About AIM on PSP
AOL Instant Messenger (AIM) is one of the most popular instant messaging services. Initially, AIM was only available for use on personal computers. Recent developments have allowed AIM to be accessed from mobile devices, such as cellular phones. You can also use AIM on your Playstation Portable (PSP) using the device's WiFi connection.
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History
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AIM was created by America Online or AOL in 1994 and was originally meant for use only by AOL employees. Employees could use this early incarnation of AIM to keep in contact with each other at work or home. In 1997, AOL expanded AIM for use by all AOL subscribers. This was the first time the general public could use AOL's instant messaging system provided they were paying subscribers. AIM became so popular within the general public that AOL released a version of AIM that could be downloaded for free.
Sony first announced the launch of the PSP in 2003. When it was unveiled in 2004, it met with much fanfare from critics and the public. It was the most powerful video game handheld system to date. The PSP had a powerful video game engine that could play not only video games, but movies and music as well.
One of the most anticipated features of the PSP was its WiFi capabilities--its ability to connect to the Internet through a wireless network. Unlike other portable video game systems at the time, the PSP's ability to connect to the Internet allows users to surf the web on the go provided they are in range of a wireless network.
Significance
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It is only natural that PSP owners would seek out the most popular instant messaging service, AIM. Although AIM can be accessed via cell phone or Blackberry, provided these devices have Internet capabilities, the PSP's screen is much bigger and brighter than these devices allowing for a more "computer" like experience.
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Function
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When AIM was first developed, the service could only be utilized from a PC by installing the AIM client. Both official and third-party developers have since innovated web applications that allow you to access AIM from the web browsers without installing any software. You can use such web-enabled scripts to access AIM through your PSP's Web browser. There are several different AIM web clients that may work for the PSP, but for best results, you should use one that is specifically designed for AIM. One such website is aimonpsp.com. Once arriving at the site, enter your username and password as you would when normally logging on to AIM. If you do not have a username and password, see Resources below to register. Once you log in, your buddy list and user info will be retrieved from the remote server and you can begin chatting.
Considerations
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Using a PSP or other portable media device to access AIM is convenient and simple, but if you're using AIM on a consistent basis, it's best to stick to the computer. It can get frustrating trying to type in a few words let alone whole paragraphs in AIM when using the PSP because the PSP has a keyboard like a phone pad.
There are external keyboards for the PSP available, but they are hard to find, expensive and add weight to the PSP. You should only look into getting one of these if you think you will be using the PSP's web browser or AIM on PSP on a consistent and significant basis.
Warning
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There are no officially endorsed or sanctioned AIM programs for the PSP. When using a third-party site to connect to AIM from your PSP there is always the possibility of downloading harmful viruses into your PSP much the same way you would download them into your computer. Also, there is a chance that you will be violating AOL's terms of use policies by accessing AIM thorough a third party site. Per AIM's terms of service, you are barred from accessing AIM products through "unauthorized means" and "unlicensed software clients." As noted above, most third-party AIM clients are not licensed by the company. To avoid having your account flagged,ensure that the client you are using is licensed by AIM by carefully reading their website (see Resources below). Refrain illicit AIM conduct--such as hacking or trading copyrighted material--as this may draw attention to your activity.
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