Trouble with screen savers is that the vast majority of them are scarcely more interesting than a blank screen, but PointCast Inc, Cupertino, California is out to change all that and keep you alert even when you are taking a break. PointCast’s idea is to create a screen saver that starts delivering a scrolling set of news headlines whenever your computer defaults to saver mode. The company has rallied Netscape Communications Corp and several content providers and will give the thing away, relying on advertising to cover the costs and more. Moreover the news, share prices, sports news and weather are tailored to preferences set by the user. By clicking on headlines as the headlines and ads scroll by, users can call in detailed articles, press releases, weather maps or charts saved on disk. The screen saver can be programmed to call for updates once a day, once an hour or every few minutes. Advertisers pay $40,000 each to have their messages transmitted with the headlines. Netscape is distributing the software as an add-on to Navigator. Information providers include Reuters Holdings Plc, ABC’s ESPN, the Boston Globe and the Los Angeles Times. The system will be ready in April.
