PC Market Shows Signs of Life

Updated from 12:36 p.m. EDT Perhaps the PC market still has some life in it after all.

But the pulse is coming from new corners of the globe, while mature markets like Western Europe and the U.S. continue to show less demand for personal computers.

According to industry research firm IDC, PC sales in the first quarter were higher than expected, thanks to international demand.

In a report released Tuesday, IDC said worldwide PC shipments grew 12.6% during the first three months of the year, compared with projections made in March of 11.8% growth. While the growth rate is less than the 16% increase in sales during all of 2005, the PC market is exceeding expectations, and the outlook for 2006 has improved, according to IDC. ...