New effort to challenge Google & Yahoo in UK mobile market…

“AOL’s new British mobile portal is said to provide an experience closer to that of the desktop portal, and should more closely match the US version…”

Purchases Are a Bid to Attract More Users to Its Web Site

Shortly after AOL announced a dramatically new business plan that included laying off a quarter of its workforce, the company recently went on a small buying spree, purchasing two firms that the company hopes will lure new users to its AOL.com Web site.

AOL recently said that it purchased GameDaily, a Web site that provides information about video games and operates a newsletter for gaming enthusiasts -- the portal plans to turn into its flagship video games brand.

In an effort to better protect its members from the ever-increasing tide of worms, viruses, spyware and other security risks, AOL has rolled out a standalone application called Safety and Security Center. The tool fills the gaps in Windows with antivirus, anti-spyware, and firewall protection.

Employing the same feature found in AOL Explorer and Netscape, Safety and Security Center boasts phishing protection that blocks access to questionable Web sites. AOL works with a number of partners to keep an updated list of known phishing URLs and also collects reports of suspicious activity from users.

New York -- In an attempt to make it easier for iPad users to browse their content AOL has unveiled a tablet-optimized version of their signature website designed in HTML5 especially for the iPad users. The site is so conceived to reap benefits of the iPad's touch screen and to provide iPad users with seamless access to AOL's content and services.

San Francisco -- In their boldest attempt to salvage their embattled advertising businesses, AOL Inc., Microsoft Corp. and Yahoo Inc., the three major tech companies are forging an unusual alliance against a common enemy, Google, to sell ads on each other's sites, according to advertising executives pitched on the initiative.

Washington -- If you have been on the web for around a decade now then you would know that Ask.com, the immortal underdog in the search engine game is giving up its search efforts and will be focusing exclusively on Q & A from now on.

San Francisco -- Barely two months after being designated as AOL's new COO, Kimberley Partoll, as well as SVP of Search & Local head John Kannapel are quitting the company amid reorganization, as CEO Tim Armstrong is searching for ways to cut down the company's costs, according to multiple media reports.

Partoll's exiting is particularly surprising because Armstrong only named her as COO in July. According to a source familiar with the matter said the re-organization is meant to streamline management.

The move is part of a reorganization of AOL's executive entourage under the new CEO as he prepares the company to be spun off from Time Warner Inc. this year.

Partoll, who was EVP for access, business intelligence & new ventures, before being promoted in July to act as COO, was highly attributed with selecting ad agency “Leo Burnett” to revamp the AOL brand. An AOL vet, she literally just got the job as part of Armstrong's first-100-days review; in the memo announcing her promotion and a slew of other changes, Armstrong called her “an outstanding operating executive.”

AOL Upgrades Flash And Mobile Versions Of AIM

New York - AOL today took the wraps off of two new AIM updates geared toward keeping the mobile user connected, AIM Express 7.0, a new Flash-based Web version of its popular AIM service, enabling users to chat with friends and family without having to install software.

So users can now say goodbye to all previously annoying presumptions on the part of AIM software, as the present Aim Express runs in a pop-up browser window and is intended for computer users who are unwilling or unable to install the regular AIM software.