The New AOL.com Homepage Is Here!
Posted Jul 31st 2007 7:04PM by Lisa Edwards
After months of Beta testing, we are pleased announce that the new AOL.com Homepage has been released to all users! Today's release includes a mix of popular Beta features plus a few new ones that we're really excited about, and hope you feel the same.
And while it's tempting to outline all of the features released today, we don't want to overwhelm you with information. We will, instead, introduce a new feature each week here on the Homepage Blog so we can go into greater detail about the feature and supporting functionality, as well as get more focused feedback and comments from you along the way.
So this week's Feature Spotlight is on one of the new homepage customization options; the Color Picker.
The new default homepage color was one of the commented topics during our Beta period. And while we went with a more neutral color (ecru, yes ecru), your opinions were far from "neutral". Some of you love the new default color, and some of you hate it. And while we appreciate your passion, color is a very personal and subjective thing. So we're getting out of your way and giving you a set of color options so you can decide what color makes the AOL.com Homepage more like your home.
And changing the color of your homepage couldn't be easier. Just go to the color picker in the top right corner of the page and click on the color "chicklet" you like best. It's that easy! So if you're feeling inspired, go back to AOL.com and change the color of your homepage now!
We will be introducing new colors in the near future, so let us know what color options you want to see on the homepage. And while you're at it, let us know what you think of the current set. We hope you visit us again for next week's Feature Spotlight.
Best,
Lisa
AOL.com Product Lead
P.S. We're still seeing a lot of comments regarding Mail issues. And while Mail is featured prominently on the AOL.com Homepage, my team does not support the Mail product and can't help resolve problems. The best and fastest way for you to get help with Mail related issues is to go to the Mail Technical Support Msg. Board for assistance.
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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 6 of 21)
101. I can't find AIM Express anymore. That's annoying and has ruined my ability to communicate thru IM. I don't want that whole AIM program downloaded here at work.
Posted at 11:58AM on Aug 2nd 2007 by CBL
102. Could not get to my email for 2 days! Freezes on every aol page! Even this comment had to post twice to get it through! Hate it!
Posted at 12:55PM on Aug 2nd 2007 by welenaw
103. I agree with most everyone,I HATE IT!.you call it improvements HA! a trained monkey could do better! stop screwing around!! and do not get me started about what you did to the mail!!! i hate everything you have done lately. not yours truely kman.
Posted at 1:06PM on Aug 2nd 2007 by kman271953
104. JUST STOP CHANGING IT!!!
Posted at 1:11PM on Aug 2nd 2007 by therese randolph
105. I am very happy with the new AOL.com setup. I wish you would have thought of it sooner!!! The only problem is how to keep the new setup. Everytime I exit AOL and come back to it, the NEW AOL.COM isn't there. My system shows the older version. I can I keep the NEW and Improved AOL.COM?
Posted at 2:22PM on Aug 2nd 2007 by Adam and Dawn Fredrick
106. My comment is to address inappropriate comments on news reports. Just finished reading about the bridge collapse in Minneapolis..a very tragic event. In reading 'reader's comments', I stopped after the first 3. The first one was soliciting people interested in alternative lifestyles; second one was blaming Bush for the collapse; the third was about a corrupt senator. It seems the 'comment' area is being used as a forum for hate mongers and others of questionable character. I've read comments on many AOL news articles and can't believe the language and insults that are allowed. Free speech is one thing, but this is going overboard and serves no purpose. Isn't there anyone at AOL able to screen these comments and only post those that are specific to the subject? I will no longer read comments since it's a waste of my valuable time.
Posted at 3:56PM on Aug 2nd 2007 by leeah3633
107. After reading all the comments concerning problems with the 'new AOL' AND posting a previous comment, I just have to laugh. Has anyone noted the person in charge of creating and launching the changes 'wipes her hands of responsibility' for service and directs us elsewhere? I do hope she's not a parent because one cannot create a child and then absolve themselves of responsibility when problems occur. I suppose one can but then you have a Paris Hilton or Lindsey Lohann which is really not a bad analogy for the situation.
Posted at 3:56PM on Aug 2nd 2007 by b allen
108. Congratulations AOL. You've taken what was a quality product which people were willing to pay more to have and turned it into a piece of junk which is now free to everyone. Did you ever consider the customers who have been paying upwards of $25 per month for years? Now that the product which I paid for all these years is free to everyone, I feel ripped off! If that wasn't bad enough, once it went free it also went downhill fast. Your parental controls, which I was willing to pay for in order to protect my children, are now useless because they do not work. Your welcome page changes nearly every day, and the newest version I've seen looks like a bunch of trash - cluttered, riddled with gossip and other useless trash, and certainly not user friendly. So congratulations on changing your quality product so that you no longer stand out from the crowd. Standing out from the crowd is reserved for a business who clearly put their customers first; it is reserved for a business which prides itself on quality; and it is reserved for a business which leads the field by setting the standards. Since it is clear that AOL no longer wishes to stand out from the crowd, it is for the best that it's product looks and works like every other free service out there. From a long time, and now disgruntled customer, I bid you farewell saying that not only am I looking for a new provider, but I am eagerly waiting to see who replaces you. Certainly you have made that very easy to do. In the classic computer-voiced greeting long associated with your service I say, "Goodbye."
Posted at 4:04PM on Aug 2nd 2007 by KB
109. It looks just like Yahoo - not very original!
Posted at 4:21PM on Aug 2nd 2007 by adsmalley
110. Wow, way to blatantly rip off Yahoo, even down to the 2/3 column switcher and color-changing. I think you're paying your interface designers too much.
Posted at 4:58PM on Aug 2nd 2007 by Mark
111. And, the unbelievable comments from the person in charge, Lisa Edwards. Is that "Best" of luck, suckers?
Best,
Lisa
AOL.com Product Lead
P.S. We're still seeing a lot of comments regarding Mail issues. And while Mail is featured prominently on the AOL.com Homepage, my team does not support the Mail product and can't help resolve problems. The best and fastest way for you to get help with Mail related issues is to go to the Mail Technical Support Msg. Board for assistance.
Tough week at the office, Lisa?
Best, Grant
Posted at 6:35PM on Aug 2nd 2007 by Grant
112. I hate this new home page. The thing no longer comes close to fitting in your screen, and I have to scrawl all over the place just to check my mail, which is the only thing I use AOL for anyway, because I didn't want to give up my address.
Posted at 6:36PM on Aug 2nd 2007 by heather
113. Personaly,,, I find the newest version quite annoying!
Posted at 7:50PM on Aug 2nd 2007 by PeteSchilder
114. I left Yahoo! because I was havig a lot of trouble with e-mail. This page looks EXACTLY like the new Yahoo! page. All the more reminders of bad experiences with them. (Yeah, I hate it...)
Posted at 7:58PM on Aug 2nd 2007 by chocolatemusic7
115. I like the look of the new homepage but I would like to be able to launch AOL Radio without going to the AOL Music/Radio page. I want to stay on the homepage! I wish AOL would not assume that we want to go to the AOL Music/Radio subpage. I just want to launch the radio and keep reading from the homepage! Why is that so strange and difficult?
Posted at 9:20PM on Aug 2nd 2007 by MsCarlaK
116. With the new web update. I have no mail. Seems to be a real problem. Nothing works.
Posted at 9:31PM on Aug 2nd 2007 by joesnicholson
117. What is a Beta? Why would I care about colors changing? Too many changes. I'm older than dirt and don't like change! Whaaaaa!
Posted at 9:31PM on Aug 2nd 2007 by frauone
118. where is the day & date at the top of the page???
Posted at 9:46PM on Aug 2nd 2007 by george
119. I am not a computer whiz but mostly do e-mails, searches, and go to web sites.
I find the constant changes to the Welcome page a nuisence as it was just fine before. Now I can't get the 5 pictures of the news to get unstuck from July 31st....since I get AOL free, I haven't found any way to contact you until I ran across this....would someone PLEASE help me so the news box with th 5 choices changes daily like it did before. Thank you.
Posted at 9:58PM on Aug 2nd 2007 by forgachs
120. I really like the new look!
Posted at 10:36PM on Aug 2nd 2007 by Annie