AOL Portal Launches In Beta Without Key Elements

aolbeta1.gif[Staci D. Kramer]
AOL’s new web portal went live this afternoon but don’t expect the second coming as two key elements are missing: the new video portal is still weeks away as is the customized My AOL. (AOL is promising a new AOL Video Player that “plays every popular format.” No word about whether it will work in Firefox unlike the current version.) What you will see is a solid, boxy portal front page with easy access across the varied AOL sites. More as we explore.
Update: What else?
– Eventually, users will have three tabbed startpage choices: standard, customized and video.
– AOL Search is based on Google but with enhancements like a SmartBox that offers options as you enter a search term. For instance, type in a zipcode and it will offer a web search, a map or the weather for that zip. Maps default to AOL’s MapQuest, of course. “Snapshots” are editor-selected search results pointing to “relevant AOL and AOL partner content.” Some include paid placement. (AOL isn’t going to miss a chance for ad revenue.) You can set a location for local search.
– Lots and lots of content, much of once behind the gated walls of classic AOL and a considerable amount of original programming.
– The now-ubiquitous photo organizing site. This one’s called You’ve Got Pictures but it seems like it’s still only for AOL subscribers so I’m not sure why it’s listed on the portal beta page.

– AOl Journals offers blogging; again, it requires a screen name so not sure if it’s for anyone with an AOL screen name or only AOL subs.
Again, nothing earth shattering. It doesn’t have to be to do the job. Does it have everything required for a good start page? Once the customization is in place, probably. Will it lure people away from other start pages? Probably not in droves. Does it provide a good launch point for AOL content? Yes.

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