HEADING DOWN: Worldwide shipments of PCs fell sharply in the third quarter, as some consumers spent their electronics dollars on smartphones and tablets and others held off for a new version of Windows.
HEADING UP: One research firm, Gartner, also estimated that Chinese PC maker Lenovo Group Ltd. outsold Hewlett-Packard Co. for the first time to become the world's largest seller of PCs. IDC had HP on top.
LOOKING AHEAD: A third research firm, IHS iSuppli, projected that PC shipments are bound for their first annual decline in 11 years.
