PersonalWeb

Don't run for the hills at the mere mention of PersonalWeb-provider Claria. This is the adware company that used to distribute the dreaded Gator pop-up generator. The company says it's now turning to the good side by using a similar engine to drive automated, personalized homepages. PersonalWeb uses a downloadable client that monitors your browsing and search habits and determines which applications you use most. Claria swears in its privacy policy that it never identifies you personally at any point and simply uses the anonymous data to populate a homepage with news and information, shopping links, and other features that recognize your usage patterns.
 
After a couple weeks of use, our PersonalWeb page had direct link buttons to Amazon, eCost, and Staples--all of our usual haunts. You can add a module for most Web e-mail accounts and pull in any RSS feed, although Claria makes you copy and paste specific links into the interface. You can drag and drop modules around the page and change colors and themes. But the real value of PersonalWeb is that your page does the personalization for you over time by pushing new modules that you accept or reject. We got items like Web media news about the Internet industry, a Books module, and a box with new iTunes items. While not nearly as flexible as the other personal portals, PersonalWeb is a decent option for those who like automation.