Compaq is numero uno

Compaq not only retained but widened its lead as the number-one PC maker in the first quarter by garnering 12.9 percent of the U.S. market--up from 10.9 percent a year ago--while both IBM and Apple slipped badly.

The big surprise was Hewlett-Packard, which jumped from eighth to third, according to a survey by market research firm International Data Corporation (IDC). HP entered the consumer PC arena only about a year ago but has won a following as an aggressive player in price and performance. Packard Bell was the number-two PC maker for the quarter.

=""> Overall shipments of PCs rose 14 percent during the quarter to 5.73 million from 5.02 million, IDC reported.