DULLES, Va.-Internet service provider America Online Inc. launched its new Journals service, which allows users to maintain online diaries-also called Web logs or blogs-about their lives and thoughts. AOL said users can also update their Journals using mobile phones with its AOL Instant Messenger program.
“AOL Journals is the simplest, most elegant way for our members to instantly express ideas online,” said Rick Robinson, vice president of community products for AOL. “Now anyone with something to say can be an author, keep a diary, express an opinion, or be a blogger. In fact, interest in blogs among AOL members has increased dramatically this year, with thousands of members becoming avid journalers and hundreds of thousands of regular readers. And members who just want to publish vacation stories with pictures or a weekend trek with the kids can now share that with family and friends with ease.”
The move is notable as the number of online blogs continues to grow. Indeed, numerous blog sites now cater to mobile-phone users, especially those with camera phones. www.mlogs.com and www.textamerica.com/moblogs.asp are just two of a growing number of Web sites devoted to camera phones.
