Скачать или смотреть America Online 4.0 - AOL - TV Commercial - 1999

America Online 4.0 (1999)

Release Dates and Regional Names
North America: October 1999 - America Online 4.0
Europe: October 1999 - AOL 4.0
Australia: October 1999 - AOL 4.0
Japan: Not released

Manufacturer: America Online, Inc.
Publisher: America Online
Developer: America Online
Type: Dial-Up Internet Service Software
Media: 3.5" floppy / CD-ROM (50 hours free trial)
Controller: 28.8–56k modem

Gameplay and Plot
AOL 4.0, released October 1999, was the dominant dial-up internet client that turned millions of homes into “online” households. Features:
“You’ve Got Mail!” voice
Buddy List & Instant Messenger (AIM)
700+ hours of free trial on CD
Kid-safe Parental Controls
AOL Channels (News, Sports, Shopping, Chat Rooms)
Built-in Netscape-derived browser

No plot—just the gateway to chat rooms, email, and the early web for non-techies.

Key Features
Modes: Dial-up connection, chat, email, web
Mechanics: 56k modem support, keyword navigation (“keyword: WHITEHOUSE”)
Characters: N/A
Missions: Survive busy signals
Unique: First mass-market internet with “You’ve Got Mail!”
Controls: Mouse + keyboard

Game Length
Main Story: N/A
Completionist: Endless (1999–2000s internet culture)

Sales Numbers
Peak 1999–2000: 22+ million U.S. subscribers.

Technical Specifications
Media: CD-ROM / floppy
Resolution: 800×600 recommended
Save System: Local profile
Audio: Iconic “Welcome!” / “You’ve Got Mail!”
System: Windows 95/98, Mac OS 8

Back of the Box Description
700 hours FREE! You’ve Got Mail! Easy Internet for the whole family!

Additional Details
Mechanics: Busy signal → redial hell
Multiplayer: AOL chat rooms
Difficulty: Waiting 10 minutes to load a webpage
Development: AOL
Localization: English
Age Rating: Everyone (with parental controls)

Technical Notes
Load Times: 2–5 minutes per page
Issues: Constant disconnects, 500 hours of free CDs everywhere
Features: AIM became cultural phenomenon
Requirements: Phone line + 28.8k+ modem

Historical Context
October 1999 release was peak AOL — 22 million users, CDs mailed to every household. Marked the height of dial-up era before broadband takeover. Discontinued 2006–2010; officially shut down 2017.

Did You Know
700 hours free = 29 full days.
“You’ve Got Mail!” voiced by Elwood Edwards.
AIM spawned internet slang (A/S/L?).
AOL CDs became 2000s collector items.
Last mass-market dial-up giant.