LOS ANGELES, May 4 (Xinhuanet) -- Global shipments of personal digital assistants totaled 3.4 million units in the first quarter of 2005, up 25 percent year over year, Gartner reported on Wednesday.

    Gartner, a high-tech market research firm, said the surge in shipments has made the first quarter of 2005 the strongest first quarter the industry has ever experienced.

    The average selling price of personal digital assistants (PDA) in the first quarter of 2005 went up to 406 US dollars, the highest in five years, up 15 percent from the same quarter of 2004,according to the market research firm.

    Gartner analysts attributed the increased shipments and prices to the popularity of high-end wireless models, which have integrated wireless local area network (LAN) or cellular capabilities.

    "This increase is primarily the result of the growing popularity of wireless e-mail, with users favoring larger displaysand QWERTY keyboards that are operated with both hands."

    Among major vendors, Research in Motion's BlackBerry shipments grew 75.6 percent in the first quarter, making the company the No.1 vendor in worldwide PDA shipments.

    palmOne, the top vendor in the first quarter of 2004 with 30.5 percent of the market, fell to the second place with 18 percent ofthe market. palmOne was closely followed by HP with a market shareof 17.6 percent. Enditem