Claria Ditching Adware When AdCenter Debuts

News of Claria's move could build on reports of a Microsoft trademark application for a name similar to that of a technology owned by Claria may mean the Microsoft/Claria takeover talks could be taking place in the background. Once upon a time in the summer of 2005, swirled that Microsoft planned to purchase Claria, once known and heartily reviled in its Gator incarnation. Steve Ballmer's about a Microsoft trademark filing emerged. The mysterious blogger Thomas Hawk RelevancyRank. So close that it was a little surprising the sounds of Gulfstream jets full of attorneys and paperwork should have been heard departing from the airport nearest Claria's Redwood City, CA, headquarters to deliver their lethal legal payloads at Bill Gates' doorstep. It didn't happen. Much like Conan Doyle's curious Del.icio.us") | Yahoo! My Web Drag this to your Bookmarks. David Utter is a staff writer for murdok covering technology and business.