AOL is looking to right the ship and it is going after the mobile market in a strong way by releasing a pair of Android apps and it has also rolled out mobile-optimized sites which utilize HTML5.
Like Google’s mobile app, the AOL app rolls many of the company’s services into a single program. This includes a news feed, quick access to AOL sites like Engadget and Moviefone, search, and quick access to other company programs like AIM. I downloaded the app on my Samsung Captivate and think it works well and is visually pleasing but it doesn’t really appeal to me because I don’t use AOL products much.
The second Android app is the DailyFinance program and this provides real-time stock tracking, customizable news and other features you’d expect from this type of app. This one’s a bit more useful and does look polished.
“Android has emerged as a top-tier smartphone platform … Today’s smartphones offer a completely different experience from the previous generation of WAP-based sites, and AOL will be taking full advantage of the possibilities these new devices can offer, both on the mobile web and in apps,” said David Temkin, the company’s new Vice President of Mobile, in a prepared statement.
The company has also revamped its mobile home page, m.aol.com, to be more touch-friendly and easier to access while on the go. It utilizes HTML5, so you’ll need an iPhone, Android or webOS device to take advantage of it now but Research In Motion users will soon be able to access it because there will be a new BlackBerry browser soon.
The new mobile AOL site looks good and is easy to navigate. The company still has a challenge in getting new customers over to its content organically but this mobile site is a step in the right direction. I know that I’ll check it out once in a while because of the mobile optimization.