"You waive any right to privacy." AOL has just updated the terms of service for Instant Messanger, which include agreeing to the new requirement that AOL owns everything you write, has the right to reproduce it at will, and that you waive all requirements for prior approval to do so.
posted by XQUZYPHYR on Mar 13, 2005 - 72 comments

Adults are picking up instant messaging in record numbers, with 50% of those over 35 using various systems. This study was funded by AOL, which has a major stake in the instant messaging market through its popular AIM software. But most people who use IM in the workplace are still using free and unsecured systems, despite the availability of secure versions in enterprise software and products like IM Secure.
posted by etoile on Sep 2, 2004 - 8 comments

Blog Change Bot is an AOL Instant Messenger-based bot that will send you an IM whenever your favorite blogs are updated. (via Blogroots; more inside)
posted by UKnowForKids on Jul 26, 2003 - 9 comments

AOL owns Instant Messaging? - MSNBC is reporting that AOL's subsidary ICQ has received a patent for Instant Messaging. I would have thought IRC was enough prior art to invalidate the claim, but the Patent Office knows best. Can AOL put the genie back in the bottle?
posted by Argyle on Dec 18, 2002 - 15 comments

Are you using AOL IM at work? Chatting with your buds or SO while you should probably be working? Well, in a desperate attempt to turn some kind of profit, AOL is willing to sell your boss the ability to be in on the conversation, too.
posted by crunchland on Nov 5, 2002 - 21 comments

An interesting idea Create your own bot... Sounds like an interesting service. What do you think?
posted by TNLNYC on Jul 17, 2002 - 2 comments

AOL has been actively blocking Trillian users. If you switched over to Trillian and use AIM you've had problems connecting all week. As of this morning, version 0.721 is working but will likely be blocked again. AOL is claiming it as a "security" issue.
posted by tommasz on Jan 31, 2002 - 30 comments

InfoBots are coming. I believe we've touched on this before, but now it seems to be moving from concept to reality: Instant Messenger "buddies" that are actually bots. You send them an IM with a question, such as "Hey pal, what's the weather in Thunder Bay, Ontario?" And it IMs you back with the answer, almost instantaneously. No waiting for messy web sites to load, no funky searches to run. ActiveBuddy has been the most, um, active in developing the technology, but they've been working on it forever without anything to show to the public. Now, it's out there, somewhere. CNET is reporting today that an ActiveBuddy beta bot has been live for a few months; you can play with it right now if you know its name. (And if you do know its name, a tip would be appreciated. I've been jonesing for this for a good while.) A more public version is supposed to be out in a few weeks. Here buddy buddy buddy...
posted by aaron on Apr 25, 2001 - 17 comments

Have you been getting those annoying ICQ ad banners like me? Well, it appears that AOL/TimeWarner has been testing out ads in the ICQ IM interface. The backlash has begun. Here's a site that'll tell you how to get rid of some of the banners. My friend's also gone ahead and taken the liberty to hack the ICQ dll that causes the ads to appear and has full instructions on how to remove the ads permanently from your ICQ. Hurry and grab those dll's before he gets slashdotted!
posted by PWA_BadBoy on Feb 26, 2001 - 14 comments

Love those open instant messaging standards. Rather than use their own servers or a decentralized approach, Aimster offers peer to peer file sharing services by using the existing AOL and Microsoft Networking infrastructures.
posted by alan on Aug 10, 2000 - 4 comments

Today's Davenetics (it's a newsletter) noticed a flurry of wireless deals came about today. AOL is planning mobile versions of instant messenger, email, and other AOL services, Microsoft is working on mobile MSN and Hotmail, while Amazon has unveiled their phone portal to shopping. Looks like we will soon be reminiscing about the good old days when the internet used silly wires and cables.
posted by mathowie on Feb 28, 2000 - 1 comment

AOL and Microsoft are resorting to playground antics. I downloaded the new MS messenger when it came out last Thursday, and I've already gotten three patches for it, each time it works with AOL users for just a few hours. I wonder how long they'll continue the dueling banjos thing.
posted by mathowie on Jul 26, 1999 - 1 comment