Filed under: Cellphones

So the backstory goes something like this: Swedish publication Elektroniktidningen were looking forward to a meeting with HTC, but the meeting was delayed due to talks of some sort of merger with Sony Ericsson. Everyone panicked: Could HTC be bought by Sony Ericsson? They’ve already worked together on the Xperia X1, so it could be possible, right? Not so much, according to HTC. Word from them is that this whole this is a bunch of hooey. According to HTC’s spokesperson, “This is just a rumor and there is no truth to this statement.” For now we’re moving along.

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Filed under: Storage

In an acquisition that promises to create a combined company with over $1 billion in annual revenue, storage manufacturer Iomega has “entered into a definitive share purchase agreement” with ExcelStor Great Wall Technology Limited — another storage firm headquartered in Beijing but doing business out of the Cayman Islands. ExcelStor, a subsidiary of the $2.6 billion Great Wall Technology Company Limited, has been manufacturing certain external hard drives for Iomega since 2004. The deal, still subject to approval, would create an organization with a 3,000-member workforce, led by Iomega’s current executives joined by former ExcelStor management in the positions of Executive Chairman and Chief Administrative Officer.

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Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

Filed under: GPS

The European Commission has just opened an investigation into TomTom’s proposed purchase of Tele Atlas, claiming that consumers could be hurt by a GPS hardware maker owning one of the two major digital map providers. Specifically, the so-called “in-depth inquiry,” which will be concluded no later than April 17th of next year, stems from “serious doubts that the acquisition by TomTom of Tele Atlas might…lead to a significant impediment of effective competition within the EEA.” With Nokia going after NAVTEQ and Garmin having given up on Tele Atlas, this investigation clearly makes sense from the free market standpoint, as the Dutch firm is not likely to slip past without at least committing to fair map licensing terms for other PND manufacturers. In response to the Commission’s announcement, TomTom decided to extend its offer for shares of Tele Atlas until March 31st, 2008, with the option to issue another extension if certain conditions are not met.

[Thanks, Daniel]

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Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!