Aladdin Systems has released an update to PowerTicker, bringing the desktop stock ticker to version 2.0. The new version includes a host of new features and enhancements, and is a serious upgrade. According to Aladdin Systems:
PowerTicker 2.0 Introduces Portfolio Management, Customizable E-mail Based Alerts, And Includes Automatically Updated Stock, Mutual Fund, Index, And Currency Data Delivered To A Desktop Ticker From Exchanges Around The World
Watsonville, CA – September 7, 2000 – Aladdin Systems, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Aladdin Systems Holdings, Inc. (OTC BB: ALHI), today announced the release of PowerTicker(tm) 2.0, an Internet information utility that helps users track and manage their investments. PowerTicker is a specialized Web browser that gathers information from financial web sites around the world, parsing the data and displaying it to the user in the form of a scrolling ticker bar.
PowerTicker combines two powerful tools; the fully customizable ticker bar delivers automatically updated stock quotes directly to the user’s desktop, while the new personal portfolio manager takes this information and uses it to calculate the performance of their investments.
The portfolio manager calculates the gain or loss for each of the individual securities held, based on the number of shares held, and the original purchase price, and then summarizes this information to provide performance data for the portfolio as a whole. The interface can also be configured to show performance data based on the previous day’s closing price. PowerTicker allows the user to manage multiple portfolios at once, and each portfolio can be subdivided into user-defined categories. A simple drag and drop interface makes it easy to quickly build a detailed portfolio containing both stocks and mutual funds. The portfolio even allows the user to manage stocks traded in different currencies. The PowerTicker portfolio also provides users with the most secure way to track their investments.
One of the most powerful features offered by PowerTicker is its fully customizable system of alerts. Based on a number of configurable parameters, including "Above Amount", "Below Amount", "percentage Gain", and "Percentage Loss", PowerTicker will notify the user when their specified alert condition has been triggered. For users with a particularly large portfolio PowerTicker also includes a global alert system that removes the need to individually configure alerts for all holdings.
PowerTicker has visual alerts, sound alarms and email alerts to ensure the user never misses an investing opportunity. Taking advantage of the growing number of wireless devices, PowerTicker can be configured to send email stock alerts to a digital phone, pager, or hand-held computer with Internet connectivity.
PowerTicker builds further on the success of MacTicker by adding several more new features and benefits:
- Portfolio Manager provides information about the current price and tracks changes in the value of holdings of a particular stock. This new feature calculates the current value, the change in percentage and monetary gain/loss. A password-protected security feature ensures investing privacy.
- Sound, visual and email alerts can be triggered when a stock or fund changes (amount is user-specified). This allows users to concentrate on other tasks at hand while not missing any hot opportunities or market fluctuations.
- News headlines for securities being tracked can now be viewed in the detailed report window, allowing users to investigate the reasons behind market fluctuations.
- Track currency conversions for investments in worldwide markets. The portfolio manager allows users to track holdings in a variety of currencies while converting the value of these holdings back into a base currency to be included in the portfolio summary.
- A new summary window lets investors view the contents of the ticker bar (all stocks, funds and indices) as a list, keeping all tracked items in view at one time.
- Users can create multiple tickers (up to 16) to display their financial information. These tickers can be configured down to the level of individual stocks, funds, indices, or currencies providing the user with maximum flexibility regarding how information is displayed to them on the screen.
- Over 25 exchanges worldwide are supported, so users can keep abreast of their investments all over the world.
System Requirements
PowerTicker requires a PowerPC-based Macintosh computer running System 8.1 or higher, with 6 MB of RAM, Internet Config (or the Internet control panel under Mac OS 8.5 and later), and an Internet connection.
You can find more information at Aladdin’s Web site. PowerTicker 2.0 is priced at US$29.95. Upgrades from earlier versions are priced at US$9.95. The company offers a 15 day trial period.