Is Apple actually the number one computer maker in the US?

Just last week, we reported that Apple had made its way into the third spot for computer makers in the US (with an impressive 10.6 percent market share), and surely this has helped to boost Apple's stock price as of late. But how would those numbers change if the iPad were to be included as a PC?

According to Fortune, that's the question that Deutsche Bank's Chris Whitmore has answered. He notes that including the iPad in PC sales would easily push Apple to the number one spot with a staggering 25 percent of the market.

If we keep in mind the fact that the iPad is the fastest selling gadget of all time, the results make sense. Whitmore's argument is that if the iPad is stealing market share from netbooks, then it is logical to include it in Apple's PC sales numbers.

I agree with Whitmore's take, and I think that the iPad is truly astounding. I have no problem thinking of the iPad as a personal computer because in my own experience, the use of my MacBook has sharply declined since acquiring an iPad.

What are your thoughts, though? Do you think the iPad is just a glorified iPod touch and should not be included here? Or do you think that Apple, like HP (we assume), should be allowed to include the sale of tablets in its PC sales numbers?