Great Ways to Get Started With AOL 8.0

Like clockwork, car makers roll out new and improved models every year to grab the public's attention. AOL has raced down the same track in 2002 with a revved-up version of its popular online service that users can customize to fit their mood, personality, or lifestyle.

AOL 8.0 offers new personalization features along with tools to manage e-mail more efficiently. The new version automatically reconnects if a session is disrupted, and it provides instant access to popular features even while using other applications. There's also a premium voice mail offering that allows dial-up users to stay online when their phone rings. AOL 8.0 lets subscribers easily hook up with like-minded users.

The latest version of the leading Internet online service also features enhanced parental controls and improvements in privacy settings, instant messaging, and other "self-expression" features.

Here's how to use the newest features:

Customize Yourself

Getting started is a snap. Subscribers are immediately offered six welcome screen pages with different color schemes to choose from. Each page contains the main news section plus online deals, surveys and polls, local area information, and daily feature stories. The only real choice is among six different sets of preset links in the lower left corner of the page.

The best pick for new users is Welcome Screen 3, which includes one-click connections to Search Tips and Navigating AOL. The welcome page you select determines what kind of daily content you get. With Screen 3, users are fed a steady diet of AOL operating tips to help them become familiar with the system. The other choices include groupings of business news, stock quotes, sports info, maps and directions, Yellow Pages, TV listings, horoscopes, health info, discount travel, medical info, job listings, music videos, homework help, and recipes.

Users can change their welcome screen page anytime by clicking the Change this screen link at the bottom left of the page. You can also change the desktop and toolbar theme by mixing and matching different colors and background images. To explore the options, click the Settings tab on the AOL toolbar and select Preferences from the pull-down menu. You'll find themes ranging from abstract art to sports and musical groups.

To block pop-up ads from appearing during your AOL session, click Settings, Preferences. Then select Marketing, click the Pop-Up button and make sure 'No, I do not want to receive special AOL members-only pop-up offers' is checked.