We're very happy with the reception we're getting with AIM for Mac beta. We appreciate the support. Now, it's AOL Desktop's turn. You can now get your hands on the next Beta for AOL Desktop for Mac 1.5. We're focusing on improving the mail experience by optimizing the downloading of the various components of mail. We're hoping to relieve the message content loading delays some users are finding on PowerPC Macs.

Here's a list of the fixed issues for Beta 4:

• Improved mail performance by optimizing the downloading of message header, body and attachments
• Users can now save mail as plain text files
• When sending mail with large attachments, users can now cancel the outgoing mail
• Fixed issue when users changed their mail view from Inbox back to New/Old/Sent
• AIM now supports friendly names in the Buddy List
• Fixed issue in Buddy Chat where Screen Names in the group should be listed when sending a Buddy Chat invite to a group
• Fixed AIM preference when "Play event sounds" are turned off
• Added AOL Yellow Pages toolbar icon

As usual, please leave feedback on the AOL Beta Central Feedback, Bug Reports or Message Boards.

thanks!
Lee Givens
AOL Mac Product Lead

Good news! AIM for Mac beta 1 has been released.

AIM for Mac continues our commitment to the growing Mac market by delivering a new AIM experience that's built from the ground up for the Mac platform. AIM for Mac is one of the most requested applications from our users, and the "buzz" has been increasing with the successful launch of AIM for iPhone™.

AIM for Mac is available on AOL Beta Central.

Here are a few of the advantages AIM for Mac offers:

• AIM Experience: Users can customize their AIM for Mac experience with AIM Expressions - Change your AIM sounds, wallpaper, emoticon set or Buddy Icon.
• Favorite AIM Features: AIM File Transfer, Tabbed IM conversations, friendly names, AIM Groups, AIM Blast groups are supported.
• Easy Access to Mail: With a single click, you can view your mail in AOL or AIM webmail.
• Speed: Download, install and launch AIM for Mac in seconds.

Thank you for trying AIM for Mac; we appreciate your participation. Please be sure to send us your bug reports and feedback. You can also drop in the AIM for Mac message boards to see what other users are saying.

My pals on the AOL Parental Controls team created a new blog/info site that addresses something that has become important to me (I'm a Dad with two little kids, starting to use my Mac-no Windows at my house :). If you're interested in tips and suggestions on staying safe while on the Internet, stop by safetyclicks.com and check it out.

Thanks and stay safe!
Lee Givens
AOL Mac Product Lead

My family has multiple iPhones (both 1st Gen and 3G) and I've recommended to everyone to update to iPhone OS 2.1. I've been running the new update since Friday and it's been great. Backups now take minutes (instead of hours) and I can install an app in 10-15 seconds (previously 5-6 mins!).




Also, the AOL iPhone team has released a new update to AIM to fix issues with authentication that were in a post last week on the Mac@AOL Blog.

Thanks!
Lee Givens
AOL Mac Product Lead

We're on our way to AOL Desktop for Mac 1.5 (currently in beta), the AOL Mac Team has posted a small update to AOL Desktop for Mac (now version 1.2.1). What's fixed in this update? Check out our fixed issues list:

• Fixed Mail Outbox issue where mail is resent from the Outbox on subsequent sign-in sessions.
• Fixed issues reading mail where "Message Content Loading" was observed and the mail content never loaded.
• Fixed Trash folder issue where deleted mail from the Sent folder showed "Sent To" instead of "Send From" in the mail header.
• Added Spell Check button to the Mail Compose window toolbar overflow.
• Changed 'open Spell Check dialog box' keyboard short cut to COMMAND - ; (Command-semi-colon).

Please drop me a comment if this update improves your AOL Desktop for Mac experience. We're going to continue to release updates to AOL Desktop for Mac and bring all-new AOL Mac apps in the near future!

Thanks!
Lee Givens
AOL Mac Product Lead

The AOL Mac Team is delighted to present AOL Desktop for Mac 1.5 beta 3. You can download the new beta at AOL Beta Central. As for all of our betas, please make sure you do not use it for any mission critical purposes. It's just a test version on our way to a final candidate version.

Highlights of the latest beta build include:

• Default font, font size and style preferences have been added for AIM and Mail

• Outbox resend issues have been fixed
• Improved performance of mailbox to reduce the "Message Content Loading" wait times
• When replying to an e-mail, signature will be placed in the correct insertion point, based on user Preference
• Spell check can now be added to the Compose Mail toolbar
• Spell check dialog box can now be activated by pressing CMD-;
• Transferring the same file twice displays a link to the location (such as Desktop) instead of the file name
• File Transfer notifications interrupt typing in different tab instead of appearing in background
• AIM now behaves as expected when you launch a VPN connection when already signed in with AIM
• Offline users on Buddy List will now appear with italics font style
• Improved knock-knock dialog box for IMs and file transfers from unknown senders
• Fixed AIM drag-and-drop file transfer issue
• Improved performance and user interface for built-in AIM

• Improved accessibility support for AIM file transfer
• Users can now reattach torn-off browser windows by dragging the tab back to the target browser window
• Added Delete to allow users to delete a Buddy on the AIM Buddy List using the contextual menu command
• Improved accessibility to allow delete spam from mail toolbar
• Improved performance for Tiger OS users when user is online and Airport is turned on/off
• Support for Mac OS X Fast User Switching now supported

Please leave comments here on the Mac@AOL Blog or submit a bug report or feedback on AOL Beta Central.

thanks!
Lee Givens
AOL Mac Product Lead

A quick note from our AIM for iPhone team...

If you're experiencing issues with connecting to the AIM network, just try the following:

1. Go to the Home screen on your iPhone
2. Click Settings and go to the AIM settings (below Photos-All 3rd party apps have settings under the standard iPhone settings)
3. Delete your Screen Name and Password
4. Go back to your Home screen and launch AIM
5. Re-enter your Screen Name and Password

This should take care of most connectivity issues. We will be posting an update in the near future.

Thanks...
Lee Givens
AOL Mac Product Lead

I have been getting a lot of comments and feedback on this issue: How do I add all of my screen names? Well, it's easy - every time you log in with a different screen name, it will be added to your screen name list. After your screen names are on the list, you can switch any time.


We're looking to automatically add all screen names associated with a single master account. More to come in a future post.

You can get more AOL Desktop for Mac How To articles by visiting AOL Support Portal for Mac.

thanks!
Lee Givens
AOL Mac Product Lead

This fall is shaping up to be an exciting one. The AOL Mac team will be releasing a number of new applications at AOL Beta Central. In the meantime, I would like to share with the AOL Mac Team what AOL applications you would like to see on the Mac. Please leave a comment below and I'll share with the team.

Thanks!
Lee Givens
AOL Mac Product Lead

Every morning, I spend a good chunk of my time reviewing user feedback. We have a feedback link in AOL Desktop for Mac and the Mac@AOL Blog will allow you to leave comments. I also review user feedback with our developers and AOL management team so we can get those issues addressed.

One comment has been bubbling up to the top - Spell Check.

Automatic Spell Check
We've added automatic spell check, where you will see a red squiggly line that indicates that you need to check spelling on a word.



On Demand Spell Check
If you'd like to control spell check, you can press COMMAND + SHIFT + ; (semicolon) to bring up the spelling and grammar check dialog box.



You can also select Spell Check from the Edit Menu Item.



From the Spelling Menu Item, you can select Check Spelling or Check Spelling as You Type. In a future release of AOL Desktop for Mac, we will be make spell check easier to find, right on the Mail compose window. The AOL Mac Team values your comments and we are definitely listening!

thanks...
Lee Givens
AOL Mac Product Lead

You're browsing on your Mac (hopefully using AOL Desktop for Mac :), and your buddy sends you an IM to say that last nights Daily Show or Colbert Report was must-see TV, but you forgot to record it on your PVR. Guess what, you can now view the ENTIRE show on AOL Video's Hulu channel. Did I mention it's FREE. Yep, no fees and you can watch a variety of shows from other AOL partners as well.

Stop by today and get caught up on your favorite shows. You can also add the AOL Video button to your toolbar, check out the AOL Toolbar customization instructions for more info (not to mention adding Write Mail, AOL Radio and even TMZ to your toolbar!).

Enjoy!
Lee Givens
AOL Mac Product Lead

My blogger cohort Laura - on the AOL Desktop for Windows blog posted a great article on some of the work the AOL Instant Messenger (AIM) social media team is working on...

http://desktopblog.aol.com/2008/07/01/a-dedicated-chatroom-for-the-deaf-community/

Stop by and check it out.

thanks...
Lee Givens
AOL Mac Product Lead

We understand that some of our users have been vocal (well, that's an understatement for some of our loyal users :) so AOL is continuing our commitment to the Mac platform by releasing the second beta for AOL Desktop for Mac 1.5, the next version of the all-in-one Internet application.

If you haven't gotten your copy of AOL Radio 2.0 beta, powered by CBS Radio, make sure you head over to AOL Beta Central to get a copy today!

I want to answer some questions from our users:

How do I set Presets?
After switching to a station you want to make a preset, right mouse click or CTRL-click an open preset. Press Option to set presets 6-10. Presets that are grayed, out do not have a station assigned.

Yes, we now say farewell to AOL Radio 1.2.1...But now we have the new and improved AOL Radio 2.0 beta powered by CBS Radio.

You can get your copy at AOL Beta Central or if you're on an iPhone, drop by the Apple App Store. Tell us what you think by leaving comments on the Beta Central message boards or submit a feedback or bug report - everything's on AOL Beta Central.

Requirements
This application requires Mac OS X 10.5.2 or later. (If you have 10.5 or 10.5.1, please use the Apple Software Update to upgrade to 10.5.2 or higher). Tiger users, please stop by AOL Radio on the web, you'll get the same great stations and same CD-quality streams if you're on broadband.

Features in AOL Radio 2.0 beta 1

• Currently supporting 10 presets with 5 available presets on the player window. Right-click or Control-click to set one of the 5 presets or you can go to the Controls menu item.
• Favorites & Local Channels panes will be available in a future beta release.

I would like to thank our award-winning developers Dan Gilliam and Ron Anderson on their great work getting this beta out the door.

Also, thanks to Moncef, aka "DJ Monfresh" for QA'ing the new app Josh and Bryce on AOL Beta Central and all the support we received from the AOL Radio and Member Services teams.

Thanks...
Lee Givens
AOL Mac Product Lead