AIM Page Modules
AOL have recently launched AIM Pages - a free service that allows you to save a web page - a profile all about you. These profile pages can be configured by dragging AIM Page Modules into the page and configuring their position and settings. Finally, when published, the modules provide rich content to the page.
It's just like having a professional web developer right there with you as you make your page and personalise it.
We have created many such modules for use in AIM Pages. These are all javascript modules and the full source code for each is included along with a screen shot of what the module looks like when deployed.
If you are interested in developing AIM Page modules, you might like to visit our AIM Page module builder - a free online resource to give you a customised template to use for your own development.
Fotodex
The fotodex module provides a Rolodex-style interface for showing pictures. The viewer can control the direction of rotation, as well as being able to pause rotation.
The publisher can choose from a number of sources, including:
- AOL Pictures
- A message spelled with Flickr pictures
- A Flickr search query
- A Flickr user ID
- Any Flickr RSS feed
- Any Fotki RSS feed
- Any ImageStation RSS feed
- Any SmugMug RSS feed
Each picture is linked through to its source page, allowing the user to view other pictures by the same photographer.
Box of Balloons
This fun module allows the user to inflate balloons and watch them rise up to the top and disappear off the page. A default setting is to have balloons auto inflate (they still inflate when the user clicks the module) and this can cue the user that they can interact with the module (click to inflate a balloon).
If you place the Box of Balloons module near the bottom of the page you can "surprise" visitors as they see a balloon float past the area they are reading. They will want to know where the balloon came from, and may scroll down to explore new content.
The height of the module can be set, along with several physics variables (speed of inflation, amount of helium in the balloons) and these in turn affect how the published module functions (how fast balloons are inflated, how fast they accelerate etc).
Aquarium
The aquarium module provides a fully configurable aquarium, which features fish that swim around. The user can change how many fish are in the aquarium, as well as the type of fish and how active they are.
There are also extras (such as a submarine and a diver) that can be found lurking from time to time, as well as configurable backgrounds for your aquarium.
The aquarium is a liquid width module, so it scales according to its parent container - which means you can place it anywhere on your page without causing layout problems.
Digital Watch
This module is a simple retro-style digital watch (similar to those popular in the 80s). The display shows the classic LCD digits and includes a blinking dot to represent activity. The day of the week is indicated along the top of the display, and the watch shows hours, minutes and seconds (you can choose to display 24 hour time or civilian 12 hour time).
The watch face graphics for this module are a montage of several different retro-style digital watches of the 80's era. A future extension to this module would to allow the user to set different watch faces.
World Flags
This module allows you to select a country from a list... and have that country flag show on your page. This is great to show off your national pride or just to help organise your page into sections.
The flag of the chosen country is designed to fit in narrow columns - but will work just as well in a large column of your page. You can set the title of your flag - or just leave it blank (and it won't show). Express yourself!
Wacky Translate
This module translates the entire page according to the user selected translation type. The default translation is to "Mock Swedish" harking to the classic Jim Henson Muppet Show character "The Swedish Chef", the whole page gets translated according to certain language rules (complete with the popular bork!).
The "Jumble" translation option utilises our brains ability to recognise a word whose letters are jumbled up. As long as the first and last letter remain fixed, the letters in the middle can ppear in any order and the words will still be recognised. Each time the user presses the translate button two letters in every word are switched at random.
Finally there is an option to force the first letter of every word to be uppercase. This is commonly referred to as the "American Newspaper Headline Syndrome".
About Me Ticker
Type in some information about yourself and have it scroll across the page as a ticker. Style it to look good and you are done. The idea behind this module was to make it easy to display dynamic text on your AIM Pages profile.
You can enter as many lines of text as you like (the edit screen extends and contracts to accomodate), and they will scroll across the page when the page is published. Each line of text is displayed in a random order.
Pop Quiz - 50 States
Test how good you are at identifying the 50 states in the USA with this pop quiz. The outline of a state is presented at random and a drop down list if the different state names is used to make your choice. Once all the states have been presented, you can start again and aim for a better score.
This module lends itself to customisation for any pop quiz or flash card game - the title is the only configurable part of the module and it makes a good base to develop from.
