The AOL Desktop team is excited to announce the GM launch of the latest release of AOL Desktop 9.7! Thank you for qualifying the updates and for providing feedback during the Beta period. Your copy of the release is available for download or if you no longer desire to participate in future Beta releases, please download the latest GM release. Your continued support is greatly appreciated.

This morning the AOL Desktop team pushed out an update providing improved menu item categorization and re-introducing the ability to move icons left or right when customizing your toolbar.

Unlike in the past, you should automatically see the updates and you do not need to download a new version of the software. These updates should be seamless. Please take a moment to re-review the various toolbar menus, edit your carousel to test the ability to move icons left and right, then let us know what you think!

The AOL Desktop team is proud to announce the beta release of its latest version, AOL Desktop 9.7. The new improved 9.7 desktop application uses innovative technology that allows for real-time updates to ensure you always have access to the latest AOL destinations. This new version includes more choices of the most popular gaming and sports sites while still maintaining customization and your favorite 'drag and drop' functionality.

As this release is focused on the toolbar, the team would appreciate any feedback you may provide including any issues you encounter, your thoughts about the improvements, or suggestions for further enhancements. Here are some areas that have been updated:

• Customization of the carousel which includes adding, deleting and editing icons
• Additional properties to choose from when adding an icon
• Selecting and removing Desktop themes
• Removal of outdated menu links

Thank you for your continued support and the AOL Desktop team looks forward to your feedback.

• Will there be an automatic update?

  No, this build will not be distributed to previous beta builds through software (automatic) updates. You need to download and update to 4343.29 manually using the download button in the top right.

• Where can I communicate with other testers?

  You can find and chat with other testers in one of two ways: either through Beta Chat or you can ask any questions you may have through AOL Answers.

• How can I report my experience to AOL?

  Glad you asked, cause this one is important to us! Simply send us feedback.

• When should I send feedback?

  All feedback is important to us. We want to hear about your experiences with this release of AOL Desktop 9.7. We're particularly concerned when you encounter a negative change in your experience from the previous release, however please don't limit your feedback to negatives. It's just as important for us to know when we've made positive changes.

• What type of feedback should I send?

  Any feedback about AOL Desktop 9.7 is valuable. When sending feedback, though, please tell us about your experience as comprehensively and completely as possible. Your observations and any specific, reproducible scenarios are important - particulary if you're reporting an negative experience.