Report predicts "monster holiday season" for Apple

According to research performed by ChangeWave, buyers who report plans to buy a new notebook computer in the next 90 days have peaked to 10 percent of the survey group of 2,812 people, the highest level noted in the last three years.

Apple's share of that market has also jumped, from around 25 percent to 36 percent of the survey group. Buyers' sharply increased plans are likely related to the introduction of the new MacBook Air, which reaches new lower price points while delivering iPad-like portability.

Research director Paul Carton wrote, "the manufacturer most responsible for the surge in laptop demand is Apple, with 36 percent of planned laptops buyers saying they'll purchase a Mac, a huge 11 percentage point jump since our previous survey of a month ago.

"Simply put," Carton said, "it's the highest level of planned laptop buying ever for Apple in a ChangeWave survey."