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...