Aladdin Acquires Trexar

Aladdin Systems has announced its acquisition of Trexar Technologies, makers of specialized Mac OS Internet utilities MacTuner (for finding and connecting to Internet-enabled radio and television stations around the world), MacHeadlines (a desktop news ticker), and the long-popular WeatherTracker, which presents weather and forecast information for cities around the world – no word yet on Trexar’s recent MacWasher privacy utility. Terms of the acquisition have not been disclosed, but Aladdin will be retaining Trexar’s employees and supporting Trexar’s products, although they overlap somewhat other recent acquisitions, IntelliNews and MacTicker – Aladdin obviously feels that svelte, dedicated Internet information utilities have concrete benefits over enormous, general purpose Web browsers, particularly as Aladdin enters the Palm OS marketplace. Demonstration versions of each product are available from Aladdin’s Web site. Aladdin Systems is a current TidBITS sponsor; Trexar sponsored TidBITS in mid-1999.