AIM aims for developers
AOL opens AIM up to Linux, Mac and Pocket PC developers and adds support for location-based services and PC-to-PC voice calls.
Elinor Mills Former Staff Writer
Elinor Mills covers Internet security and privacy. She joined CNET News in 2005 after working as a foreign correspondent for Reuters in Portugal and writing for The Industry Standard, the IDG News Service and the Associated Press.
AOL was set to announce on Monday that it is opening up its AIM Software Development Kit to Linux, Mac OS X and Pocket PC developers. In addition, the company is providing the ability for developers to build customized plug-ins and other software that work with AOL's location-based services, PC-to-PC voice calling functionality and multi-party voice chat.
Developers also will be able to create customized AIM Bots, opt-in screen names which help users send pictures or podcasts to their blogs, among other activities. More information on the Open AIM initiative is at developer.aim.com.