You'll be able to read everything you'd ever want to know about AOL's new advertising-focused strategy (free access to AOL e-mail, instant-messaging, VoIP, content, etc. for all broadband users) but it was striking CEO Jonathan Miller said the company will now be able to offer millions of people “easy access to AOL's Web 2.0 applications at no charge”, and how the company will launch “new and compelling Web 2.0 products and applications”. Has Web 2.0 finally jumped the shark now that it's officially part of AOL's vocabulary?
Update: To fully appreciate
AOL's decision to move away from the dial-up
access business, CitiGroup analyst Jeff Bazinet expects AOL to lose 7.1
million customers in 2006, 3.9 million in 2007, 2.3 million in 2008 and
1.4 million in 2009. Of course, AOL isn't going to turn down people who want to pay $25.90 a month for dial-up access, but expect to see less marketing activity as AOL drives to cut costs by $1-billion by the end of next year.
Update II: CNNMoney.com's Paul La Monica wonder if AOL Free is too little, too late. As well, AOL's Ted Leonis wades into the fray.