(from mashable.com)

When we think about the spectacular collapses of once untouchable Internet properties, companies like MySpace and Pets.com come to mind. The rise and fall of AOL Instant Messenger rivals them all. Once the dominant force in digital messaging and a source of innovations other companies spun off into billions of dollars of businesses, AIM is now mostly dormant. Mashable sat down with three of the early engineers of the program to learn about its origins, why AOL never quite embraced the concept of a free messaging service, getting hacked by Microsoft and the features that never quite made it to users. The 1990s belonged to America Online.

It had risen above competitors in Prodigy and CompuServe to become the dominant Internet service provider for American households. Millions of subscribers paid AOL monthly for the ability to sign online. Its disks could be found almost anywhere. The “You’ve got mail” notification became the sound Americans associated with their first email accounts, as well as a movie with Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan. (MORE HERE)

(from fastcompany.com)

Say hello to Google Home Mini – hands-free help around the house, now donut-sized. Ask it questions. Tell it to do things. It’s a little help at home, like only Google can.

To celebrate the launch of our new donut-sized Google Home Mini, we built a pop-up donut shop and we’re bringing it to Chicago on Saturday, November 4 and Sunday, November 5.

Inside, you’ll get the chance to win either a brand new Google Home Mini or a couple of delicious donuts. It’s all free and there’s plenty more surprises inside, so we hope to see you there. Learn more at g.co/donuts

Google Home Mini. Size of a donut, power of a superhero.

SHOP HOURS
Saturday, 11/4 from 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Sunday, 11/5 from 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM

No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited. Official Rules: https://donuts.withgoogle.com/terms

(from pitchfork.com)

20th Century Fox has announced a “Bob’s Burgers” movie, Deadlinereports. The film is currently slated for release on July 17, 2020. “We know the movie has to scratch every itch the fans of the show have ever had, but it also has to work for all the good people who’ve never seen the show,” series creator Loren Bouchard said. “We also know it has to fill every inch of the screen with the colors and the sounds and the ever-so-slightly greasy texture of the world of Bob’s—but most of all it has to take our characters on an epic adventure. In other words, it has to be the best movie ever made. But no pressure, right?!” Bouchard added on Twitter that they are still considering titles, and joked that it may be “Horseplay, the Horsening.” (MORE HERE)