<s>
AOL	B-Application
Explorer	I-Application
,	O
previously	O
known	O
as	O
AOL	B-Application
Browser	I-Application
,	O
was	O
a	O
graphical	O
web	B-Application
browser	I-Application
developed	O
by	O
AOL	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
was	O
released	O
in	O
July	O
2005	O
as	O
a	O
free	O
,	O
standalone	O
download	O
,	O
or	O
as	O
an	O
optional	O
software	O
bundled	O
while	O
installing	O
AOL	B-Protocol
Instant	I-Protocol
Messenger	I-Protocol
.	O
</s>
<s>
AOL	B-Application
Explorer	I-Application
supported	O
tabbed	O
browsing	O
and	O
used	O
Microsoft	O
's	O
Trident	B-Application
browser	B-Protocol
engine	I-Protocol
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
browser	B-Application
was	O
briefly	O
succeeded	O
by	O
AOL	B-Protocol
OpenRide	I-Protocol
in	O
2006	O
,	O
followed	O
by	O
AOL	B-Protocol
Desktop	I-Protocol
in	O
2007	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
2003	O
,	O
AOL	O
was	O
given	O
rights	O
to	O
Microsoft	O
's	O
Internet	B-Application
Explorer	I-Application
browser	B-Application
in	O
a	O
seven-year	O
contract	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
As	O
such	O
,	O
AOL	B-Application
Explorer	I-Application
shared	O
similarities	O
with	O
Microsoft	O
's	O
flagship	O
browser	B-Application
,	O
notably	O
the	O
ability	O
to	O
access	O
Windows	O
updates	O
,	O
and	O
install	O
Internet	O
Explorer-compatible	O
plugins	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Security	O
features	O
such	O
as	O
a	O
pop-up	O
blocker	O
and	O
spyware	O
detection	O
were	O
built	O
into	O
the	O
browser	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Version	O
1.5	O
was	O
launched	O
in	O
May	O
2006	O
,	O
adding	O
Desktop	O
Widgets	O
,	O
Visual	O
Themes	O
,	O
a	O
Feeds	O
Screensaver	B-General_Concept
and	O
various	O
performance	O
improvements	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Desktop	O
Widgets	O
allowed	O
the	O
user	O
to	O
"	O
tear	O
off	O
"	O
a	O
side	O
panel	O
and	O
use	O
it	O
independently	O
from	O
the	O
browser	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
RSS	O
Feeds	O
could	O
be	O
shown	O
in	O
a	O
screensaver	B-General_Concept
,	O
and	O
Show	O
Page	O
Preview	O
allowed	O
users	O
to	O
see	O
previews	O
of	O
web	O
page	O
links	O
without	O
leaving	O
the	O
page	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
AOL	B-Application
Explorer	I-Application
was	O
praised	O
by	O
PC	O
Magazine	O
for	O
its	O
wealth	O
of	O
features	O
and	O
its	O
visual	O
design	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Some	O
criticisms	O
were	O
that	O
the	O
browser	B-Application
had	O
"	O
questionable	O
anti-spyware	O
tools	O
"	O
,	O
and	O
that	O
it	O
did	O
not	O
support	O
third-party	O
toolbars	B-Protocol
.	O
</s>
