AOL Host Your Domain Mail: Press Release

[kaptitsky]

http://www.websitehostdirectory.com/article665.html

Domains for Personalized Email, to be Offered Free by AOL

Menlo Park, California - (Website Hosting Directory) - August 11, 2006 - Beginning in September, AOL will make personalized email domains available for free to all web users. According to AOL, it is the first company to offer this service, which will be called AOL My eAddress, at no charge.

With AOL My eAddress, anyone will be able to set up and register a completely customized email address using .COM or .NET domains, and add up to 100 additional identities onto personal domain, at no charge. For example, someone could choose a domain that family, friends, teams, social organizations and others could use, for example anyname@mygroupname.com, and other members within that group could have their own email identity using that domain. Or, Individuals can also choose to set up a new personalized address with the popular and widely-used AOL.com domain, at no charge.

Consumers will be able to use personalized My eAddress domain as an email address, as their AIM address to send and receive instant messages and access their Buddy List feature, to access features across the AOL network, and, coming soon, as the address of their own personal Web page on the free AIM Pages social networking service.

Roy Ben-Yoseph, Director of Communication Products at AOL remarked, ''AOL is about to make online communications more personal than ever before. The most popular Internet activity is email, yet many people don't have an online identity that's truly personal and meaningful to them. Starting next month, with the launch of its My eAddress service, AOL will make personalized email domains available to all online users at absolutely no cost. Not only can people customize an email address with their own personal domain and connect up to 100 other identities, giving families, teams, social organizations and small businesses a new way to represent themselves, but they'll also be able to use it for instant messaging and as a web page address. This is an opportunity that millions of people have been waiting for, and AOL is thrilled to be the first to provide it.''

The free web-based My eAddress email service is the latest complement to the popular AOL.com and AIM.com Mail products, which provide choices and flexibility for online consumers and convenient access from any computer. Earlier this month, AOL announced that its AOL.com email will be available for free as a new value for its longtime members and as it opens up its flagship communication feature to a web wide Internet audience. Among the features that will be available with the free AOL My eAddress service:

-- Ability to completely customize an email address using a personalized .COM or .NET domain and identity, e.g., ''you@thenameyouwant.com.''
-- Setup, registration and the use of a My eAddress email domain and identity is all free (one domain per user), as is the ability to invite other people to join their personalized domain. Each account holder can add up to 100 additional personal email identities associated with their domain, all managed through an easy web-based control panel.
-- Ability to check email from My eAddress and AOL.com domains through one mailbox accessible from the Web at www.aol.com, open mail clients (like Outlook and Thunderbird) that use the IMAP protocol, and through the new beta version of the AOL ''Streamliner'' product.
-- Industry-leading spam and anti-virus protection to help keep a user's email box free from junk mail and harmful viruses.
-- 2 GB of email storage, which can be accessed from any Web-enabled computer, and a search feature that makes it easy for users to find messages in their personal mailbox, sent mail, or stored mail.
-- An Address Book that also includes presence indication to see when contacts are online and able to receive instant messages.
-- Integrated access to AOL's other free Web-based products and services, including AOL Calendar and, coming soon, AOL Pictures, a comprehensive online digital picture service that offers free and unlimited storage of digital photos.

Individuals who want to create an AOL screenname with the AOL.com domain can do so for free. AOL members who canceled within the past two years can reclaim screen names or re-set their password by signing into AOL Mail or AOL's software. Former members who don't remember passwords but do know their AOL Account Security Question or former payment method will be able to reactivate their screen name.

AOL and its subsidiaries operate a network of web brands and the largest Internet access subscription service in the United States. Web brands include the AOL.com website, AIM, MapQuest and Netscape. AOL offers a range of digital services in the areas of education, safety and security, communications and music. The company also has operations in Europe and Canada. AOL LLC is a majority-owned subsidiary of Time Warner Inc. (NYSE:TWX) and is based in Dulles, Virginia.

To learn more, please visit: www.aol.com.

[Killer]

Only 100 additional identities onto personal domain. Sound so limited....

[theog]

First to provide it? Did I not understand what they are the first to provide... hmm.... that sounds like a lie to me... or maybe they don't know about anything outside of aol...???

I would say it is the first free IMAP from a large provider (keyword "large").

We will see what kind of ads people will be forced to endure....

[kaptitsky]

I haven't seen many ads when I use an IMAP client.

And how many logins do you get for Google for your domain?

Microsoft gives free domain names (beta), and Google gives free mail for a purchased domain (beta), so if AOL combines both, they would be first. And the AOL tradition is for very short betas.

The more I use AIM IMAP the more I like it.

But I still don't really trust it completely.

[jeffpan]

I have a free domain name which is provided by Microsoft Liveoffice.There are 5 mailboxes under this domain,each is 2G,based on Hotmail.

[Killer]

Originally posted by kaptitsky
Microsoft gives free domain names (beta), and Google gives free mail for a purchased domain (beta)

Do you mean that you can't use your own domain you have? Do MS really gives out free domain or you have to pay for it down the road? As for Google do you have to purchase domain from them in order to use?

[kaptitsky]

Yes, MS is giving out free domain names with Windows Live, and promises to pay for them into the future.

Google doesn't sell domain names. There are people here who have GMail for Your Domain and can answer the question, but I assume you can just set your MX entry to Gmail, not even use them as DNS. Heck, I doubt they even offer DNS services.

[ReuvenNY]

Originally posted by Killer
Do MS really gives out free domain or you have to pay for it down the road?

They register a domain of your choice and let you use it for free. But you can not move it to another registrar nor can you point the domain to another email host. I believe that once you stop using them, you domain name is history...

[theog]

Originally posted by ReuvenNY
They register a domain of your choice and let you use it for free. But you can not move it to another registrar nor can you point the domain to another email host. I believe that once you stop using them, you domain name is history...

I do not believe that is true... you might want to check your source.

others:

Yes, you can use any domain provider (godaddy, etc) and point your mx to gmail, and for that matter, live domains from MS.

In my google domains, I think you get 25 or 50... I am switching my domains from windows hosting to linux hosting so my test domains are down right now.

I still do not buy the "first to provide" from AOL... seems like a marketing stunt so people will use them and not look to other providers. Again, I might not understand exactly what they are the first to provide, but it seems obvious what they are stating.

This free domain and hosting provided by MS might fall into "you get what you pay for" category. I would be very leary of this service if you have a serious business and might want to add anything later.

For example, you are hit with ads in your hosting... from MS: "We use a computer-driven process to help ensure that ads are relevant to your business' needs. No one ever reads your information to target ads and none of your information is ever provided to advertisers."

OK, you have a business, but you provide links to competitors to your customers? Only an idiot would use that service for business. You are better off with a $3 (per month) hosting package from 1and1 or godaddy, and using google adsense. At least then you will receive payment for the advertising.

[ReuvenNY]

Originally posted by theog
I do not believe that is true... you might want to check your source.

Which part you believe is not true?

I have a domain they registered for me and I investigated with the registrar (an Australian company) how to get access to my DNS control. They ignored my question.
Than again, I may be wrong - if I am, could you point out to me in which way?

[theog]

Originally posted by ReuvenNY
[b] Which part you believe is not true?

You wrote--I believe that once you stop using them, you domain name is history... ---

Originally posted by ReuvenNY
I have a domain they registered for me and I investigated with the registrar (an Australian company) how to get access to my DNS control. They ignored my question.
Than again, I may be wrong - if I am, could you point out to me in which way?

http://ideas.live.com/ -- maybe you can find an answer there. It would make no sense that you could bring your domains in but could not take them out, if you paid for the domain.

Then again, I could be wrong, but I'm not making the accusation against Microsoft... until they say no, I would not be posting stuff like that about Microsoft or any company. This is a little more than saying, "I don't believe they have IMAP." Your statement goes to core of a business decision.

[kaptitsky]

http://officelive.microsoft.com/Support.aspx?scpf=faq

Q: Will I be charged a fee when my domain name comes up for renewal?

A: Domain names are renewed on an annual basis. Microsoft will automatically renew your domain name for you, and you will not be charged a renewal fee, whether you subscribe to Microsoft Office Live Basics or Office Live Essentials. If you already own a domain name and transfer it to Office Live, Microsoft will pay for any future renewals. As a courtesy, Microsoft will notify you via e-mail before your domain name is renewed, asking you to check your domain name information and update it, if necessary.

If I register my domain name through Microsoft Office Live, can I later transfer it somewhere else?

A: Your domain name will be registered with Melbourne IT, our domain name registrar, with you as the registrant (owner). If you cancel the Office Live service, you maintain full control of your domain name through the Web site of Melbourne IT (www.melbourneit.com.au/). However, you cannot transfer your domain name to another registrar for 60 days after signing up with Office Live. Note that once you cancel your Microsoft Office Live subscription, you are responsible for paying the annual registration fee for the domain name.

http://www.windowsobserver.com/2006/...main-transfer/

Within 72 hours the domain is now at my primary registrar and under my full control!

[ReuvenNY]

Originally posted by theog
You wrote--I believe that once you stop using them, you domain name is history... ---


It would make no sense that you could bring your domains in but could not take them out, if you paid for the domain.

I was referring to domains THEY register for you, not those you buy, own and use with them.

[theog]

Originally posted by ReuvenNY
I was referring to domains THEY register for you, not those you buy, own and use with them.

I was as well, but I don't think it matters. If they purchase or you purchase, you can keep your property if you move on to another provider. I don't see the benefit of them keeping the domain and allowing it to expire. My thought is you are paying for the domain through adverts.

I'll have to be dead honest, I'm shooting in the dark on this, as you are, since I've not read the contract or signed up for the service.

Now it is no telling how much you will have to PAY Microsoft to release your domain... that could be the catch... dunno... but I would guess (and it makes sense) that you would have to pay something since MS did make the initial purchase. I doubt if they would let it go for the amount you could purchase it at godaddy < $10....

[sarathb]

Hi Friends,
You can get you@TheNameYouReallyWant.com.
Thanks for AOL..
Please feel free to try and let me know
This is for people in USA/Candada only
Thanks
Sarath


AOL's My eAddress lets you express yourself with a domain name and email address that's all about you.

My eAddress gives you the following features:

* A personalized email address like you@thenameyouwant.com that you can use to send and receive your email

* Invite up to 100 friends and family to have an email address on your personal domain (e.g. friend@thenameyouwant.com)

* Access to your email anywhere you can get on the Internet using AOL's® Webmail (or IMAP access using standard email clients like Microsoft Outlook)

* 2 GB of storage per mailbox

* All mailboxes in your personal domain include AOL's® industry-leading spam and virus protections.

* Use your personalized email address, you can login to AOL's® AIM software and send/receive IMs

* And coming soon, My eAddress will allow anyone to reach your own personal Web page on the AIM® Pages social networking service.

Note: This is ONLY people that have cell phones (That can receive text messages)..
And doesn't work with Aim email addresses, But soon will.


Steps for non AOL users... (Thanks jdelisa and Imerson)

1) Click here https://domains.aol.com/personaldoma...mainMainSearch

2) Search to find a .com or .net address you want, that is avaliable.

3) Once you find one that is open.. You'll be prompted to select a "You"@yourname.com, And provide your name, address and cellphone number. Entering the information will bring to a "Enter Pin Number Page"

4) Your cellphone will ring with a new text message with your pin number.

5) Enter your pin number..

6) Now this page allows you to send invites to allow others to share your domain email. Invite everyone you can think of that would want it!

All DONE! Enjoy your new email address!!

My domain showed up in about 10 minutes.
Getting the actual email to show will take upto 24 hours.. (Mine took 2 hours)


FAQS
AOL® My eAddress FAQs:


1. What is a domain name?


Just as postal mail includes more than just your correspondent's name, Internet addresses include a domain name - the information that is found after the "@" sign in an email address. If an email address is you@thenameyouwant.com, thenameyouwant.com is the domain name.


2. What is a suffix?


A suffix is the three-letter portion after the “dot” in the domain name. For instance, .com and .net are both suffixes.


3. What suffixes are available through AOL My eAddress?


Users will be able to choose domains from both the .com and .net suffixes.


4. How do I register for AOL My eAddress?


There are three simple steps to register for AOL My eAddress:


Search for and select a domain name.
Create your personalized email address on the domain name (e.g. you@thenameyouwant.com).
Input a pin-code that AOL will send to your cell phone.


5. Who is the registrant of the domain name I create?


Members will have use of the domain through AOL. This means that AOL will remain the official ICANN registrant but maintain internal system records linking you as the end-user of the domain. AOL will introduce the ability to transfer domains to other registrars for a domain transfer fee in the future. In the meantime, AOL reserves the right to terminate service if AOL Terms of Service (TOS) are violated.


6. If I already have a domain, can I use it with AOL My eAddress?


Not yet. Currently AOL My eAddress does not allow for the transfer of existing domain names into the system. Check back soon for this functionality.


7. Can I use my domain for web hosting?


Initially, you will not be able to use the domain for web hosting. Check back soon for this functionality.


8. How can I invite others to take part in AOL My eAddress?


Once you complete the registration process, you will be taken to the Control Panel (https://myeaddress.aol.com) where you can invite up to 100 friends and family members to be part of your domain. As you create these identities, your friends and family will receive an email inviting them to use their new identity, and notify them that they will need to contact you for their password.


9. Can I use AOL My eAddress on both PCs and Macs?


Absolutely. As long as you have a web-browser such as Microsoft Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, or Safari, you can register and use your AOL My eAddress identity.


10. How many domains can I register for with AOL My eAddress?


At this time, each person can only register one domain.


11. Why is my domain name unavailable?


We cannot guarantee that every domain name is available, as many have already been registered for personal or business use over the years. However, chances are much better that you will be successful if you modify your request slightly. For example, if you were looking for the domain name “thenameyouwant.com” and it was unavailable, you might try “the1nameyouwant.com” or “thename-we-want.com”.


12. What if I am not interested in any of the suggested domain names?


If your original requested domain name is unavailable, and none of the suggestions are appealing to you, simply try again!


13. Why do I need to give my cell phone number?


For security reasons, and in order to verify your identity and secure your domain, we will send an SMS text message to your cell phone. Without an SMS capable cell phone, you will not be able to complete the registration process. Standard text messaging charges may apply.


14. Will my cell phone number ever be sold to telemarketers?


Absolutely not. AOL will not sell your cell phone number to anyone.


15. What if I do not have a cell phone?


At this time you must have a cell phone to register for AOL My eAddress.


16. What is SMS?


SMS stands for Short Message Service. This is a text message sent and received by cell phones.


17. What if my cell phone service does not include SMS?


At this time we use this system to activate AOL My eAddress. Over 90% of cell phones include SMS. If you do not have SMS on your phone, you will not be able to register for AOL My eAddress.


18. What if I do not receive a PIN code on my cell phone?


If you do not receive a PIN code, you can either choose to re-send the code or input another cell phone number in case yours was entered incorrectly.


19. What if I do not have my cell phone with me?


If you do not have your cell phone with you – that’s ok. Once the pin-code has been sent to your cell phone, you have up to 6 hours to enter it into our system to complete the registration before it expires. After the PIN code has expired, you will still have the opportunity to either re-send a PIN code to your cell phone, or input a different cell-phone number to complete the registration. However, if after 12 hours of the delivery of the AOL confirmation email you have not yet input the PIN code, you will not be able to complete the registration process and will not gain access to the AOL My eAddress product.


20. What if I entered my cell phone number incorrectly?


If you entered your cell phone number incorrectly, you will have an opportunity to re-type your cell phone number or enter a new number.


21. How do I activate my new identity?


In order to activate your new identity, all you have to do is login to AOL Webmail.


22. How many people can I invite onto AOL My eAddress?


You can share AOL My eAddress with up to 100 friends and family members.


23. How do I reset passwords for invited users?


Simply click on the “Reset Password” link in the Control Panel.


24. How do invited users reset their passwords?


Invited users can reset their password by clicking on the “Forgot password” link on the AOL Webmail login screen (http://mail.aol.com). Please note, invited users can only re-set their password after they have logged into AOL Webmail for the first time.


25. How do I reset my password?


When you set up AOL My eAddress, you become the administrator. Administrators can reset their password by clicking on the “Forgot password?” link on the AOL Webmail login screen (http://mail.aol.com).


26. What if I want to remove a user from AOL My eAddress?


Currently, it is not possible for you to delete a user from AOL My eAddress, though you can block user access by simply changing the invited user’s password in the Control Panel.


27. When can I check AOL My eAddress email?


You can login to AOL Webmail(http://mail.aol.com) right now. However, due to the process associated with registering a new domain, please note that you may not be able to send email messages for 15 minutes, and it may take up to 24 hours to receive new messages.


28. How do I check AOL My eAddress email?


It's easy. You can either use AOL Webmail by going to http://mail.aol.com, or you can access your mail through most other IMAP capable email programs like Outlook and Outlook Express. At this time, you cannot use AOL My eAddress for email on AOL client software.


29. How do I log into the AIM client?


If you have already downloaded an AIM client, simply login using your new personal email address and password. If you do not have an AIM client yet, got to http://www.aim.com.