Editing AOL (section)

== Products and services ==
=== Content ===
As of September 1, 2021, the following media brands became subsidiary of AOL's parent [[Yahoo (2017–present)|Yahoo Inc.]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=Verizon has sold mapping service MapQuest as the telecom giant continues to trim its media investments |url=https://www.businessinsider.in/advertising/news/verizon-has-sold-mapping-service-mapquest-as-the-telecom-giant-continues-to-trim-its-media-investments/articleshow/71401167.cms |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200819085155/https://www.businessinsider.in/advertising/news/verizon-has-sold-mapping-service-mapquest-as-the-telecom-giant-continues-to-trim-its-media-investments/articleshow/71401167.cms |archive-date=August 19, 2020 |access-date=October 9, 2019 |website=Business Insider}}</ref>
* [[Engadget]]<ref>{{Cite news |date=October 6, 2005 |title=AOL buys blog network Weblogs Inc. |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna9611167 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201102165030/https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna9611167 |archive-date=November 2, 2020 |access-date=June 20, 2018 |work=msnbc.com |language=en}}</ref>
* Autoblog<ref name="wired">{{Cite magazine |title=AOL Buys Huffington Post for $315 Million, Arianna to Head AOL Media |url=https://www.wired.com/2011/02/aol-buys-huffington/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201130160725/https://www.wired.com/2011/02/aol-buys-huffington/ |archive-date=November 30, 2020 |access-date=July 1, 2018 |magazine=[[Wired (magazine)|Wired]] |language=en-US}}</ref>
* [[TechCrunch]]<ref name="tc sold" />
* [[Built by Girls]]<ref>{{Cite news |last=Stelter |first=Brian |date=June 14, 2010 |title=AOL Teams With Jonas Group for MTV-Style Site |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/14/technology/internet/14aolcambio.html |url-access=limited |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220101/https://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/14/technology/internet/14aolcambio.html |archive-date=2022-01-01 |access-date=June 20, 2018 |work=The New York Times |language=en}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

AOL's content contributors consists of over 20,000 bloggers, including politicians, celebrities, academics, and policy experts, who contribute on a wide range of topics making news.<ref>{{Cite web |title=AOL Products and Services: Content |url=http://corp.aol.com/products-services/content |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120717041149/https://www.corp.aol.com/products-services/content |archive-date=July 17, 2012 |access-date=July 24, 2012}}</ref>

In addition to mobile-optimized web experiences, AOL produces mobile applications for existing AOL properties like Autoblog, Engadget, The Huffington Post, TechCrunch, and products such as Alto, Pip, and Vivv.

=== Advertising ===
AOL has a global portfolio of media brands and advertising services across mobile, desktop, and TV. Services include brand integration and sponsorships through its in-house branded content arm, Partner Studio by AOL, as well as data and programmatic offerings through ad technology stack, [[One by AOL|ONE by AOL]].

AOL acquired a number of businesses and technologies help to form ONE by AOL. These acquisitions included [[AdapTV]] in 2013 and Convertro, Precision Demand, and Vidible in 2014.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Overview |url=http://corp.aol.com/about-aol/overview |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160707055910/http://corp.aol.com/about-aol/overview |archive-date=July 7, 2016 |access-date=February 5, 2016 |website=AOL Corp}}</ref> ONE by AOL is further broken down into ONE by AOL for Publishers (formerly Vidible, AOL On Network and Be On for Publishers) and ONE by AOL for Advertisers, each of which have several sub-platforms.<ref>{{Cite web |title=ONE BY AOL FOR PUBLISHERS |url=http://www.aolplatforms.com/onebyaol-publishers |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180718174503/https://www.aolplatforms.com/onebyaol-publishers |archive-date=July 18, 2018 |access-date=February 5, 2016 |website=AOL Platforms}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=ONE BY AOL FOR ADVERTISERS |url=http://www.aolplatforms.com/onebyaol-advertisers |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180718055134/https://www.aolplatforms.com/onebyaol-advertisers |archive-date=July 18, 2018 |access-date=February 5, 2016 |website=AOL Platforms}}</ref>

On September 10, 2018, AOL's parent company Oath consolidated [[BrightRoll]], One by AOL and [[Yahoo! Gemini|Yahoo Gemini]] to 'simplify' adtech service by launching a single advertising proposition dubbed Oath Ad Platforms, now Yahoo! Ad Tech.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Cameron Clarke |date=September 10, 2018 |title=Oath consolidates BrightRoll, One by AOL and Yahoo Gemini to 'simplify' adtech service. Launches a single advertising proposition dubbed Oath Ad Platforms |url=https://www.thedrum.com/news/2018/09/10/oath-consolidates-brightroll-one-aol-and-yahoo-gemini-simplify-adtech-service |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200919014636/https://www.thedrum.com/news/2018/09/10/oath-consolidates-brightroll-one-aol-and-yahoo-gemini-simplify-adtech-service |archive-date=September 19, 2020 |access-date=September 10, 2018 |website=The Drum}}</ref>

=== Membership ===
AOL offers a range of integrated products and properties including communication tools, mobile apps and services and subscription packages.

In 2017, before the discontinuation of AIM, "billions of messages" were sent "daily" on it and AOL's other chat services.<ref name=":1" />
* [[Dial-up Internet access]] – While 2.1&nbsp;million people still used AOL's dial-up service as recently as 2015,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Matyszczyk |first=Chris |date=May 8, 2015 |title=More than 2 million people still pay for AOL dial-up |url=https://www.cnet.com/news/more-than-2-million-people-still-pay-for-aol-dialup/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201224093115/https://www.cnet.com/news/more-than-2-million-people-still-pay-for-aol-dialup/ |archive-date=December 24, 2020 |access-date=May 8, 2015 |website=CNET}}</ref> only a few thousand were still subscribed as of 2021.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Sherman |first=Alex |title=About 1.5 million people still pay for AOL — but now they get tech support and identity theft services instead of dial-up internet |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2021/05/03/aol-1point5-million-people-still-pay-for-service-but-not-for-dial-up-internet.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220902161735/https://www.cnbc.com/2021/05/03/aol-1point5-million-people-still-pay-for-service-but-not-for-dial-up-internet.html |archive-date=September 2, 2022 |access-date=August 7, 2022 |work=[[CNBC]] |language=en}}</ref>
* [[AOL Mail]] – AOL Mail is AOL's proprietary email client. It is fully integrated with AIM and links to news headlines on AOL content sites.
* [[AOL Instant Messenger]] (AIM) – was AOL's proprietary instant-messaging tool. It was released in 1997. It lost market share to competition in the instant messenger market such as Google Chat, Facebook Messenger, and Skype.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Victor |first=Daniel |date=October 6, 2017 |title=A Going-Away Message: AOL Instant Messenger Is Shutting Down |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/06/technology/aol-aim-shut-down.html?rref=collection/timestopic/AOL%20Inc. |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180921200216/https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/06/technology/aol-aim-shut-down.html?rref=collection/timestopic/AOL%20Inc. |archive-date=September 21, 2018 |access-date=July 12, 2018 |work=The New York Times |language=en}}</ref> It also included a video-chat service, AV by AIM. On December 15, 2017, AOL discontinued AIM.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Molina |first=Brett |date=October 6, 2017 |title=RIP AIM: AOL Instant Messenger dies in December |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/talkingtech/2017/10/06/rip-aim-aol-instant-messenger-dies-december/739076001/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200725054235/https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/talkingtech/2017/10/06/rip-aim-aol-instant-messenger-dies-december/739076001/ |archive-date=July 25, 2020 |access-date=October 6, 2017 |work=[[USA Today]] |location=[[McLean, Virginia|McLean]], Virginia}}</ref>
* AOL Plans – AOL Plans offers three online safety and assistance tools: ID protection, data security and a general online technical assistance service.<ref>{{Cite web |title=AOL Membership |url=http://corp.aol.com/products-services/aol-membership |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160625103003/http://corp.aol.com/products-services/aol-membership |archive-date=June 25, 2016 |access-date=February 5, 2016 |website=AOL Corp}}</ref>

=== AOL Desktop ===
{{Infobox software
| name = AOL Desktop
| logo = 
| screenshot = 
| caption = 
| developer = AOL
| released = {{Start date and age|2007|12|8}}<ref>{{Cite web |date=December 10, 2007 |title=AOL debuts new desktop software for Windows |url=https://betanews.com/2007/12/10/aol-debuts-new-desktop-software-for-windows/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200725055225/https://betanews.com/2007/12/10/aol-debuts-new-desktop-software-for-windows/ |archive-date=July 25, 2020 |access-date=January 24, 2020 |website=BetaNews |language=en}}</ref>
| latest release version = 9.8<ref name="daol.aol.com">{{Cite web |title=AOL Desktop for Windows |url=http://discover.aol.com/products-and-services/aol-desktop-for-windows |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150919071328/http://discover.aol.com/products-and-services/aol-desktop-for-windows |archive-date=September 19, 2015 |access-date=September 17, 2015 |website=Discover AOL}}
*"We're sorry. This product is not available outside of the US or Canada."</ref>(Windows)<br />1.7 (macOS)
| latest release date = August 10, 2015
| latest preview version = 11.0.3418
| latest preview date = November 11, 2021.<ref name="beta.aol.com">{{Cite web |title=AOL Beta Central |url=http://beta.aol.com/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181122175127/https://beta.aol.com/ |archive-date=November 22, 2018 |access-date=January 24, 2020}}</ref>
| programming language = [[C++]]
| operating system = [[Microsoft Windows XP]] or later, [[Mac OS X Tiger|Mac OS X 10.4]].8 or later
| genre = [[Internet Suite]]
| license = [[Proprietary software|Proprietary]]
| website = {{URL|https://www.aol.com/products/browsers/desktop-gold}}
}}

'''AOL Desktop''' is an internet suite produced by AOL from 2007<ref>{{Cite web |date=December 8, 2007 |title=Free Software From AOL - Discover AOL |url=http://daol.aol.com:80/software/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071208214123/http://daol.aol.com/software/ |archive-date=December 8, 2007 |access-date=January 24, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=October 12, 2007 |title=AOL Desktop / AOL Helix |url=http://beta.aol.com/projects.php?project=helix |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071012033324/http://beta.aol.com/projects.php?project=helix |archive-date=October 12, 2007 |access-date=January 24, 2020}}</ref> that integrates a [[web browser]], a [[Media player (application software)|media player]] and an [[instant messenger]] client.<ref name="daol.aol.com" /> Version 10.X was based on [[AOL OpenRide]],<ref>{{Cite web |title=August 8th Helix Beta Chat |url=http://beta.aol.com/projects/chat/chat_logs/20070808_Helix_FormalChat.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304072101/http://beta.aol.com/projects/chat/chat_logs/20070808_Helix_FormalChat.html |archive-date=March 4, 2016 |access-date=April 12, 2015 |website=aol.com}}</ref> it is an upgrade from such.<ref>{{Cite web |date=July 26, 2007 |title=AOL Heads in New Direction with 'Helix' |url=http://betanews.com/2007/07/26/aol-heads-in-new-direction-with-helix/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304101752/http://betanews.com/2007/07/26/aol-heads-in-new-direction-with-helix/ |archive-date=March 4, 2016 |access-date=April 12, 2015 |website=BetaNews}}</ref> The [[macOS]] version is based on [[WebKit]].

AOL Desktop version 10.X was different from previous [[AOL Explorer|AOL browsers]] and AOL Desktop versions. Its features are focused on web browsing as well as [[email]]. For instance, one does not have to sign into AOL in order to use it as a regular browser. In addition, non-AOL email accounts can be accessed through it. Primary buttons include "MAIL", "IM", and several shortcuts to various web pages. The first two require users to sign in, but the shortcuts to web pages can be used without authentication. AOL Desktop version 10.X was later marked as unsupported in favor of supporting the AOL Desktop 9.X versions.

Version 9.8 was released, replacing the Internet Explorer components of the web browser with [[Chromium Embedded Framework|CEF]]<ref name="beta.aol.com" /> (Chromium Embedded Framework) to give users an improved web browsing experience closer to that of [[Google Chrome|Chrome]].

Version 11 of AOL Desktop was a total rewrite but maintained a similar user interface to the previous 9.8.X series of releases.<ref name="beta.aol.com" />

In 2017, a new paid version called AOL Desktop Gold was released, available for $4.99 per month after trial. It replaced the previous free version.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Free AOL Desktop is being discontinued |url=https://www.daytondailynews.com/lifestyles/free-aol-desktop-being-discontinued/O4gj3yO8S6oHqw7gzCNXWO/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200927171949/https://www.daytondailynews.com/lifestyles/free-aol-desktop-being-discontinued/O4gj3yO8S6oHqw7gzCNXWO/ |archive-date=September 27, 2020 |access-date=February 2, 2019}}</ref> After the shutdown of AIM in 2017, AOL's original chat rooms continued to be accessible through AOL Desktop Gold, and some rooms remained active during peak hours. That chat system was shut down on December 15, 2020.<ref>{{Cite web |title=AOL Desktop Gold Chat Rooms to shut down on December 15, 2020 |url=https://help.aol.com/articles/aol-desktop-gold-chat-rooms-shutdown |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210624200026/https://help.aol.com/articles/aol-desktop-gold-chat-rooms-shutdown |archive-date=June 24, 2021 |access-date=2021-06-17 |publisher=AOL}}</ref>

{{Anchor|AOL Toolbar}}In addition to AOL Desktop, the company also offered a [[browser toolbar]] [[Add-on (Mozilla)#Plug-ins|Mozilla plug-in]], '''AOL Toolbar''', for several web browsers that provided quick access to AOL services. The toolbar was available from 2007 until 2018.