Report: Notebook Shipments Exceed Desktops; Acer Up Dell’s Tailpipe Thanks to Netbooks

Electronics industry research firm iSuppli this morning reports that for the first time ever, sales of notebook computers worldwide, as measured in units shipped, exceeded those of desktop computers in the third quarter ended in September. 38.6 million notebook computers were shipped versus 38.5 million units, iSuppli reports. The notebook figure was a 40% increase over 2007, while desktops declined 1.3%. iSuppli says the combined 15.4% growth in personal computers worldwide was better than 12% the firm had expected. Hewlett-Packard ( HPQ ) again took the top spot, with 19% share of units; Dell ( DELL ) was second with 13.9%; Acer was number three with 12.2%; and Lenovo and Toshiba had 7.5% and 4.6% share in the number four and five slots. The big change in this pecking order — although there was no actual change in rankings — is how Acer is creeping up on Dell. Dell shipped eleven million units and Acer, 9.7 million. Only 1.3 million PCs separate Dell from Acer.  ... (link)