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AOL Offers Easy Web Access to Mail

AOL gives its members e-mail access from any browser through its expanded NetMail service.

By Tom Spring, PCWorld   

Previously, AOL had allowed members access to their e-mail only through AOL's proprietary software or after members downloaded AOL's NetMail utility.

Now, members who visit AOL's home page can simply type their screen name and password into a new "AOL Mail" feature. Then, they'll see a Web-based version of their AOL inbox. The service even plays AOL's trademark "You've Got Mail" script when you arrive.

AOL says its new Web-based e-mail service is part of its larger "AOL Anywhere" strategy. It promotes greater access to staple AOL features from a greater number of devices.

For the past several months, AOL members have been able to access their e-mail through the AOL.com Web site using NetMail 2.0, an updated Web-based version of a two-year-old mail service. Through NetMail, AOL members could have an alternative access to their AOL mail.

Now, AOL is discontinuing the NetMail brand. The company wants to clear up confusion among users who weren't sure whether NetMail came from AOL or another company.

AOL Mail gives access to members' e-mail accounts using any Web browser connected to the Internet. AOL representatives say Monday's announcement is essentially an update to NetMail and a rebranding of the service to AOL Mail.

You've Got Web Mail

AOL Mail isn't on par with Web-based e-mail programs offered by Yahoo, Microsoft, and a plethora of other lookalike services. Its version is simplified.

Microsoft's Hotmail Web e-mail service lets you scan composed messages for spelling errors and consult with an online dictionary and thesaurus. AOL Mail users can only read, save, respond to, and compose e-mail. You can also add attachments to outbound e-mail, however the feature didn't appear to be working Monday.

To protect members' screen names and passwords, AOL provides a secure encrypted log-in using secure sockets layer technology.

AOL doesn't want to compete with similar Web mail, representatives say. Rather, AOL wants to keep things simple for its core contingent of members who want easy-to-use tools to do simple tasks on the Web.

For its part, AOL has had a long history of improving its service when prodded by competition. Only with the recent rollout of AOL 5.0 could you restore deleted e-mail, use an AOL Web-based calendar, and alphabetize your online address books.

But as AOL plows ahead with its AOL Anywhere strategy, the service is becoming more technically sophisticated. Recently, AOL announced members can access e-mail from Palm Organizers and Windows CE devices.

A host of new services will roll out in the months ahead, according to AOL. They include putting the popular Instant Messenger service on a variety of new devices, as well as giving access to AOL e-mail through cellular phones equipped with minibrowsers. Also, AOL TV is scheduled to debut, offering access to the AOL network through a television set-top box.