Now Playing on Your Dell: "Iron Man"

Not that the inclusion of a digital, standard-definition version of the movie Iron Man (with bonus content) is going to be a deal-maker by any means, but it does show something that Dell has up it's sleeve. Timed to coincide with the release of the Iron Man DVD, Dell and Paramount have announced that the movie is now available as an option, pre-loaded on your PC in digital format.

No, they're not selling you a DVD, they're selling you the movie on your hard drive, in Windows Media format. What Dell didn't explain on their movie page, www.dell.com/movies is just what DRM is involved. You will be able to burn one copy of the movie to DVD, however.

So far Dell has only managed to sign up Paramount to the program. However, since they have a page dedicated to it, you can bet they are not stopping with Iron Man or with Paramount.

In a press release announcing the program, Tim Bucher, Dell's vice president of consumer content and service said:

"Dell continues to create ways to express an individual's personal style through the devices they choose. By teaming up with entertainment industry icons like Paramount Digital Entertainment to deliver pre-loaded entertainment content like Iron Man, we continue to raise the bar in offering unmatched choice, value and design that catches the eye as well as the imagination."

Movies like Iron Man are now immediately accessible from a Dell computer desktop or laptop -- no DVDs or downloads required. Dell plans to expand future entertainment selections and will continually refresh its offerings to include the most exciting Hollywood blockbuster and perennial classic movies.

$20 extra snags you Iron Man. Super, just super (but not iron-ic).