOL Desktop for Mac Beta 18 on the AOL Beta Central site.

If you're using the GM 1.0 version and haven't participated in a Beta program in the past, please wait until we release AOL Desktop for Mac 1.1 in the very near future!

Fixed Issues for Beta 17/18

Fixed mail performance issues. Now, mailboxes with hundreds of messages (or even thousands) are synched on first run without slowing the system
Fixed mail display issues with incorrect content
Fixed Address Book issues that may have not properly switched to the correct screen name when syncing
Fixed Address Book sync failures which resulted in no contacts
Address Book sort by last name has been added to this release
Fixed sorting in Address Book when clicking the column headers
Fixed sporadic Leopard crash when clicking mailto: links
Fixed Mac OS X 10.5.3 issues with Buddy List search
Fixed Mac OS X 10.5.3 issues that may have caused a crash in AIM
Fixed performance for auto-complete for AIM when user has a large Address Book

Note to Beta Users: If you are running the AOL Desktop for Mac released version, we are now separating the Application Support folders for Beta and GM releases. If you have imported or saved mail using a pre-Beta 16, you will need to move the mail folder (in the ~/Library/Application Support/AOL Desktop/Users) to the new AOL Desktop Beta folder. The GM (released version) saves all application support files in the AOL Desktop folder, Beta 17 and 18 save all data in AOL Desktop Beta folder.

Thanks!
Lee Givens
AOL Mac Product Lead

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

AOL @ WWDC 2008

Lee Givens — 2008-06-08T20:23:00+00:00

Filed under: General

We packed our bags and headed out to sunny San Francisco for the annual Apple Worldwide Developer's Conference. WWDC '08 is getting more attention than most developer conferences and the iPhone SDK is generating a lot of buzz.

You can check out AOL at the March 6th iPhone SDK announcement in Cupertino.

Cheers,
Lee Givens
AOL Mac Product Lead

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

AOL Desktop for Mac - Mail In Depth

Lee Givens — 2008-05-21T14:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Member Education, AOL Desktop for Mac

Today, we launch the first of many in-depth articles on using AOL Desktop for Mac. I want to start with Mail. We've been getting a lot of feedback and every developer is being briefed on issues being reported using the handy Feedback button on the toolbar. Remember, if you would like to get a response to your feedback (I'll try to get back to as many of you as possible!), I need to get your e-mail address (you can type your e-mail address in the optional e-mail field on the Feedback form).

Topic 1 - First Run Mail Experience (mail performance)
When you first install and launch AOL Desktop for Mac, you'll notice it installs and launches in seconds. After logging in, some users may notice that the application may seem sluggish, this is due to the application downloading mail for the first time and if you have hundreds (or even thousands!) of mail messages in your New/Old or Inbox. You can make the mail experience better by letting AOL Desktop for Mac to finish adding your mailbox to the new mail database. This should only take a few moments, resulting in a better experience day-to-day.

Topic 2 - Mail Display Issues
Some users have experienced mail display issues, where mail listing may be jumbled or your mail header (e.g., To:, From:, Subject:) may not be updated with the current mail message you're viewing. We have our mail team working around the clock to address this issue.

Topic 3 - Default Font for Mail
Like many AOL users, I like picking my favorite font and font size. This is one of our top requests and we'll be posting information on this feature on the Mac@AOL Blog. Hang in there, we'll get back to you.

Topic 4 - How do I Add a BCC: or Signature?
To the Right of the 'To:' field, you will see a pull-down menu that will reveal all kinds of neat things. You can add a BCC: or Signature or even hide the stylebar, if that's what you need.

I'll be posting a new AOL Desktop for Mac In-Depth article every day for the next week, so stop by and share your feedback.

thanks...

Lee Givens
AOL Mac Product Lead

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Feedback Friday - 5/16

Lee Givens — 2008-05-16T22:25:00+00:00

Filed under: Member Education, AOL Desktop for Mac

This is our first post-launch Feedback Friday and we're still reading through ALL the feedback we've gotten from our nifty Feedback button on the AOL Desktop for Mac Toolbar. Please keep the comments coming, we feel it's the best way to hear from our users and help the AOL Mac Team prioritize new features and our projects during the year.

First, for those of you new to the Mac@AOL Blog, we review feedback we received and try to answer the most reported issues right here on the blog. You can review our previous Feedback Friday articles to get an idea (or find an answer) about an issue.

Previous editions of Feedback Friday:

Feedback Friday - 2/15

Feedback Friday - 2/29

Feedback Friday - 3/21

Feedback Friday - 4/18

Question 1 - How Can I Find an Answer to My Problem?
Well, the first place you should look is AOL Support Portal for Mac and the Mac@AOL Blog. You can search keywords or tags by using the handy Search Box, in the upper right corner of the blog page.

Also, if you use the Feedback Button on AOL Desktop for Mac and leave your e-mail address in the comments box, we may be able to contact you directly. And yes, we read EVERY comment posted. I also review all comments left at the bottom of blog articles. We are totally committed to listening to our users.

Question 2 - I'm getting an 'Error 800' When Access My Favorites
We identified an issue on the AOL Favorites servers and we worked closely with our network operations team to get it fixed. Please try it again and let us know if you're having problems (leave me a comment below!).

Question 3 - Can I Get an RSS or E-mail When a New Blog Article is Added?
Yes, along with very handy links on the right navigation bar, you will see the Subscribe box. You can add the RSS feed to your favorite RSS news reader (MyAOL is a great way to stay on top of your feeds!) or you can enter your e-mail in the 'Feed by Mail:" box.

Question 4 - AOL Desktop for Mac 1.0 is Missing My Favorite Feature
This is only the beginning - The AOL Mac Team is busy working on the next update for AOL Desktop for Mac and some very exciting new applications on the Mac (and other platforms running Mac OS X - hint, hint). As we begin the development process, we interview users, read comments on AOL and most major Mac sites to gauge what features are important to our users. The AOL Mac Team will also be at Macworld Expo (can't wait until Macworld 2009!) and Apple's World Wide Developers Conference in a few weeks to speak face-to-face with users and developers using AOL software and technologies.

Finally, I want to end this article with some comments from users who haven't used AOL software or services in a while and may be hesitant to jump back in. I want to shed some light on the new AOL and clearing up some myths about AOL's Mac software:

Have you visited TUAW.com (The Unofficial Apple Weblog), Engadget.com, TMZ.com, Switched.com, MapQuest.com, Joystiq.com, downloadsquad.com, or autoblog.com? Guess what, ALL of the sites listed are AOL websites. And if you like Apple's iChat, it runs on the #1 IM network in America - AIM.

On the software side, AOL Desktop for Mac doesn't hide any nefarious software on your Mac or pop advertisements over your windows (I swear!). AOL Desktop for Mac won't interfere with other apps on your Mac and can co-habitate with AOL for Mac OS X for users making a slower migration.

Monday, our kickoff of in-depth features of AOL Desktop for Mac. We will focus on Mail, so stop back soon!

thanks...
Lee Givens
AOL Mac Product Lead

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

AOL Desktop for Mac Launched

Lee Givens — 2008-05-06T10:15:00+00:00

Filed under: AOL Desktop for Mac, Announcements

It's Official: AOL Launches New Desktop Software for the Mac
New Software for Mac is Latest in Series of Enhanced Mac-Compatible Applications and Products Released by AOL

The AOL for Mac team is pleased to announce today that we are officially launching the new AOL Desktop for Mac software (http://mac.aol.com). Built from the ground-up by Mac users and for Mac users, the new AOL Desktop for Mac marks the first all-new and thoroughly modern desktop software launched by AOL for the Mac in more than five years.

AOL Desktop for Mac offers an all-in-one mail, messaging and Web browsing experience that is light on the desktop, loads in record time, and offers a variety of new features and functionality -- many of which were recommended by our beta testers and AOL Mac users. Highlights of the new software include:

New, Fast-Loading Web Browser: Built using the same technology that supports the Safari and iPhone Web browsers, the new AOL Desktop for Mac software is armed with one of the fastest-loading browsers available. And because it shares Web components with the Mac OS(R) X operating system, it will never become obsolete.
Exclusive New Version of AIM: Developed exclusively for the Mac, the new AIM application in AOL Desktop for Mac works alongside the new AOL Browser and Mail, offering users an enhanced text-based instant messaging experience that now includes many of AIM's most-popular features, such as Buddy Info, AIM Expressions and Buddy Fly Out.
Easy Transition Tools: New functionality allows for fast, easy transfer of AOL Favorites and AOL Mail (from AOL for Mac OS X personal filing cabinets), as well as icon "tooltips," and a new AOL Support Portal for Mac.
Tabbed IM and Browsing: Tabs on the browser and IM offer easy access to an uncluttered and organized view of all open windows, helping users stay organized and save time while online.

AOL Desktop for Mac is the latest addition to AOL's recently-released library of Mac and iPhone compatible products, including AOL Mobile Search optimized for the iPhone, AIM for the iPhone and Xdrive Desktop Lite. AOL Mail is also accessible on the iPhone. AOL has a long history of developing and supporting software and services specifically for Mac products, and originally debuted its service on the Mac more than 20 years ago.

The video posted below highlights several of the new features included in the new AOL Desktop for Mac. I encourage you try it for yourself at http://mac.aol.com. It is compatible with Mac OS X, Leopard and Tiger (i.e. Mac OS X 10.4.8 or higher), and will co-exist on your desktop with AOL for Mac OS X.

Link to High Resolution Version (QuickTime .MOV 1440 x 900 - 24.3MB)

Download AOL Desktop for Mac Screenshots

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

AOL Desktop for Mac Development Team

Larry Aasen — 2008-05-02T15:00:00+00:00

Filed under: AOL Desktop for Mac, Announcements

The AOL Desktop for Mac Development Team (2007-2008). Seated left to right: Christina Wick, Abhi Patwardhan, Todd Brannam, Scott Tury, Larry Aasen, Bob Ward, Keith Malkin, and Ron Anderson. Not pictured: Dan Gilliam.

We would like to thank all of the AOL Beta testers for the hard work and dedication. Stay tuned for more cool Mac applications in the future.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Feedback Friday - 4/18

Lee Givens — 2008-04-18T17:10:00+00:00

Filed under: Member Education, AOL Desktop for Mac

I hope you're enjoying the sunny weather (nice in N. Virginia!) and trying out the new Beta 14 release of AOL Desktop for Mac. We've received a lot of feedback this week and I want to jump right in.

Question 1 - I would like to sort by last name or company
Answer: Beta testers have commented that they would like to organize their AOL Address Book contacts by other sort orders. We have captured that request and it's on our enhancement list. Our goal with AOL Desktop for Mac 1.0 is to get the foundation in place for additional features and products in the future. As we wrap up AOL Desktop for Mac 1.0, AOL Beta Test users will get information on how to stay in the AOL Mac beta community and continue to get information on new betas.

Question 2 - Can I add 'Write Mail' icon to my toolbar?
Answer: Yes. We have added a whole bunch of your favorite AOL web sites and functions that some of you would like to have on the toolbar. You can add Write Mail to your toolbar by doing the following:

1. Launch AOL Desktop for Mac (no need to sign-in, but you can if you like)
2. Go to View>Customize AOL Toolbar...
3. You will see the customize sheet (below) appear. All you have to do is drag any icon to the toolbar and you'll see the other icons make room for the newest member of the toolbar family. If you want to go back to the factory defaults, just drag the complete set (at the bottom of the customize sheet) to the top.

Question 3 - What's going on with AOL Chat?
As we have blogged about before, AOL is moving from the traditional chat rooms to AIM Chat. AIM Chat opens up all new chat functions - audio/video chat (if you have an attached/built-in iSight camera). User created chat rooms are available or you can join in on one of the many chat rooms in the new AIM Chat directory. It's going to take some time until all the old chat rooms are moved over (AIM Chat is in public beta), but we feel the experience will be greatly improved over the traditional chat.

Just a quick note, you can subscribe to the Mac@AOL blog by mail or RSS feed, just enter your e-mail address in the Subscribe box on the lower right column or click the orange + sign to subscribe to the RSS feed.

Have a great weekend!
Lee Givens
AOL Mac Product Lead

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Auto-Quit Print Queues in Mac OS X Leopard

Lee Givens — 2008-04-10T10:12:00+00:00

Filed under: Member Education, Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard)

You upgraded to Leopard, now when you print, the Printer queue opens in the Dock. Great. But what happens when you're done printing? It's still there. The print queue is like a guest who won't leave. You can fix this and it's easy.

You just need to do the following:

1. Open System Preferences and select Print & Fax:

2. Open a print queue by clicking Open Print Queue... button. Now you'll see a printer in your Dock.

3. Once your print queue is in the Dock, you can Control-Click the printer icon (or right-click icon) and then select Auto-Quit. That's it!

Now your print queues will appear during printing and 'go home' after their done.

Thanks...
Lee Givens
AOL Mac Product Lead

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

AOL & XM Radio Update

Lee Givens — 2008-04-09T17:10:00+00:00

Filed under: Announcements, AOL Radio for Mac

On April 30, 2008, AOL and XM Radio will be ending their partnership. This means that XM Radio channels will not be available to our AOL Radio for Mac users. You will still be able to listen to all the AOL Radio stations 24/7 with your current AOL Radio for Mac. Nothing new is required to download or update.

Please stop by for more information on AOL Radio for Mac in the coming weeks.

XM Radio prepared a special deal for AOL Radio listeners. Click to find more on the XM Radio offer.

You can keep up with the AOL Radio team on the AOL Radio blog and on the XM Radio Guide.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Happy 32nd Birthday Apple!

Lee Givens — 2008-04-01T14:42:00+00:00

Filed under: General

Yes, time sure flies. Apple, was born in Steve Jobs' parents house (actually, Apple started in a bedroom, then later moved into the garage) over three decades ago. Apple Computer, Inc. was incorporated in California on April 1, 1976 (planned for Aprils' fools day) and today, it's one of the largest computer/consumer electronics companies in the world.

Back in 1976, Apple actually had three founders - Steve Wozniak, Steve Jobs and Ron Wayne. Ron actually designed the first Apple logo...you can see it at TUAW.com. If you love Apple history, make sure you check out Owen Linzmayer's book, Apple Confidential 2.0.

Please take a moment and leave a comment of how Apple has been part of your life.

thanks...Lee Givens
AOL Mac Product Lead

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Feedback Friday 3/21

Lee Givens — 2008-03-24T18:05:00+00:00

Filed under: Member Education

Yes, this episode of Feedback Friday is on Monday, but hey, it's March Madness, so I ask for a bit of leeway :)

Our friend Sam in Member Services has delivered the top 4 articles requested by users on AOL Help. I'll cover these and you'll see the 3/28 installment of Feedback Friday focusing on comments from the AOL Beta Message Boards.

1. Send and Receive E-mail Attachments on AOL(R) Desktop[TM] for Mac(R)

Some users are getting used to the new way of sending and receiving attachments. This support article covers both attaching and saving files that are attached to e-mail. FYI..you can send a total of 16MB of attachments (single or multiple files).

2. E-mail Features on AOL(R) Desktop[TM] For Mac(R)

What are the new e-mail features in AOL Desktop for Mac? This article covers info on Spell Check, changing font size, customizing your mail and adding a mail signature.

3. Buddy List(R) features on AOL(R) Desktop[TM] for Mac(R)

One of my favorite AOL Help articles, this article covers all the features of the AOL Desktop for Mac Buddy List. You can learn how to add, delete or search Buddies. There's more: you can also set invisible mode, set an away message or learn how to set up a Buddy Chat.

4. Install AOL(R) Desktop[TM] for Mac(R)

Our fourth-most popular Support Portal article provides how-to's on downloading and installing AOL Desktop for Mac. With Leopard (10.5.x), users are still getting used to the Download folder. It does keep the desktop cleaner :)

Thanks and have a great week!
Lee Givens
AOL Mac Product Lead

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

iPhone SDK and iPhone Roadmap

Lee Givens — 2008-03-10T17:19:00+00:00

Filed under: News, iPhone

March 6, 2008 will go down in Apple history as a seminal day for the iPhone platform and Mac users. I've been around the Mac platform for decades and I haven't seen this much excitement since the Newton or when Apple was testing Rhapsody, the code name for the upcoming Mac OS X (back in the late 1990's).

Why is this a big deal? As most of you know, software is the life-blood of any hardware platform. Take HD-DVD for an example. After the major studios said they were not going to release movies in HD-DVD format, Sony's Blu-Ray took over. Software is the arguably equally important to the cool hardware it runs on.

Starting March 6th, anyone can sign up for Apple's Developer program and get a beta copy of the iPhone SDK. Free. In order to sell your apps on the iTunes and iPhone AppStore, you'll need to come up with $99, but that's a lot better than most developer programs I've seen over the years.

Stop by the Apple iPhone SDK site or watch the March 6th announcement on iTunes Podcasts (search for SDK) or on Apple's web site. Just in case you're wondering, AOL's turn on stage to demo AIM for iPhone comes in around 53 minutes, 10 seconds.

thanks...
Lee Givens
AOL Mac Product Lead

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

AOL Desktop for Mac Address Book

Larry Aasen — 2008-03-10T14:12:00+00:00

Filed under: Member Education, AOL Desktop for Mac

The Address Book in AOL Desktop for Mac is a great place to store all of your contacts for email, IM, and cell numbers. It can easily handle thousands of contacts and is easy to use. It also continuously syncs to the host so your entire Address Book is available wherever you go online.

To view your Address Book in AOL Desktop for Mac, click on the Window menu and select the Address Book menu item.

You can also create mailing Groups where you add multiple contacts to one list. Then you can send one email to everyone on the list at the same time. This can save you valuable minutes if you're managing the softball team or school PTA list.

There are many other great features in the Address Book including quick searching, email to contact, IM to contact, and drag and drop. Try the Address Book in AOL Desktop for Mac today and keep yourself organized.

Larry Aasen
Developer, AOL Desktop for Mac Team

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

AIM on iPhone!

Lee Givens — 2008-03-06T16:25:00+00:00

Filed under: Announcements, iPhone

AOL has been working with Apple to build AIM for iPhone. That's right, an AIM client for iPhone built in just days (not months). We're happy to have the AOL team on stage at 4 Infinite Loop to showcase the new AIM client. You can use finger gestures to manage multiple conversations and multi-touch to view your Buddy List.

You may have heard the news spreading throughout the the Mac/iPhone communities (and probably some Windows sites as well :) - Today, Apple announced the iPhone SDK beta and a June release of iPhone firmware 2.0. In order to install and run 3rd party iPhone apps, you will need to wait until Apple releases the iPhone 2.0 update. But you can get started on developing iPhone apps today.

You can relive today's event in Cupertino at our sister sites - Engadget and TUAW (Engadget and TUAW are in the AOL family). One more thing...Apple also announced that they're working with Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers to start the $100,000,000 iFund to invest in up-and-coming iPhone independent software developers.

Enjoy!
Lee Givens
AOL Mac Product Lead

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments