Delegates visit the booth of US computer maker Dell at the Taipei World Trade Centre after the opening of the Taipei Computer Applications Show, 2010. Sales of personal computers in the Asia-Pacific area outside Japan rose 19 percent in 2010, in another sign of the region's robust economic growth, technology industry analyst IDC said.

Sales of personal computers in the Asia-Pacific area outside Japan rose 19 percent in 2010, in another sign of the region's robust economic growth, technology industry analyst IDC said Thursday.

Computer sales reached 107 million units last year, with most markets posting double digit growth, it said in a press statement.

"The full year growth rates clearly show that the region has picked itself up from the economic slump that plagued the region in the past year or two," said IDC analyst Bryan Ma.

Last year's growth was faster than the 15 percent expansion posted in 2009 and 11 percent in 2008 but much weaker than the 27 percent rise in 2007 before the global economic slump.

Chinese computer giant Lenovo remained the regional leader in 2010, with a 20.2 percent market share, followed by US rivals Hewlett-Packard and , with Taiwan's Acer and Asus rounding up the top five.

(c) 2011 AFP