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AOL Renews Interest in Mac with AIM Beta 1
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Okay everyone - Adium is great and all, but it only supports one feature of any given chat network: the ability to type back and forth with another person.
File transfer, video, groups, etc. etc. etc. are either not supported, have crappy implementation, only work "sometimes," or are not even on the development teams radar.
Adium is the lowest common denominator for every chat network it supports.
But I still use it because I have friends on AIM.
File transfer, video, groups, etc. etc. etc. are either not supported, have crappy implementation, only work "sometimes," or are not even on the development teams radar.
Adium is the lowest common denominator for every chat network it supports.
But I still use it because I have friends on AIM.
I wholeheartedly agree with you. The Direct IM implementation on Adium is very iffy, as is the one on iChat. So are groups. If someone on Windows wants to quickly send me a picture or invite me to a group chat, I have to deal with Adium's shortcomings.
I had much fewer problems when there was a native version of AIM for my computer. In fact, I used to use my old iBook G3 for AIM just for that reason (until it got too unbearable). All you snarky people out there-- just because Adium works fine for you when you're chatting with your friends doesn't mean it works for everyone.
A lot of people worked very hard on this. Considering it's a Mac program, there's a good chance at least one of them is a member here. How would you feel if you worked for months on something and you came to this forum and found people tearing it apart for no reason?
All you negative people need to take a rest. There are good reasons to hate AIM-- ads, bloat, spyware... but they haven't presented any of that in this program, they've just provided a little alternative, and hopefully, some competition that will make things more interesting.
NO WAY.
Wow. I never thought I'd see the day that AOL would update AIM for Mac.
It seemed like they just gave up when iChat came out...
I am a pretty frequent AIM user, but I don't think I could give up iChat video chatting.
Wow. I never thought I'd see the day that AOL would update AIM for Mac.
It seemed like they just gave up when iChat came out...
I am a pretty frequent AIM user, but I don't think I could give up iChat video chatting.
In general...
My thought has generally been that AOL was a leader in internet technologies 15 years ago, when nobody knew anything about the internet, when content management software was required to browse the web.
Now - we rely on Manufacturer-created browsers. Anyone that thinks that AOL is still a leading internet company is off their rocker.
This is merely an apology -- "We're sorry, Apple, and Mac users." Anyone that thinks I'll put AOL anything on a Mac should suffer a painful death.
My thought has generally been that AOL was a leader in internet technologies 15 years ago, when nobody knew anything about the internet, when content management software was required to browse the web.
Now - we rely on Manufacturer-created browsers. Anyone that thinks that AOL is still a leading internet company is off their rocker.
This is merely an apology -- "We're sorry, Apple, and Mac users." Anyone that thinks I'll put AOL anything on a Mac should suffer a painful death.
While it's good to see AOL finally showing some support by updating it's Mac software, it's a case of too little-too late.
In my opinion I think Apple took it upon themselves to create iChat since AOL's version of AIM for the Mac was lacking. Almost five years later AOL has finally updated their AOL instant messenger app for Mac OS X. That's really sad considering the Windows version has been constantly updated.
Of course since Apple is popular again AOL has jumped on the Mac bandwagon to try and draw some its users back. Unfortunately I still see some people with AOL's AIM in their dock, using it daily, not knowing that there are far better alternatives out there such as iChat and Adium. It's a good thing for AOL to be updating their AIM application, it would of been nice if they did years ago, but I guess it's better late then never.
Now what about their version of AOL for Mac OS X... I mean just look at it! I doubt they have updated it since then. It looks severely dated, although at the time it fit in well with Jaguar, and I'm sure it's lacking plenty of the features the Windows version has. But then again, who uses AOL anymore?
In my opinion I think Apple took it upon themselves to create iChat since AOL's version of AIM for the Mac was lacking. Almost five years later AOL has finally updated their AOL instant messenger app for Mac OS X. That's really sad considering the Windows version has been constantly updated.
Of course since Apple is popular again AOL has jumped on the Mac bandwagon to try and draw some its users back. Unfortunately I still see some people with AOL's AIM in their dock, using it daily, not knowing that there are far better alternatives out there such as iChat and Adium. It's a good thing for AOL to be updating their AIM application, it would of been nice if they did years ago, but I guess it's better late then never.
Now what about their version of AOL for Mac OS X... I mean just look at it! I doubt they have updated it since then. It looks severely dated, although at the time it fit in well with Jaguar, and I'm sure it's lacking plenty of the features the Windows version has. But then again, who uses AOL anymore?
That's probably part of the (AIM/AOL) problem. Pretty much everyone outside the US is still using MSN... So iChat users (outside of the US) can have a hard time finding/connecting with friends on AIM (unless they uses Adium, but alas, without video)
I don't use AIM. MSN is much more popular in Europe, or the UK at least. Who wants to use video chat all the time anyway?
Personally seeing as MSN is the only protocol I use all the time.. I use Mercury Messenger over Mac Messenger. THAT is what really needs updating.
With Mercury you can use web cam and nearly all the other features offered in Live Messenger on Windows in a much more streamlined interface.
http://www.mercury.im/
(You'll also find a version of Mercury for Windows, Linux etc)
If I need to use AIM or Yahoo! Messenger, I use Adium Like everyone else has already mentioned.
Personally seeing as MSN is the only protocol I use all the time.. I use Mercury Messenger over Mac Messenger. THAT is what really needs updating.
With Mercury you can use web cam and nearly all the other features offered in Live Messenger on Windows in a much more streamlined interface.
http://www.mercury.im/
(You'll also find a version of Mercury for Windows, Linux etc)
If I need to use AIM or Yahoo! Messenger, I use Adium
Like everyone else has already mentioned.Will I be signed on both of them at the same time? And can I log off of 1 and long on othe other right away?
Pretty much predicted this after seeing the iPhone version of AIM. Hopefully they will keep it up. As nice as iChat is, if AIM incorporates their video technology, it would really help out, since Windows to iChat video is spotty at best. While I probably won't use AIM, it shows a lot of about the Mac platform with people renewing commitments to the Mac platform with, sue me for saying it, pretty nice software. Im impressed with the new AIM, doesn't look like just a port like the previous version.
Does this come with the trademark bloatware and ads?
Let's see... It's made by America Online. 'Nuff said.
Let's see... It's made by America Online. 'Nuff said.
um no
too little too late, so many better 3rd party aps out there like Adium or web based services like meebo
...thanks for 4 years of nothing...
too little too late, so many better 3rd party aps out there like Adium or web based services like meebo
...thanks for 4 years of nothing...
Right, this makes sense because we know how dedicated.... the last version of AIM for Mac was what.... oh, right. a carbonized version of 4.3 running on Mac OS 9 and Mac OS X. Was slow as hell, too.
I'll pass.
Adium is much better.
I'll pass.
Adium is much better.
I'm getting ready to switch to Mac and it never even occurred to me that AOL didn't make software for the Mac. I have had the same email address since 1992 and it is an aol.com address that I created in AOL on my first computer, a Mac Classic. Heck, I don't even think that version of AOL had a version number! I definitely don't plan on switching email addresses now! Every time I think about getting out of AOL and either using my bellsouth.net account for everyday email or even going to gmail or yahoo, I get a random email from someone who I haven't spoken with in years and it reminds me why I need to keep my AOL address.
So, two questions. Can you chat with AOL buddies in iChat? Can the mail client that's built into the Mac operating system send and receive AOL mail? I can't believe I never thought about this before in the process of switching from PC to Mac.
So, two questions. Can you chat with AOL buddies in iChat? Can the mail client that's built into the Mac operating system send and receive AOL mail? I can't believe I never thought about this before in the process of switching from PC to Mac.
Yes, yes, and yes.
iChat works with AOL screen names.
AOL supports IMAP and POP I believe... see http://about.aol.com/faq/openmailaccess. So you can use Mail or any other email client you'd like for mac to access your email for both AOL and any other account you want to use.
AOL.com also accesses your email, so you do not need the AOL client - which I recommend getting rid of no matter what system you're on.
but, IMHO AOL blows, get a gmail account and just check your aol account periodically.
Yeah, I know AOL blows. People have been telling me that for years, but that has been my email address for 17 years! That's a long, long time. My husband also has an old AOL email that he still uses, but he only checks it periodically and uses yahoo as his primary address now. I just can't make the break. I have other accounts, I just never use them.
AOL vs AIM vs iChat for IMing to a cell phone
I have been using AOL (now v 4.7) but upgraded to AIM for Mac 1.1 recently. It is a lot more stable but it will not send messages to cell phones using +1 and the phone number. Sending to this "buddy" on 4.7 goes to the cell phone, on 1.1 no where. Anybody know how to make AIM 1.1 text to a cell phone?
I have been using AOL (now v 4.7) but upgraded to AIM for Mac 1.1 recently. It is a lot more stable but it will not send messages to cell phones using +1 and the phone number. Sending to this "buddy" on 4.7 goes to the cell phone, on 1.1 no where. Anybody know how to make AIM 1.1 text to a cell phone?