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AOL 9
Price: £15.99 per month Inc VAT

Features
Performance
Ease of use
Value for money
Overall

Reviewed By: Andy Shaw

This review updated: 21/04/2004
Featured in magazine:
Issue 80
Manufacturer Contacts:
Supplier: AOL
Tel: 0800 376 5432
Web Address: www.aol.co.uk


The latest version of AOL's software has been revamped to add more features and reinforce its position as a safe and friendly internet portal. As the only ISP that thrusts its own software on us, is it a viable option?

Features
AOL is continuing its concept of 'the internet in one place' with this latest software, adding a number of new features. One of the most useful is the 'You've Got Pictures' service, a handy way to share your digital photos with friends – even those who aren't also with AOL – and order prints. On the security side, checking email for spam and viruses is all present and correct, and parents can restrict their children's' access to the internet through website filtering and time restrictions. Having said that, there's little here that the savvy web user couldn't source for themselves.

Performance
If you're looking for a safe and secure way for your family to access the internet, you're not going to be disappointed. There have also been steps made towards making the service a little more flexible. For example, there's a new optional email client called AOL Communicator, which brings you out of AOL's standard web-based email functionality and delivers the kind of control that non-AOL subscribers are already used to thanks to software like Outlook Express, including the ability to aggregate any POP3 email accounts that you may have from other services.

Ease of use
As ever, AOL 9 is really simple to use. Even configuring things to your own preferences is straight-forward, as all the windows for editing the functionality of the software look similar throughout. Setting up is also simple and you're guided through every step of the process.

Value for money
One of the big issues with AOL has always been the price. All the extra security and features are paid for in the subscription price, which is above average when compared to standard ISPs. How valuable this is to you depends on your position in the question of content – do you want AOL to provide you with a protected imformatrion portal or are you just looking for basic access to the web? If it's the former, AOL is spot on, though it may be overkill for many users.

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