MANILA, Philippines ? As sales of notebook computers continue to outpace desktops, demand for ?notebook essentials,? such as bags, stands, mouse, among others, is seen to grow exponentially.

Small form factor laptops called ?netbooks? would also drive purchase of notebook accessories.

Mouse pointing devices, in particular, are enjoying higher sales especially among users who prefer the feel of a mouse than a trackpad.

This is followed by bags, webcams and headsets.
Notebook stands are also seen to grow as more people buy notebook computers over desktops.

Citing an internal market study, Logitech Philippines Sales Manager Aileen Chua said that 70 percent of users surveyed have a laptop stand in their offices.

About 60 percent of the 300 respondents use their notebooks between two and seven hours a day.

Also, all of the respondents have notebook stands, which are used to elevate laptop screens as well as for ergonomics.

?Some people use a laptop stand for comfort more than just than cooling. It?s more of a necessity to have a stand,? Chua said.

Aside from stands, Chua said external speakers and USB hubs are also seeing strong sales from laptop owners.

External speakers improve the audio output of most notebook PCs while USB hubs expand the number of attachable devices.

Logitech sells a wide number of accessories, from bags, mouse, keyboards, webcam and headsets, as well as wireless devices and universal remote controls.

Chua said the company is targeting mid-to-higher end markets in the Philippines. While competition is increasing especially with the presence of very low cost accessories, Chua said the market will remain still strong for Logitech.

?Laptops are becoming essential in the Philippines and in fact, we are seeing demand for accessories increasing among Filipino laptop owners,? Chua said.