You can check mail from AOL, Verizon and Gmail in one place, and add Mapquest maps easily to e-mail messages quickly. Mousing over icons along the top of the screen opens drop-down headlines about sports, as well as stock quotes, music, movie listings, and other options from various AOL properties, including gossip blog TMZ. The AOL Explorer browser includes tabs, one of which was set to the same homepage I use in Internet Explorer. Its design is easy on the eyes and pretty intuitive. Once open, this virtual desktop eats up most of the space on your screen. (On a related note, there's also a beta version of AOL Desktop for Mac, a different product, which I haven't tested.) I wish AOL Desktop were more streamlined, with fewer floating windows.

Thoughtfully, AOL asks your Internet connection type to tailor the experience to those with slow or fast access. I prefer the latter because by default, Express alters your default browser to include the AOL Toolbar, and it sets AOL as the search engine and home page. The AOL Desktop download for Windows XP and Vista took a couple of minutes, and installation another five minutes with either Express and Custom choices. However, while that package adds useful and novel tools, the AOL portal left me puzzled. Another recently-released download that depends upon the Internet for most functionality is Microsoft's Windows Live apps bundle. This is an interesting, old-school approach to organizing Web-based content on the desktop, unlike so much new webware that leans on the browser as the portal for anywhere-access to services. AOL Desktop (download it for Windows XP/Vista from CNET ) is a new, free download that collects most of that brand's services, such as Mail and AIM, into one location.

What is aol desktop for mac