Yahoo has a news item reporting that according to IDC, a global market intelligence and advisory firm, believes the still-strong growth rate is enough to warrant optimism in the handheld market. The company’s new report, “Hand Check: The Smart Handheld Devices Market Forecast and Analysis, 2000-2005,” says worldwide shipments of handhelds increased 88 percent to 13.6 million in 2000, and this year’s increase will be at 43 percent.