Skype Journal: AIM Triton Beta - Skype Killer?
May 3, 2005 09:45 PM
Aim Triton Beta is the next generation Messenger client from AOL. I saw it on Stowe Boyd's blog and went over to InfoWorld where there is a detailed summary. So the question here is --- Will AIM Triton (in beta and a summer replacement for the current AIM) keep Niklas awake at nights? While the questions for AOL is Why do you think that this is a world beater? Plus: Do we (AOL) now have a Skype strategy?
I'm apparently an outspoken zealot evangelising Skype at times, so when the big "incumbents" come out with a new product and I want to dismiss it almost instantly - caution says.. hold back don't tell them what you really think. Infoworld makes an important point that the thrust of this was thinking about how to organize multiple chat messages into a multi-purpose window.
I downloaded AOL Triton Beta (WinXP only) and had my son do the same. It's all stripped down and doesn't launch all the hated (by me)ad windows on startup at least not yet. It still retains an ad in the contact list which is a fairly standard format. Down the bottom it suggests something new with buttons for IM / Talk / Actions.
So I initiated both chat and talk sessions. File sharing and pictures etc are still unavailable and yes it is an early beta. Unfortunately it's not click to call, we still have the old "accept" process and then the waiting. Volume controls for mic and headset suggest that the audio codec isn't that automated. The audio quality didn't match Skype and nothing is known about how they will approach video where iChat for Tiger really sets the pace.
My son was more critical than I of the new "contained" messaging windows. Part of me likes the potential neatness, however it does add a click when going from chat to chat vs a multiple windows setup. That's not an advantage and context is less visible. I can only imagine how much more difficult it would be to copy and paste from one session to another. With larger screens on PC's I'm not sure this is a problem, rather may be a miss-diagnosis. Any mobile application will have to be cleaner than what is here so far.
AOL is a big player. It just doesn't look like their team immersed themselves in the best "alternates" from a multiplicity of different suppliers. It seems too basic for me to suggest they do a SWOT analysis, I don't even really believe in them for the most part. The real problem here is vision. The team is still thinking enhanced chat while anyone wanting to lead the space is thinking about an ON strategy where ON NET is a convergence of devices and connectivity in a world of broadband connectivity. With the biggest group of IMers they have such an opportunity. Rather than thinking about organizing the AIM experience I'd think about how to make it more pervasive and stop it from being locked in chat while voice and video are breakout apps.
Niklas can sleep tonight although Skype can't afford to rest...
TrackBack (2)
» Stuart Henshall on AOL Triton Beta from Get Real
Stuart Henshall does what Arieanna and I haven't had time to do: he and his son experimented with the AOL Triton beta. He was not impressed, and for big reasons, not just various UI tweaks they have made that fall... [Read More]
Tracked on May 4, 2005 5:51 AM
» Paradigms for voice from noirExtreme
Recently there was an interesting blog conversation (if such a thing is possible) between Richard Stasny, Martin Geddes and Aswath Rao on the current failure of open voice networks (SIP+ENUM) vs. closed ones (Skype). [Read More]
Tracked on May 10, 2005 1:32 PM
Comments (1)
Between Skype and AIM Triton it's pretty clear in the Video Conferencing department: AIM Triton sucks big time. Skype consistently gives better connectivity, better resolution and better screen updates than AIM Triton.
I just wish I *didn't* have to use AIM at all. I have clients who use it. :-p I've waste way too much time debugging AIM video problems with Triton. You can complain that this is just because Video is "beta" on Triton, but since you can't download the earlier versions of AIM which actually work better, it isn't really a beta: it'a production release with fatal bugs. Further, Skype video is beta also yet actually works.
Posted by: MM at January 13, 2006 12:38 PM