PROS
- Clear, attractive interface. Built-in instant messaging. Good calendar features. IMAP and POP accessible in other mail clients.
- CONSLarge distracting ads on right panel. Can't view other email accounts. No mailbox viewers for photos, videos, or docs.
- BOTTOM LINEAol Mail gets a fine, modern redesign, but still is bested by competitors with more capabilities and fewer ads.
"You've got mail!" is an evocative phrase for us Internet veterans. There was even a movie (an awful one) made with that title. The originator of that phrase, AOL, is no longer the Internet power it was in the late 90s, but this Aol (note the new, non-capped styling) is not the AOL of your forbears. A new design and development team has completely rebuilt the service from the ground up, giving the site a fresh, fun, easy-to-use new interface. You'd be hard pressed to find anything that newer email services can do that Aol Mail can't, but there are still some advantages to using other players, such as our Editors' Choice, Outlook.com.
