"The AOL Optimized PC is one of the only widely available PC plus Internet solutions that makes it easy to select and switch between language preferences."
David Wellisch, Vice President and General Manager, AOL Latino

America Online, Inc. today announced the introduction of the AOL Optimized PC that includes the hardware and software needed to get consumers online.

Available for $299.99 with a 12-month AOL membership commitment of $23.90 a month, the AOL Optimized PC will be available soon in other major retail locations nationwide.

AOL is targeting the 27% of U.S. households who have yet to purchase their first computer with an affordable, complete system that's easy to set up and easy to use, and offers language preferences for both English and Spanish.

"We're addressing the needs of the millions of Internet intenders who are first-time PC buyers or novice computer users," said Kenn Turner, Senior Vice President and General Manager, AOL Key Audiences. "They've told us that affordability and an interest in making one simple buying decision for everything they need to use the computer and get online is important to them. We think the complete AOL Optimized PC solution delivers unprecedented value, while maintaining performance and quality."

The AOL Optimized PC includes a PC with an Intel processor, a monitor, a printer, speakers, a mouse and a keyboard. Color-coded cords, a large 4-color instructional poster and even an instructional video have been included to help make it simple to connect and set up the various components.

The AOL Optimized PC is also pre-loaded with the software Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition and AOL 9.0 Optimized, the latest version of the AOL service. For Spanish-speaking consumers, this PC also includes a version of AOL 9.0 Optimized for the AOL Latino service, a Spanish language Internet service for U.S. Hispanics.

The AOL Optimized PC also comes bundled with the AOL Office suite, which is powered by Sun. This suite of productivity applications consists of:

-- AOL Office Writer, a word processing program.

-- AOL Office Calc, a spreadsheet application.

-- AOL Office Impress, which provides tools to create presentations and slide shows.

Available in both English and Spanish, AOL Office allows consumers to open, edit, and save documents in a variety of popular formats.

Empowering Bilingual Consumers
For bilingual households, the AOL Optimized PC makes it easy to select and switch between a language preference - either English or Spanish - for the AOL Office applications, the AOL and AOL Latino services, as well as the AOL Desktop.

The AOL Desktop feature provides one-click access to the programs consumers will use most on their new PC and allows each family member to customize their PC experience with the language preference that's most appropriate for them. The AOL Desktop also lets consumers personalize online experiences that are appropriate for everyone in the family, including the ability to set Parental Controls for their child's use on both the PC and the AOL and AOL Latino services.

"Fifty-five percent of English language dominant Hispanic households have Internet access at home, compared with only 20% of Spanish language dominant households, according to the Synovate 2004 Hispanic Report," said David Wellisch, Vice President and General Manager, AOL Latino. "The AOL Optimized PC is one of the only widely available PC plus Internet solutions that makes it easy to select and switch between language preferences. Combined with an affordable price and a comprehensive PC bundle, we hope to empower these consumers to take advantage of all the resources the Internet has to offer."

This fall, America Online will be combining three of its powerhouse brands - Black Focus, Black Voices and Africana.com - into one new online destination, called Black Voices, to provide the African American community with special programming, content and resources.

System Specifications

Processor: Intel Celeron Processor 2 GHz
Operating System: Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition (pre-installed)
Memory: 256MB RAM
Hard Drive: 40GB, ATA 100, 5400 rpm
Optical Drive: 52x CD-ROM
Network: 10/100MB Ethernet
Modem: 56K v.92
Ports: Four USB 2.0 Ports (two front, two back)
Monitor: 17" CRT monitor (minimum 15.7" viewable)
Printer: Lexmark Color Inkjet Printer
Peripherals: Standard Multimedia Keyboard, Two-button Wheel Mouse,
Speakers
Additional Pre-Installed Software: AOL Office suite of
spreadsheet, word processing and presentation software; AOL 9.0
Optimized Internet service, the latest version of the AOL and AOL
Latino services