In August, AOL launched a Web-based storefront and an updated mobile version of the AOL.com portal at AOLMobile.com for handhelds and handsets. It bought wireless technology firm Wildseed—known primarily for its SmartSkin interactive accessories for the Curitel Identity phone—as well.

Late in July, the company released a beta of a new suite of AOL Mobile Search Services for accessing AOL Search, Pinpoint Shopping and AOL Yellow Pages from mobile phones, smartphones and PDAs. Today, it officially launched these features, available via a mobile browser at http://mobile.aolsearch.com.

According to AOL, its Mobile Search Services 'right-sizes' the Internet for small mobile screens by using transcoding and content analysis technologies from Israel-based InfoGin Ltd. to automatically adapt search results and Web pages for browser-enabled mobile devices. In other words, it formats traditional desktop Internet content for tiny screens.

"We are committed to providing people everywhere with easy access to the Web's full range of information services wherever they may go," said Jim Riesenbach, senior vice president, AOL Search. "AOL Mobile Search services give consumers the power to search or shop for anything they need via Web-enabled cell phone, Smartphone or PDA."

With Mobile AOL Search, a users searches the Web using any word or phrase, just as they would on the desktop. Search results are automatically formatted to the user's mobile screen size and links are clickable.

Pinpoint Shopping, AOL's comparison shopping search service, gives users a way to find and compare features and prices for millions of products from thousands of online merchants. And Mobile AOL Yellow Pages lets them not only search for local listings, but take immediate action on their search results. With one click, users can place a call to the local businesses they seek and instantly access a relevant MapQuest map with directions.

More Mobile AOL
In July, Chrysler Corporation and Rogue Pictures teamed up for a mobile promotion called "IM in the Hunt." The effort was aimed at getting moviegoers to see the thriller Cry Wolf, a movie about a series of campus murders being foretold by a mysterious AOL Instant Messenger (AIM) user.

The sponsors were driving participants to the promotion by prompting moviegoers to register for the game at the end of trailers for the film at 2,000 theaters nationwide. Participants received trivia questions via AIM on their cell phones. Players who answered the questions instantly won prizes from AOL, such as free ring-tones and games.

During the CTIA Wireless show in New Orleans last spring, AOL unveiled several offerings to make AIM more mobile friendly. These services included picture sending & sharing, mobile portals updates and subsidiary MapQuest mapping and directions for wireless users.

At the time, AOL said these wireless initiatives were all about expanding the audience for AIM services and its status in the mobile space.

AOL introduced Instant Pictures; a service where PC and camera phone owners can send images to other desktops or phones. Instant Pictures works with AOL's Multimedia Messaging System (MMS) and the Wireless Village server. It also made its online "You've Got Pictures" picture-sharing service available for mobile users.

AOL leveraged its little-publicized—to maintain brand autonomy —MapQuest investment to introduce GPS-enabled Find Me service too. Find Me helps mobile users as well as others, such as friends and relatives, identify their locations.

In addition, MapQuest Traffic now delivers traffic data for 90 different U.S. metropolitan areas to handsets.

The company also updated its legacy WAP 1 and newer WAP2/XHTML-enabled mobile portals in addition to making its Moviefone and CityGuide services available to mobile carriers.