AOL partners to extend reach of IM

From...

By Cathleen Moore

(IDG) -- AOL and PresenceWorks on Thursday inked a deal to build an "industrial-strength" buddy list that can be embedded in corporate applications and consumer Web sites, according to the companies.

IDG.net INFOCENTER InfoWorld Main Page InfoWorld Test Center Subscribe to InfoWorld Newsletters Infoworld Opinions and Spotlights Related IDG.net Stories Microsoft to adopt instant message archiving technology Industry group releases wireless IM spec FaceTime software gives new insight into instant messaging Features PC World.com Product Finder Bluetooth wireless connectivity set to take off DSL in distress Visit an IDG site Choose a site: IDG.net CIO Computerworld Darwin Dummies.com GamePro.com The Industry Standard ITWorld.com InfoWorld.com JavaWorld LinuxWorld Macworld Online Network World Fusion PC World Publish.com UnixInsider IDG.net search

Under the deal, PresenceWorks will provide the plumbing necessary to stitch AOL's IM presence capabilities into directories, applications, and databases. (AOL Time Warner is the parent company of CNN.com.) Alexandria, Virginia-based PresenceWorks develops presence and IM technologies for integration into a variety of pre-existing applications.

The agreement with AOL will help grow IM presence technology beyond its current use as a chat tool for individuals, according to Matt Smith, CEO of PresenceWorks.

"Millions of people are using [IM], but the widget is something one person sees. What hasn't existed yet is something to allow a big company who likes the buddy list idea to let their internal directories act like a gigantic buddy list. This [deal with AOL] creates an industrial-strength buddy list that can be wired into directories," he said.

The companies are targeting both large-scale consumer Web sites and corporations with the offering, including community sites, commerce sites, and sites that offer subscription-based services. For example, consumers who visit Web sites using the technology will be able to see presence information and initiate IM chats from within the site. AOL and PresenceWorks are currently installing the technology for its first customer, an as-yet-unannounced large Web brand, Smith said.

For enterprises, the integrated offering will enable AIM to be connected with corporate software, databases, applications, and Web pages, Smith said.

"For businesses, it is not about the features of IM, but what is the reach of IM and how it is integrated with the rest of my software and my day. This lets users keep using [the] same applications and software, now having presence embedded in that," Smith said.