(Telecompaper) Dell is in talks with two private-equity firms about taking the US computer maker private, Bloomberg reports, citing two people familiar with the matter. The buyout talks are only preliminary, they added. Dell contacted several large financial institutions about financing an offer, one person said. Dell, whose PCs are facing strong competition from tablets and smartphones, has been using acquisitions to maintain market share. On news of the talks, its stock price shot up so quickly that trading was suspended for a short time.