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From...
AOL 4.0 is finally available
August 4, 1998
Web posted at: 11:00 AM EDT
by Lisa Moskowitz
(IDG) -- Good things come to those who wait. At least that's what America Online hopes you believe. After a year of testing and development, the long-awaited AOL 4.0 is finally ready to download, the company announced Thursday.
The most noticeable difference between this new version and the last is the user interface. Toolbar buttons are organized according to function, with text labels to help you identify them, and the icons are more colorful and fun. If you want to get creative, you can add as many as three more toolbar buttons of your own. The tight integration of Internet Explorer 4.01 adds a Forward and Back button to AOL's main toolbar along with a drop-down History list. A single address box lets you enter either AOL keywords or URLs.
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IDG.net's desktop PC page | |
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| IDG.net's personal news page | ||
If anything on AOL needed attention, it was e-mail. Previously, you could attach only one file to a message--and when you did, the transfer was excruciatingly slow. You couldn't easily check your spelling, nor could you sort Address Book entries. In version 4.0, spelling is checked automatically, and you can alphabetize your Address Box as well as change its text colors and fonts. You can also attach multiple files and even embed pictures in your e-mail messages.
The new version has improved set-up and access options: Modem detection is better, the registration process simpler, and connections are more reliable thanks to a new set dial-up engine. You can add as many as four additional screen names to the master account and switch among them without logging off. The software will also automatically redial your local access numbers up to 25 times.
AOL 4.0 is a fine option for Internet newbies. But seasoned users probably won't find the improvements alluring enough to keep them from checking out cheaper Internet service providers and the myriad of more powerful tools available on the wide-open Net.
To download AOL 4.0, members can type the keyword Upgrade. The service costs $21.95 for unlimited monthly access.