People Connection Blog

Samsung helps bring 'Beat' to Bebo

Alexander Brown — 2009-05-27T13:49:00+00:00

Today Bebo is announcing an exciting new online music show 'Beat', in partnership with Samsung Mobile UK, produced by Endemol. Hosted by recent 4 Talent award winner Ben Chancellor, Beat will present viewers with constantly evolving music news, engaging daily videos, big name interviews, cutting edge talent, competitions galore and exclusive live performances from the hottest bands. Each week Ben will be joined by an avid Beat viewer and competition winner to report on all the latest music news from this summer's biggest festivals and gigs
from around the UK. From Glasgow to Greenwich, Beat's roving reporters will cover the eclectic music tastes of the nation.

Samsung will also be taking over the UK content for the Bebo music homepage, working with Bebo on eight monthly live events, 'Samsung Bebo Nights Live at the Gibson Guitar Studio,' with an interactive Samsung music profile to support all the activity. A first for both Samsung and Bebo, the goal of the collaboration is to excite music

fans and bring them closer to their favorite artists delivering unique content, talent access and live events, both online and offline. We hope you like it - UK and Irish viewers can watch 'Beat' here

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Bebo honored by 2009 Webware 100 Awards

Alexander Brown — 2009-05-20T13:57:00+00:00

Bebo was honored by 2009 Webware 100 Awards, which names the best Web 2.0 sites, services and applications on the Internet that are leading the next wave of innovation. Bebo was voted a winner in the Social Networking & Publishing category. More than 630,000 votes were cast by the Web 2.0 user community in the online voting poll. Finalists were selected from the thousands of entries received by the editors of CNET's site Webware.

All of the winners can be found at http://www.webware.com/100.

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Pixnay Is Closing It's Doors

Kelly Wilson — 2009-05-08T16:08:00+00:00

Dear Pixnay users,

We regret to inform you that Pixnay has officially closed down. Thank you for being part of the Pixnay community. We urge you to keep in touch with the people you may have developed friendships with on the site. If you have their screen names or email addresses, add them to your Buddy List on AIM 6.9.

Thanks for supporting Pixnay!

Sincerely,

The Pixnay Team

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AOL and Warner Brothers to bring social networking to hit show Gossip Girl

Alexander Brown — 2009-05-05T13:16:00+00:00

Warner Bros. Television Group (WBTVG) will soon be launching Socialthing[TM] across WBTVG's digital destination businesses, such as CWTV.com , TheWB.com , KidsWB.com, DCHeroZone.com, Essence.com and Momlogic.com.

WBTVG will embed the Socialthing platform - free to users and requiring no installation or download - on its family of sites, creating a social experience that makes it easy for users to share content, connect with one another, and explore common passions in a number of ways:

Users can publish their online activities in a real-time feed that is distributed to their friends for the immediate sharing of experiences. WBTVG will use this feed to create online identities for characters from its popular TV shows, such as Serena van der Woodsen or Blair Waldorf from "Gossip Girl," enabling fans to follow not only their friends' lives, but also their favorite characters' lives online. WBTVG will also post breaking news into the feed, delivering the latest information instantly to fans and spurring further discussion.

Built-in communications tools will enable users to connect with buddies and other fans through AIM within the environment of the WBTVG site they have come to visit, allowing them to remain at their target destination without having to leave the site experience for another domain. Socialthing users can meet up with fans in chatrooms using the embedded AIM chat client, or speak directly to buddies via the built-in Instant Messenger. Users can connect and converse with all of their friends and other fans, and broadcast these activities to anyone on the web, if they choose, via the real-time feed.

Socialthing also makes it easy for users to share video, photos, articles and comments with their friend networks, starting with the AIM network and in the future adding other top networks including Facebook, Twitter and MySpace. Whether it's a hot new shot from "Gossip Girl" at CWTV.com, a new episode of "Rockville CA" at TheWB.com, fashion and beauty advice from Essence.com, the "Conception Diaries" video series at Momlogic.com, or a new superhero game from KidsWB.com or DCHeroZone.com, Socialthing easily turns content into conversation and will allow users to deliver video and images to friends.

Socialthing will make it easy to sign-on, allowing users to login to sites using their AOL or AIM credentials, without having to create a new account. In the future, users will also be able to log into Socialthing using their Facebook, Gmail, Yahoo! or OpenID credentials.

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Get Ready For Socialthing

Alexander Brown — 2009-05-01T12:52:00+00:00

We are pleased to announce Socialthing[TM], a new platform that brings social networking services to the great websites that you know and love. Socialthing recently launched on 'TheBoot', America's favourite country music destination, and keep your eyes peeled as it will soon be launching on 'Cinematical', the blog for all you movie enthusiasts.

What's great about Socialthing is that as an AOL, AIM or ICQ user, you are already a member and can log in just like you normally would on AOL, AIM or ICQ. You'll be able to chat in a chat room on each website that has Socialthing and send messages to your AIM and ICQ buddies while on your favourite website. You can also keep track of your buddies with the update feed, allowing you to keep up to date with their activities across the Web.

Check it out now!

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Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About AIM 6.9

Kelly Wilson — 2009-04-23T17:23:00+00:00

Hey AIM Users!

We're excited to present AIM 6.9! This newest version of AIM has a bunch of new features that we know you'll love.

Get status updates from your friends on Twitter, Bebo and YouTube. AIM 6.9 allows you to get updates from your friends who are on AIM, and from other social networks. These updates come straight from your Buddy List and Buddy Info.

Missing someone from your Buddy List? Find them easily with simple look up tools. Enter a friend's email address and the new friend finder tool will look up their Screen Name for you.

Send IMs directly to your friends' cell phones using AIM and forward messages to your cell phone when you go offline.

Enjoy all the features you've grown to depend on from AIM like cool expressions, picture share, video chat and plugins.

Want to send your feedback? Please go to (Buddy List > Help Menu > Feedback) and the AIM team will try to answer your questions. When filling out the form please complete the email portion of the feedback field, so the AIM team can respond if applicable.

Download the New AIM 6.9 Now!

Thanks!

The AIM Team

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Welcome to the New AIM Profiles

Kelly Wilson — 2009-04-16T13:16:00+00:00

Hey AIM Profile user,

AOL, AIM, and Bebo are now one company and have been working hard to bring you a better profile experience. We understand that you may have some questions or need some help getting started. Begin by editing your profile.

With your new profile, you can get updates from your other social networks like Facebook, MySpace and Twitter by setting up your Lifestream.

Check all of your Gmail, AOL and Yahoo mail from one place.

Find all of your buddies and photos already on your profile.

Ready to get started? Click here to customize your page.

If you have questions about Bebo please visit Bebo Help.

We hope you enjoy your new profile!

Sincerely,

The AIM and Bebo Teams

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Message Boards Are Back!

Kelly Wilson — 2009-04-14T16:32:00+00:00

Dear Message Board users,

You spoke, and we listened! Back by popular demand are message boards that were initially "retired" on March 31. The following boards are now back up and running:

Visit All Boards on People Connection

And don't worry -- all the old posts, comments and threads are still there. It's like the boards have never left!

We understand that many of you were disappointed to see these boards go, which is why we've acted quickly to bring them back. We take our members' feedback very seriously, and sincerely appreciate your affection for and dedication to these boards -- you are what keeps them going.

We apologize for any inconvenience while the boards were away. As always, keep sending us feedback about the AOL service and let us know if there's anything we can do to make your online experience better.

Thanks for being an AOL member!

The AOL Message Board Team

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Welcome to AIM Zones

Kelly Wilson — 2009-04-06T09:40:00+00:00

We're excited to introduce you to AIM Zones, a new home page that gives you more control of your online experience. Read on for a quick rundown of some of the new features.

Preview your e-mail from other providers like Yahoo! and Gmail, along with your AIM/AOL mail, without leaving your home page.

Stay up to date with your social networks on AIM, Bebo, Facebook, MySpace and Twitter -- all from AIMZones.

Get your local weather, real-time news, nearby gas prices, and more.

Choose your own page theme, feed in the news and updates you want, and add your favorite sites to your navigation.

Click the links below to learn more about the new features.

Mail Preview - preview your mail from Yahoo!, Gmail and AIM/AOL

My Networks - keep track of your social networks all from one place

My Local - get real time news and weather updates whenever you need them

Themes - choose the color and design of the new home page

My Links - customize the page by adding your favorite links

RSS Feed Browser - news and updates from other Web sites

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Get Ready for a New AIM Home Page!

Kelly Wilson — 2009-03-30T16:21:00+00:00

We're excited to introduce you to AIMZones, a new home page that gives you more control of your online experience. On or about April 6, the AIM Dashboard will switch to AIMZones -- this change will allow you to better interact with the things you care about most. Read on for a quick rundown of some of the new features.

Preview your e-mail from other providers like Yahoo! and Gmail, along with your AIM/AOL mail, without leaving your home page.

Stay up to date with your social networks on AIM, Bebo, Facebook, MySpace and Twitter -- all from AIMZones.

Get your local weather, real-time news, nearby gas prices, and more.

Choose your own page theme, feed in the news and updates you want, and add your favorite sites to your navigation.

Click the links below to learn more about the new features.

Mail Preview - preview your mail from Yahoo!, Gmail and AIM/AOL

My Networks - keep track of your social networks all from one place

My Local - get real time news and weather updates whenever you need them

Themes - choose the color and design of the new home page

My Links - customize the page by adding your favorite links

RSS Feed Browser - news and updates from other Web sites

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A Quick AIM Profile Update

Kelly Wilson — 2009-03-30T14:30:00+00:00

Dear AIM Profile user,

As you may have noticed, changes are happening to your AIM Profile. Bebo and AIM are now part of the same company and are working closely together to bring you an enhanced profile experience. You are probably aware that some content from your old AIM Profile hasn't appeared on your new Bebo profile yet.

Please allow us to explain some of the issues we are working on in greater detail. Some of your AIM Buddies are missing from your profile at this time. The reason for this is that some of your Buddies haven't been upgraded to the new AIM/Bebo experience just yet. They will be added as soon as possible. We also want you to know that your photos will be back on your profile really soon.

We are working around the clock to smooth out all of these issues. We thank you for your patience as we work to perfect your new Bebo profile experience.

Sincerely,

The AIM Profile Messaging Team

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Changes Coming to AOL Message Boards

Kelly Wilson — 2009-03-10T12:20:00+00:00

Dear Message Board users,

We wanted to tell you about some changes that are coming to your AOL Message board experience. Many of the most popular message boards are getting a new look and feel in the coming weeks, while a number of the less frequently used message boards are being retired. Be sure to check back at the People Connection Message Boards page for an up-to-date list of active message boards.

These changes will take place on March 31st, 2009.

Thank you for being part of the AOL Message Board community. We thank you for your patience and understanding, and we apologize for any inconvenience.

Sincerely,

The AOL Message Board Team

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AIM Expressions Beta

Kelly Wilson — 2009-03-06T15:55:00+00:00

St. Patrick's Day is right around the corner, and it's a great time to perk up your Instant Messages with some great offerings from the new AIM Expressions Beta site.

The new Expressions site offers more enhancements so you can easily express yourself on AIM. Here are the top four features that we're most excited about:

1) Browse through Buddy Icons, Wallpapers, Sounds and Emoticons quickly through the improved interface. You won't have to flip through tons of expressions to find what you had in mind.

2) Make a mini version of yourself! Try some fun avatar builders like WeeMee or Meez and create a dynamic expression that you can dress and customize.

3) Preview custom expressions and test drive wallmations before you choose to apply them.

4) The new 'Saved Themes' option allows you to keep and save your favorite expressions and use them in the future.

Find out more about upcoming changes and give your feedback on the Beta Product page.

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AIM Chat Beta

Kelly Wilson — 2009-03-06T15:42:00+00:00

Have you taken a look at the new AIM Chat Beta?

In case you haven't had a chance yet, the AIM Chat team is really excited to tell you some of the great features that are shaping up on the site.

New Chat Interface

The new chat interface brings your online friends to life by putting their pictures and profile information at your fingertips. "Talk bubbles" have been added to make it easier to keep track of the chat conversation.

Hover over a screen name along the left side of the page to expose the available actions:

IM - coming soon!
Profile - click the person's picture or screenname to open up his or her profile in a new window.
Ignore - tune out the troublemakers! Ignored users appear grayed out in the list. Roll over them again and click 'unignore' to bring them back into view.
Report - please help maintain a safe and pleasant community for all chatters by reporting conduct that violates the Terms of Service

Themes

You'll find nine different color schemes you can use to customize your experience. Not feeling the cool gray and blue of our default "Morning Calm" theme? Switch it up to "Mojito Hacker" for a high contrast feel, or warm up some "Afternoon Chai".
Just look for the theme selector in the upper right corner of your screen. It looks like this:

Media Sharing

The media player lets you share videos, pictures, or any other links with the rest of the chat. As links are shared, they are queued up in the playlist area below the player. You'll get up to 10 of the most recent shared items when you join a chat. As new items are shared while you chat, you'll see them appear in the playlist. Click on an item to bring it into the player. If it is a recognized video (e.g. a YouTube video), it will play right there in the chat. If it's not recognized, an URL will display in the player. Any links in the player will open in a new window (or tab) so you can check them out and still remain in the chat.

If there is an item in the playlist you don't want to see, just select it and click the 'Remove' button. This will remove the item from your view. If you think the material violates our Terms of Service, click the 'Report' button to notify the team.

AIM Chat Blog

Another cool addition to the AIM Chat experience is the AIM Chat Blog. Feel free to leave your comments there.

New changes are always coming to this product, so stay tuned!

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HO HO HO! Merry... Holidays!

Kelly Wilson — 2008-12-22T00:00:00+00:00

What's better than a good laugh? Share your funniest holiday joke or story with the rest of the AIM community! Let's keep it clean, people. No one wants coal in their stocking - or maybe you do considering today's value?

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Circavie Will Be Shut Down Permanently

Kelly Wilson — 2008-12-03T11:45:00+00:00

Dear Circavie user,

We're sorry to inform you that on Jan. 15, 2009, Circavie will be shut down permanently.

Also, please bookmark the People Connection Blog, where you can find out more about Circavie's status. You can also subscribe to the RSS feed to stay informed about any other changes. We'll be updating often, so please check it regularly.

In the meantime, check out some of our offerings on Bebo. We have some some cool Groups and Music for you.

Thank you for your patience and understanding as we make this transition. Again, we apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

Sincerely,

The Circavie Team

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Ficlets Will Be Shut Down Permanently

Kelly Wilson — 2008-12-02T15:40:00+00:00

Dear Ficlets user,

We're sorry to inform you that on Jan. 15, 2009, Ficlets will be shut down permanently.

Though you will be able to read and write ficlets until this date, we urge you to save your works immediately. Since each ficlet is relatively small you can do this easily by copying the text and pasting it into a plain text or Word document.

If you're already missing your Ficlets fix, check out the Fiction Authors Page on Bebo. You can also search for Authors Groups on Bebo.

Also, please bookmark the People Connection Blog, where you can find out more about Ficlets' status. You can also subscribe to the RSS feed to stay informed about any other changes. We'll be updating often, so please check it regularly.

Thank you for your patience and understanding as we make this transition. Again, we apologize for any inconvenience.

We'll miss you,

The Ficlets Team

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Transfer Your Pictures to PhotoWorks

Kelly Wilson — 2008-11-21T16:52:00+00:00

Dear AOL Pictures User,

You may have recently received an e-mail explaining that as of December 31, 2008, AOL will no longer provide the AOL Pictures online photo service. AOL is thrilled to have partnered with American Greetings' PhotoWorks, an online photo service that enables our AOL Pictures users to continue to upload, share and create with their digital photos. Like AOL Pictures, it has unlimited, FREE photo storage for its users. Plus, PhotoWorks provides great options for printing or creating calendars, mugs or a ton of other photo gifts. Guess what else? If you sign up to transfer your AOL Pictures account to PhotoWorks now, you can receive 50 free prints as part of your first order. Just go to http://pictures.aol.com and select the option to Transfer your Pictures to PhotoWorks.

We encourage you to take advantage of this great partnership and Register for PhotoWorks now.

Sincerely,

The AOL Pictures Team

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November: Speak Your Mind

Kelly Wilson — 2008-11-11T16:36:00+00:00

What's on your plate this Thanksgiving? Share a recipe or your favorite dish!

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Hometown Has Been Shutdown

Kelly Wilson — 2008-11-06T13:30:00+00:00

Dear AOL Hometown user,

We're sorry to inform you that as of Oct. 31, 2008, AOL(R) Hometown was shut down permanently. We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

Sincerely,

The AOL Hometown Team

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