America Online has launched free Web-based e-mail with 2GB of storage for AOL Instant Messenger users.

AIM users can access e-mail with one click and can use their screen name as their e-mail address, the company said. The e-mail service, dubbed AIM Mail, is part of an updated version of the AIM 5.9 software, released Monday.

AIM’s Web-based e-mail has numerous competitors, including Google, Microsoft and Yahoo. But its integration with IM is a new feature.

As part of the updated AIM, people can also have up to 400 entries in their Buddy List and can store more contact information on each one.

AIM Mail uses technology from Mailblocks, which AOL acquired last year. The company said AIM’s 22 million users will be asked if they want to activate their e-mail accounts through the upgrade.

I have so many screen names that I might be able to get at least 30 gigs of email space. Not that I would every use it, but I might give it a shot one day when I am bored.

When signing up with your screen name you will be presented with those annoying graphics that show a word you must type in. However, this one has a space in between two sets of alphanumeric characters, but when typing it in you must exclude the space. Upon doing so I found that my account had been cancelled and to reactivate I had to call a toll-free number.

What a joke.

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