America Online Inc. on Tuesday announced the launch of AOL Communicator. The software combines e-mail, instant messaging and address book functions into an integrated application, and it’s available for free to AOL members, who can use it in addition to their regular AOL or AOL for Broadband services. While this initial release is for Windows only, the company promises a Mac OS X version for release this fall.
AOL Communicator can consolidate e-mail from multiple AOL screen names, as well as from other POP and IMAP-based e-mail accounts. It also incorporated Radio@AOL for Broadband and My AOL Today, a screen saver/news ticker that provides personalized information for AOL users.
AOL Communicator also handles spam itself, cordoning off unsolicited commercial e-mail in a separate spam folder and with a different color. It uses adaptive spam filters and let users mark e-mail as spam themselves.
The software also simplifies attachment handling and provides features like e-mail sorting, filters and folders. An integrated Buddy List lets users track family, friends and coworkers by e-mail address or AIM screen name. Indicators will show when Buddies sent e-mail too.