Online investing is still popular with consumers, in part because it meets the needs of most Americans: it's quick, easy, and convenient.
In fact, research by the business research firm JupiterResearch shows that the number of online-shopping households will grow from 17.3 million in 2005 to 22 million in 2010.
With so many companies trying to get a piece of that pie, it can be hard at best for customers to figure out how to invest online in a world that is always changing.
For many people, the hardest part is not buying their first stock, but rather researching the best (and worst) stocks to buy.
So, where do you begin?
Thanks to the Internet, people can get a lot of information about the good, the bad, and the awful with just a few keystrokes. What's wrong? Users can get so much information that it can be hard to figure out what stocks to look into.
One company makes it easier for Internet investors to get only the news and stock alerts they want.
Centale Inc. (OTC BB: CNTL), based in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, is making "Market Fragger," a keyword-programmable, "real time" news and stock alert app. This service will be used for the first time on Forbes.com.
Users will be able to change how they get financial news by entering their own search terms into the system. The results of the search are then sent directly to the investor's PC or Macintosh desktop. Centale also plans to make a version for mobile devices.
This feature could help the investor spend less time looking for information and more time making good investment decisions.
About 8 million to 10 million people visit Forbes.com every month.
While there is no doubt that computerized trading can be faster, cheaper and more convenient than going through a traditional brokerage house, it's important to research your options to determine what's best for you and your portfolio.
