Adware maker and behavioral marketing firm Claria, a pioneer of pop-up ads, is beginning to phase out the much-derided format for ad delivery, writes the Associated Press. Claria's new ad service, PersonalWeb, will be launched this month (in beta) and will still deliver advertising to web users' desktops based on their surfing behavior - but won't use bothersome pop-ups.

Claria will work with developers of toolbars and instant-messaging programs as well as reputable websites - and in large part have them bear responsibility for branding and getting consumer consent.

PersonalWeb automatically creates "personalized web portals"; a user who checks baseball scores and movie show times might get a page of top items from ESPN and Moviefone, writes the AP. The page would also display targeted ads from BehaviorLink, Claria's ad network, launched in May, that serves banners targeted to a user's interests

Personalization was always Claria's goal, according to cofounder and chief executive Jeff McFadden, who told the AP that adware pop-ups were just a steppingstone for Claria - until the technology improved and the behavioral-targeting market began to take off.

Claria's new services still requires users to download software, "just like the old Claria software," said spyware researcher Ben Edelman. "The question is how sneaky they are going to be about it."