Critics I'm sure will have a lot to say about the latest stat of Mac sales:

"Apple Accounts For 66% Of PC Sales Over $1000"

It's true, the stat is limited to retail sales, which doesn't account for online or corporate sales, where PCs are strongest. It's also only machines that are $1000 or more - where all but one of Apple's models lie. I'm sure many a PC user will point out that they bought their PC from the store down the street for $500.

Even so, 66% is amazingly high and it matches my favorite statistic from the street: "The Starbucks Factor." Everytime I walk into the Starbucks on Boylston Street, a scant block from the new Apple Store, I count the number of Macs vs. PCs.

Until recently, Macs being more than the majority was usually because of a small sampling (2 or 3 computers total), but in the recent months, the Starbucks Factor has been over 50%. You walk in and count Apples to PCs - and out of 6-8 machines in use, the majority are Macs - and it's not because of the Apple Store. Today it was closer to 80% during one visit to the coffee shop.

Of course, like the "66%" stat, it's a limited audience, but it shows that the Mac is significantly more than the 5% that most people like to make them out to be. Macs are not only an increasing portion of the computing environment, but in many circles - home users, mobile users, students, etc - they are becoming the predominant platform.

Yes, they are predominantly the young bloggers and students - so the audience is definitely part of the Mac faithful. But it's important to keep in mind that these "kids" are the central core of social media companies on the Net – and they are going to be the next generation of professionals: connected, savvy on the 'Net, and using Macs.

What does that mean? Well, Macs are going to make it into the "businesses that matter" a lot faster than most industry pundits think. That's why Mac-based professional services shops like ours are going be really busy in the coming months...