In advance of Microsoft's fiscal year 2006 earnings announcement today, here are a few tidbits from Apple Computer's earnings call yesterday:

1. Mac computer sales represented 55 percent of total sales of $4.37 billion. That revenue fell short of expectations. Analysts surveyed by Thomson First Call had been expecting $4.4 billion.

2. Profit beat expectations at $472 million, or 54 cents per share. Analysts had forecast 44 cents a share.

3. The iPod accounts for more than 75 percent of the U.S. market for digital music players. The iTunes Music Store held an 85 percent share of the market for legally purchased and downloaded music in the U.S.

4. Apple retail stores saw 29 percent year-over-year revenue growth. Internal store surveys show that nearly half of customers buying Macs there are new to the Mac.

5. Apple would not give a firm answer as to whether Boot Camp was actually getting people to switch over from Windows. The programs allows Windows and Windows-based programs to be run on a Mac. Said Chief Operating Officer Timothy Cook:

The number of downloads that we have had are significant, and the customer feedback that we've had on Boot Camp is very, very good. It's clear that for a Windows user that considers switching to a Mac that it makes it even more appealing to them to switch.