PUSH Technology (also known as Web Casting) - a very popular (at the time 1997-98) idea for delivering information to ones desktop.  Users found that the information delivery required software downloads that overloaded their PCs and did not deliver pertinent information 

PointCast - Company that produced downloadable software that delivers information to your desktop.  Out of business now.

Intelligent Agents - Search Bots

BotSpot - List of search bots for different purposes.  Software will Track information on Auction sites, News,  Shopping and deliver information to your desktop
http://www.botspot.com/

Agent Land -List of search bots for different purposes.
http://www.agentland.com/

Desktop Information - create a custom web page for news

Crayon - Create your own Newspaper  
http://www.crayon.net/

My - Yahoo - personalize yahoo so the opening screen reflects your chosen sources
http://my.yahoo.com/?myHome

My-SMC - Personalize your  SMC Web Page
http://www.smcvt.edu/Admin2.asp?SiteAreaID=208&Level=1 

Email Newsletter

Internet Newsletters - hundreds to search for.  Most are Internet Commerce related
http://e-newsletters.internet.com/

Email Newsletters
http://www.submitexpress.com/newsletters.html

Software Unlimited Newsletter - Email delivered
http://www.softwareunlimited.com/techupdates.htm

InfoBeat - Selected Newspaper Clippings delivered to your mailbox.
http://www.infobeat.com/