PC shipments jumped 16.6% in the second quarter - a trend that helped Intel, AMD and Apple. The question is: why? It wasn't that long ago that people were dismissing PC growth because people would gravitate to other devices such as Blackberries, Treos and smart phones. A key factor in the resurgence of PC sales is simply price. When you're able to buy a Pentium III or Pentium IV or AMD chip for less than $500, buying a new box is a no-brainer for many people. I also think video streaming and growing popularity of broadband access also are important issues because it forces many people to think about whether their existing computers have enough horsepower. Dell continues to lead the pack while HP, which is in the midst of a restructuring program that will cut 14,500 positions, is a distant second.