RetireSoon,
Does anyone know if AOL in the US has unified messaging where faxes, voice mail and e-mail all go through your AOL e-mail account.
I think unified messaging for AOL will be a reality this year.
AOL To Launch Internet Tools Without PC - WSJ
NEW YORK (Reuters) - America Online Inc. (NYSE:AOL - news) is expected to introduce a variety of gadgets, including a screen phone, that allows people to access the Internet without having a personal computer, the Wall Street Journal reported Friday.
The idea is to make AOL a pervasive presence in consumers' lives, secure member loyalty and broaden AOL's advertising reach, the newspaper said.
Through these gadgets, AOL members could access their electronic mail and web pages via a device about the size of a dictionary. Screen phones looks much like a standard telephone, but include a screen and a small keyboard, according to the Journal. Alcatel SA, the French telecommunications giant, is seen as a likely partner in the venture, the newspaper said.
Unlike personal computers, consumers could keep their phones in a living room or kitchen. Also, because the phones are designed to hook up to the Internet, consumers could get online in seconds without a lengthy boot-up process.
Alcatel has said it plans to market its WebTouch screen phone with an American strategic partner but has declined to name any companies.
The Journal reported that Patrick Liot, president of Alcatel's consumer and professional division, deflected questions about whether AOL was the potential partner. He said the question should be directed to Barry Schuler, AOL's no. 3 executive who is in charge of the company's consumer device strategy.
Alcatel's phone, like several other Web gadgets, does not run on Microsoft Corp. (Nasdaq:MSFT - news)'s Windows operating system but on Java software from Sun Microsystems Inc (Nasdaq:SUNW - news), the Journal said. AOL and Sun have recently formed an alliance after AOL bought Netscape, the maker of the popular Web browser.
|
