Lenovo's rise amid giants defies critics

In the time that you take to read this, people around the world will have snapped up a Lenovo computer, tablet or smartphone - about one of these electronic devices every four seconds or so.

Lenovo Group Ltd has defied the skeptics to prove that an Asian company, in this case a Chinese personal computer maker, can emerge as a multinational player - not just as a manufacturer of products for other companies but as a truly global brand.

Lenovo now has the largest global market share of PCs and is in fourth place in the United States. It is also the fourth largest tablet company in the world behind Apple Inc, Samsung Group and AsusTek Computer Inc. It is currently producing the type of mobile phones that make people salivate.