Dell flogs PCs for day trade believers

Dell has launched a new line of PCs aimed at stealing the growing number of online share traders. The computers will come with trading software and "investor-specific features" - whatever the hell that means.

One feature is the use of two screens - one for the market, one for your transaction (didn't Microsoft think of this with its Windows operating system?). If you're still intrigued, you ought to know that they will cost between $2000 and $3500.

So why is Dell even bothering? It's a niche market, at best. "This package provides a system with capabilities comparable to those of professional traders," said Dave DuPont, Dell's marketing manager. And there's the answer. It's hoping that all the Bills and Teds dotted all over the US will turn online trading into a hobby. With hobbies, as we all know, even though you may be crap at it, only the equipment used by the best will do.

Michael Dell can probably visualise at least some of the seven million currently at it waiting expectantly at their gates for the My First Share Market computer to arrive. Wearing a special coloured jacket, Online Trading Man will rope the wife and kids into shouting "buy" and "sell" on demand to give it an authentic air. "I could have worked in the City, you know," he will tell them as he makes his way to the same pokey office he's been in for 20 years. ®