PC market growing again in advance of Windows 7 release |
Follow the ups and downs of a new Seattle startup in a series of behind-the-scenes posts by its founders.
Today On Techflash
- Shares of drugstore.com rise after results
- Rhapsody going independent
- Microsoft unimpressed with Google Buzz
- WGA 'spyware' suit vs. Microsoft dropped
- Paul Allen's Brangelina moment
- LiquidPlanner hire, Paul Allen and more
- Tell us your sales horror stories
- Calbucci to sell Twitter list service
- A color screen for the next Kindle?
Tech Events
Mass High Tech
- Gates, Ozzie, Microsoft execs patent 'personal data mining'
- Bill Gates, startup lessons and other top stories of the month
- Bill Gates' shirt, iPad vs. Kindle and other comments of the week
- Bill Gates on The Daily Show: 'I am a very loyal Microsoft user'
- Bill Gates on Daily Show tonight, maybe this time he'll stick around
PC market growing again in advance of Windows 7 release
The global PC market returned to growth mode in the third quarter, with shipments rising 2.3 percent compared with the same quarter last year, according to numbers released today by market research firm IDC.
The trend is good news for Microsoft, which relies heavily on sales of Windows preinstalled on computers. The Redmond company is launching the new Windows 7 operating system next week. The positive result for the market followed two quarters of declines in global PC shipments in the first half of the year. IDC said portable machines spurred the market.
“With the forthcoming launch of Windows 7 and expected commercial refresh beginning in 2010, the prospects for future PC market growth are very solid.” said Bob O’Donnell, IDC vice president of clients and displays, in a news release issued with the numbers.
It wasn't just Windows PCs seeing the benefit. Apple's U.S. market share rose to 9.4 percent for the third quarter, from 8.6 percent in the same quarter last year, according to the IDC numbers.
HP led the worldwide market, with global share of 20.2 percent for the quarter. Acer took the No. 2 worldwide slot, at 14 percent, compared with the 12.7 percent registered by Dell. HP also took the top slot in the U.S. market, with 25.5 percent, compared with 25 percent for Dell and 11 percent for Acer.
It's the second straight day of good news for the PC market, following a strong quarterly report from Intel yesterday. Microsoft reports its quarterly earnings Oct. 23, the morning after the Windows 7 release.
Update: Market research firm Gartner also shows the PC market growing again, albeit at a smaller 0.5 percent rate for the quarter. (Via Eric Savitz of Barron's Tech Trader Daily.)
About Todd Bishop
Todd Bishop is co-founder and managing editor of TechFlash. He has covered Microsoft and the technology industry for more than five years, most recently as a daily newspaper reporter and blogger based in Seattle.
READ FULL BIOGRAPHYRecent Sponsor Posts
Seattle Repertory Theatre presents Glengarry Glen Ross Feb 5th to Feb 28th
One of the largest and most renowned regional theatres in the country, Seattle Repertory Theatre produces a mix of celebrated classics, recent Broadway hits and cutting-edge new works in two theatre spaces. Now playing David Mamet's American classic Glengarry Glen Ross through February 28. Join us for Sales Rep Industry night February 11 with the Puget Sound Business Journal. For details click here.
Join the Microsoft WebsiteSpark program and get software, support and visibility – at no upfront cost. You’ll benefit from fast and easy access to current Microsoft development tools, platform technology and server products including Visual Studio, Expression Studio, Silverlight, Windows Web Server 2008 and SQL Server 2008 Web.
Seattle-based Adhost is a WebsiteSpark hosting partner providing dedicated servers with free Windows Web Server 2008 and SQL Server 2008 licensing for three years to Web developers enrolled in WebsiteSpark. Servers are located in our secure data center with SAS 70 Type II certification, 24x7 technical support and 24x7 client access.
WTIA 15th Annual Industry Achievement Awards
Held on March 4th at the Showbox SODO, this casual event celebrates and recognizes some of the best emerging and established companies in the Washington Tech Industry. The evening will feature a finalist company technology showcase and a variety of coffee, chocolate, and wine samples from local companies. More than 800 attendees are expected to be present at the celebration. Public online voting for Technology Leader of Tomorrow Scholarships will open February 3rd on the WTIA site.
We congratulate the 2010 finalists and look forward to unveiling the winners on March 4th. REGISTER NOW!
From the trenches
Job Listings
- Registered Health Information Technician (Forms & Records Analyst 2)
- State of Washington Department of Corrections
- Principal SDE - Project Natal - Gameplay Engineering - 711621
- Microsoft Corporation
- Senior Web Analyst - 705536
- Microsoft Corporation
- Telecommunications Consultant (I)
- Sparling Electrical & Technology Consulting
- Senior SDET - 706910
- Microsoft Corporation
