A few days ago AOL released a beta version of a new instant messaging service called AIM Sync, because it sycs with Outlook. What is does is allow users to add contacts stored in Outlook to their buddy list. If that user is online, AOL's running man icon will appear in your Outlook box next to the contact. To start a chat or send a text message to her cell, just click the icon.

This seems like a pretty neat development, although I haven't used AIM since freshman year of college. But I guess that's the point - to make it more appealing to adults adn to all those businesss who use Outlook as their email client.

Read more about it or check out the free download at www.aim.aol.com.