NPD's latest report has Apple as the number one tech brand and Best Buy on top of tech retailers

About 60% of U.S. consumer technology sales in 2011 were from one of 5 tech categories, PCs, TVs, tablets/e-readers, mobile phones, and video game hardware. Of those five categories, only cellphones and tablets/e-readers showed growth in year-over-year sales. Mobile phones went from 8.2% of consumer electronics sales in 2010 to an 8.5% share last year. Being a much newer category, tablets/e-readers made up 10.7% of consumer tech sales last year, more than double the 5.1% slice of the pie it had in 2010.

Based on revenue, Apple was the number one tech brand in 2011, and was the only one in the top five to show growth last year. While Apple sales increased 36% from 2010, fourth place Sony lost 21% in revenue. Hewlett Packard was second with Samsung third and Dell fifth. Apple also made up nearly 20% of tech sales in the holiday quarter. When it comes to tech retailers Best Buy was on top with Walmart second and Apple third. Staples and Amazon tied for fourth. It was the same exact order from 2010.

Showing a 7% increase in sales, tech purchases made online, through direct mail and television accounted for 24% of tech revenue in 2011 and 25% of non brick and mortar sales in the fourth quarter of last year. In 2010, these sales accounted for 22% of tech sales. In-store sales declined 2.5% in 2011.

source: NPD via AllThingsD