AOL UK has announced today that the beta launch of its new homepage is already available and it lets consumers access multiple e-mail accounts and social networking services from a single online destination. The new homepage will be opened to third-party services and content, providing consumers with new customization options while offering advertisers new opportunities to tap into an increasingly engaged audience. The site is part of the ongoing strategy from AOL’s MediaGlow publishing division aiming to expand globally, including the launches in the UK of men’s lifestyle site Asylum, personal finance site WalletPop, automotive news blog Autoblog, and casual gaming website Flytrap Games. The new homepage model has already proven a success in the U.S. when AOL relaunched its site in September 2008 growing 7% in page views and 26% in total minutes year over year. Today’s beta launch in the UK will include the same new tools as in the US, such as features that allow users to further personalize and control their online experience, from display and design to navigation, news feed options and social media. There are some of the innovative features prepared by AOL UK, for example, users will be able to check their Google Mail, Hotmail, Yahoo! Mail and of course AOL Mail e-mail accounts, and to see their online buddies via AOL’s AIM service. From the AOL.co.uk homepage, users will also be able to post status updates to multiple social networks, and access profile activity information, including new friend requests and mail notifications, from services such as AIM, Bebo, Facebook, MySpace, Twitter and other third-party sites in the future. Among other new homepage features there are: customized backgrounds with six new designs to choose from; ability to add any links to the page; users can drag and drop to reorder channel navigation to suit personal preferences; leading market quotes and global stock finder and others. The new homepage advances MediaGlow's strategy of connecting people with their passion points by opening up to third-party content and services, providing consumers with new customization options and opportunities for advertisers to tap into an increasingly engaged audience. The site is expected to fully launch this summer.