US PC sales to rise 14% in 2004

PC sales are expected to jump nearly 14% in 2004 as U.S. businesses upgrade old machines and consumers snap up PCs that support wireless and digital media, according to a forecast from Gartner Dataquest. The research group expects PC shipments to top 187 mln units in 2004, a 13.9% increase over 2003. The worldwide PC market should enjoy double-digit growth all four quarters in 2004, with especially strong growth in the business market in the United States.