According to a recent RBC IQ/ChangeWave survey, a cool quarter of those who bought a computer in the last 90 days bought a Mac laptop. The back-to-school push, along with some Mac price cuts, and a new operating system, as well as the iPhone 3G S, are expected to be behind Mac's best showing since last year.

Source: RBC Capital Markets/ChangeWave

Of the 3,100 respondents, almost as many, 21%, expressed an interest in a Mac tablet in the roughly $700-900 range despite only having a hypothetical machine to base their interest on. That's over double to the 9% who expressed interest in the iPhone a few years back. Now the stores struggle to keep the 3G S in stock, as demand outstrips supply by a good clip.

In a companion survey of smartphone customers, RBC is reporting a five percent growth in users from last quarter's 25% and research analyst for the firm, Mike Abramsky, is predicting higher fourth quarter sales. His prediction puts Apple on track for a 4% share of the global smartphone market by 2011.

As Apple has proved themselves adept at timing and positioning, an early next year release of a tablet, with all the hype and all the interest, could prove another shot in the arm as electronics sales begin inching their way higher. As the iPod buoyed the company on a wave of success, followed by the iPhone, the tablet could be the next very big thing.