Apple Ready to Taste $200

Strong holiday spending on computers capped a banner year for Apple(AAPL Quote), which should keep its shareholders among the happiest in the tech sector.

The company's notebooks ranked among the top-selling computers at online retailer Amazon.com(AMZN Quote) during the Christmas shopping season.

The news is an important signal that Apple's torrid growth rate hasn't lost steam. Mac sales and unit shipments have been on the rise, and the trend has more than offset the moderating pace of iPod sales, which resurrected the company and lifted it into the top tier of consumer electronics.

Apple's stock was recently up 20 cents to $198.91. The shares earlier hit a 52-week intraday high of $199.97 -- they've risen nearly 140% in 2007. ...