Cuban shoppers are snapping up DVD players, motorbikes and electric rice cookers that are going on sale to the general public for the first time.

Lines stretch out the doors of major government department stores as Cubans gaze at the new gadgets on display.

The goods that went on sale Tuesday previously were available only to foreigners. But the government of new President Raul Castro has lifted that ban.

There was no sign yet of two highly anticipated items: computers and microwaves, though salespeople said computers would soon hit the shelves.