Welcome to the New AOL Homepage Blog!
Posted Jun 10th 2007 10:25PM by Lisa Edwards
We've made some big changes to the AOL.com homepage recently that represent the start of an evolution of the home page design. In the coming weeks, we will be introducing new features and making changes to address the feedback that we've received from you, our users, since we rolled out the beta test of our new home page back in April.
We are also happy to introduce AOL Homepage Blog as a forum to help us keep you updated on what's new and what's coming soon, and to let you tell us what you think. More importantly, unlike a survey or a "feedback form," this blog helps us establish an ongoing conversation with you. You provide us feedback and we look to respond. Having this dialogue with you is a critical element to help us build the best possible products, and we recognize that not having had one until now was a missed opportunity that we are excited to address.
So the obvious question, why are we changing AOL.com now?
The new AOL.com represents the first major change to the home page design since 2005, when we first began transitioning of all of our products from the traditional AOL "walled garden" to the open Web (Basically, when we stopped charging for subscriptions and made our content free to everyone). Admittedly, the current AOL.com design has some flaws. It represents some outdated design standards, features and thinking. We've learned a lot over the last two years and we're putting that knowledge to use to make our product better.
One of the most important things we've learned over the years is that you have choices. You make the choice to visit AOL.com and we need to work hard to keep you here. And we've spent the last year working to design a new version of AOL.com that's faster, easier to use, more relevant and more customizable to make your online experience better. We hope you think the new AOL.com hits the mark. But if you don't, that's OK too. Please let us know by using this blog. Let us know what you like, what you don't like and what you think we're missing. While we may not be able to respond to every request, we will be reading all of your feedback. And hopefully, we will shed some light on our thought process, and why we do the things we do. All we ask is that you keep your comments constructive and focused on the homepage.
So we're just getting started! We hope that you will check in with us often. We'll be here ...
Cheers,
Lisa
AOL.com Product Lead
P.S. I keep using the word "we" because running AOL.com isn't a one-person operation. There's a small team of talented and passionate people who support the home page. And I'll be introducing you to the team (my friends and colleagues) that works behind the scenes in the coming weeks.
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About The Team
My Name is Lisa and I'm the Product Lead for AOL.COM. In short, I lead the team that designs, builds the new versions of AOL.com and make sure that current experience run smoothly. My mission (the team's mission) is to build the best home page for you and everyone that visits AOL.com. This is definitely NOT a one person operation. It takes a village! And I'll be introducing you to the team behind the scenes in the coming weeks.
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Reader Comments (Page 3 of 38)
41. Still can not access my email this morning, even after trying the trick of exiting aol and then returning. Things are going from very bad to worse!!!
FIX THIS PROBLEM!! no user can stand for a product which is supposed to deliver email and does NOt!!!!
Posted at 6:03AM on Jun 27th 2007 by lwthroop
42. I did not get any email for 11 hours yesterday.
Instead I received something which indicates that you are not posting my complaints about loss of service because of the changes on the aol website. I suppose this reply is the obligatory confirmation.
No customer can stand still when the service he wants is not provided!!
Could you please stop the constant changes.....also make certain that I can access the attachments to the emails I receive. On both Monday and Tuesday I was not able to get access to some attachments (including my grandsons pictures!!).
There is nothing madder than a grandmother who can not access her grandchildren's pictures!!
Posted at 6:08AM on Jun 27th 2007 by lwthroop
43. I'm about ready to drop AOL. Since it is free there is no longer any support available, no way to contact AOL (they've hidden that very weel)and I can't access or find my AOL favorites when I access AOL.com. I'm not impressed.
Posted at 7:50AM on Jun 27th 2007 by desoto7
44. I like the new lay out much better. It is easier to fine what you are looking for.
Thank you.
Posted at 7:52AM on Jun 27th 2007 by mageeksm
45. I hate this new page. Much less information, harder to find and too wordy. I want a choice to have the old page back.
Posted at 8:35AM on Jun 27th 2007 by Cathy OGAwa
46. I have had numerous problems on aol trying to open windows from the front page to an article and also with the e-mail. The screen freezes when I try to print an e-mail or save it.
Posted at 8:39AM on Jun 27th 2007 by Cathy OGawa
47. You people just don't get it. I open my email and I get some ad covering up half the window. GET RID OF IT.
Posted at 9:04AM on Jun 27th 2007 by marc675
48. I have been using AOL for many years. I joined AOL, shortly after the AOL service was introduced.
I have not found anything even close, as far as offering as many services as AOL on the NET.
Especially when for many users, it is at no cost.
I think the new changes are very good!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I would recommend that improvements be made that would allow more options in the area of FAVORITES.
It would be good to be able to sort them by options that are available as part of the AOL program.
For example, sort by date, priority, setup category assignment - such as shopping, hobby, work, and many others that would be in a pull-down for FAVORITES. I have the maximum 2,500 saved and organizing them in ways, besides putting them in specific folders, would be helpful. And much easier to locate information and saved WebPages.
Other than the FAVORITES suggestion, I would suggest you would build up the game pages in AOL similar to what YAHOO has done.
AOL is #1!
Posted at 9:31AM on Jun 27th 2007 by meeksdan
49. this email is the worst!!! half the time, you cannot reply w/out getting out and then going back in to write a message, the other half of the time it wont forward. It freezes up and is VERY FRUSTRATING to use. Why dont the experts "fix it" right???/ we are paying for THIS?????????????????????????
Posted at 12:59PM on Jun 27th 2007 by joan hill
50. I don't like the new AOL layout. I still pay for AOL and am tired of all the ads and pop-ups. This makes it difficult to move around on the internet and within AOL. The Aol wallet has been driving me crazy ever since it became a pop-up. The print is now even hard to read since it is so small.
Posted at 1:08PM on Jun 27th 2007 by bitbuc
51. Since you made changes about a month ago, I have had a great deal of difficulty accessing my AIM mail. Therefore, I have advised everyone on my email list to stop using that address and to use one of my alternate email addresses.
Posted at 2:59PM on Jun 27th 2007 by Leonard Gagnon
52. WHEN WILL THIS BE AVIBLE
Posted at 4:35PM on Jun 27th 2007 by KENNETHPELUSO
53. WHEN WIL THIS BE AVIABLE
Posted at 4:42PM on Jun 27th 2007 by KENNETH PELUSO
54. the email is the slowist ever. I've kept my e-mail with aol because it was easier than changing e-mail addres's each time i change servers. but it takes me all day to go thru a vew e-mails. what did you do? it takes more steps to start a new aol file, the hour glass doesn't come up right away. It runs like i am loaded with cookies and i am not. If this doesn't change i will be gone soon.
Posted at 4:46PM on Jun 27th 2007 by rmaccari
55. The page loads on top of each other on a mac... both in Safari and Firefox.
Posted at 4:53PM on Jun 27th 2007 by fuzznuts81
56. this new web page sucks! it is so hard to find things that it makes me wanna get rid of my aol account!
Posted at 4:56PM on Jun 27th 2007 by ptwnmaniac
57. That looks JUST like Yahoo!
Posted at 5:00PM on Jun 27th 2007 by Nicolas Granados
58. Can we have a customizable homepage that does NOT feature any mention of Paris Hilton? That would make me happy.
Posted at 5:56PM on Jun 27th 2007 by Tina
59. OK, this SUCKS! Go back to the old way - looks too much like YAHOO. Having issues with sending email since this "new" way kicked in this am. Now, don't go sending me to some site that says help is here because that site is either down or not cooperating at the moment. I guess it's time to leave AOL for good, the last virus that came thru only attack AOL - yes I do have a virus protector, deleted all of my device manager files. So thanks AOL you've been great but now it's time to say GOODBYE!
Posted at 5:58PM on Jun 27th 2007 by Karen
60. I 100% despise the changes AOL has made as of recent. They make it more difficult to find simple things once identified by colorful icons! Now everything is one color - khaki - blech!
Posted at 7:13PM on Jun 27th 2007 by annonymous