How about a shiny new Mac with that iPod?

Yesterday, Apple wowed Wall Street with the first signs that millions of new iPod customers are helping drive sales of Mac personal computers.

In announcing its earnings for the fiscal fourth quarter, Apple said it sold more Macs than it has since the fiscal first quarter in 2000 — 1.61 million units.

That's 35 percent over the same time last year and proves Apple's "halo" strategy was sound, says Gene Munster, an analyst at equity firm Piper Jaffray.

"This is the first concrete evidence we have that it's for real," says Munster.

Apple's share of U.S. computer sales has risen to 6.1 percent, from 4.6 percent a year ago, according to PC shipment data released yesterday by market tracker Gartner.

Computers using Microsoft's Windows operating software dominate the PC industry. The Mac "is still a niche product," says Barry Jaruzelski, a vice president at consultant Booz Allen Hamilton. "But what a ... nice niche."

Apple sees more profit from its computer sales than competitors do, "and even small changes in market share have enormous benefit for Apple," says Jaruzelski. "Every share point is worth $2 billion."

Apple announced quarterly profit of $546 million on revenue of $4.84 billion, but called the results "preliminary." It said results will be restated as it deals with issues relating to backdating stock option grants.

Apple has been stung by the backdating scandal, which has affected many companies. Most problems involve backdating options to days when the company's stock price was lower, inflating executive payouts.

An Apple director resigned, and last week, the CEOs of tech firms CNet and McAfee resigned because of backdating issues.

Munster says Wall Street was concerned the issue would affect Apple CEO Steve Jobs. But now, "It's a non-event. Jobs didn't get the boot, and that's what mattered."

Apple's results beat the most optimistic Wall Street expectations. Analysts polled by Thomson Financial expected revenue of $4.5 billion to $4.81 billion, or 46 to 55 cents a share. Apple came in at 62 cents a share.

Apple introduced new iPods in September. It said it shipped 8.7 million iPods in the quarter, 30 percent more than a year ago.

The company has a 70 percent market share of digital music devices. Next month, it gets its first serious, deep-pocketed competitor when rival Microsoft launches its music player, the Zune.