Packard Bell home computer users will soon get an automatic link to the electronic stock trader produced by E*Trade Group Inc.
Ark Interface, a Seattle-based division of Packard Bell NEC Inc., will incorporate E*Trade into Planet Oasis, the online three-dimensional interface that ships with all Packard Bell computers, E*Trade said today.
The Planet Oasis Web site resembles a series of city blocks, with links to a variety of Web resources shown as buildings. Partners include Walt Disney Co., Time-Warner Co. and Ziff Davis Publishing Co., which publishes PC Week and PC Week Online.
E*Trade's link will be included as a "building" in the finance block, where users can set up a brokerage account. Some functions can be carried out within the graphical Planet Oasis interface, while users will be taken to the E*Trade home page for others.
More information is available at www.etrade.com.