AOL today announced that it has begun the beta test of AIM Mail, the company's new, free web-based e-mail service available to anyone on the Internet. "Our vision," said AIM vice president Chamath Palihapitiya, "is to make AIM a complete communications service."

The new service is available starting at 4pm EDT today for beta testing to all AIM users who visit www.aim.com. to download the AIM 5.9 software. The new client will have access to the e-mail through the Internet Explorer browser. AIM users can use their screen names as their e-mail addresses. "They just have to add '@aim.com' and they'll be doing the right thing," said Roy Ben-Yoseph, director of communication & client products.

"As the largest business-use instant messaging service, we have something of a built-in audience," said Palihapitiya, "and we are leveraging that with three key features that include the best anti-virus and anti-spam systems anywhere, 2 GB of storage, and most important, IMAP support."

Like other web-based e-mail product, AIM Mail will be advertiser-supported and free to users. "AIM has tightened up its service so that advertisers are finding more value in it," said Palihapitiya, "and the e-mail product will be attractive to them because of the AIM demographic."

Unlike other web-based e-mail products, AIM Mail will include an on-screen notifier, and features drag-and-drop technology for managing messages and folders. Other features include:

AIM Mail joins AOL Journals as a new product that extends the product reach of the AIM brand. "In order to live up to a reputation as a great communications service, we must have great ways for users to express themselves," said Palihapitiya, "and our job is to integrate them into the AIM experience."