Iomega introduces StorCenter ix4-200d NAS
[Via Yahoo]
Iomega posts


The last Iomega eGo drives we saw were notably sleek, but the company's going back to a more bruiser image with the newest in the series -- the Encrypt and BlackBelt once again feature that rubber PowerGrip that cushions the case against impact. As you might expect, the $150 Encrypt features hardware-based 128-bit AES encryption that pops up when the drive is connected to a Windows PC to protect your 320GB of precious memories, while the $120 BlackBelt drops the fancy-pants crypto and just murders out 250GB of storage with a double-black finish and little rubber spikeys. That ought to scare the bad guys away, right? Available now, with the usual assortment of backup utilities you'll just delete anyway.
It's not the first time we've seen a generic product repackaged and re-targeted specifically for use with game consoles, and it certainly won't be the last, but Iomega is apparently hoping that won't stop you from giving its new Media Xporter USB hard drive some consideration, which is says goes along just perfectly with your Xbox 360 or PlayStation 3. That, of course, means it's a standard 2.5-inch USB hard drive, which amazingly "natively supports PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 compatible formats such as MP3, MPEG-4 and JPEG." Somewhat helpfully, you'll also get some software with the drive to convert video into console-compatible formats, and the drive thankfully doesn't require an external power adapter so you can keep the clutter down a bit. If that's enough to put it above your run of the mill USB drive, you can snag one now in a 160GB model only for $120.
Not even a month after we heard that Iomega was warming to a revised takeover bid from EMC, the two lovebirds have finally let their true feelings be known. Announced today, EMC is acquiring the famed Zip Drive manufacturer for $213 million. The final figure is nearly $7 million higher than the one proposed in March, and the all-cash agreement worked out to $3.85-per share -- 5.8-percent higher than Iomega's Tuesday closing price of $3.64. Also of note, Iomega will be picking up the tab on a $7.5 million termination fee to the shareholders for a canceled deal involving China's ExcelStor Group, and EMC stated that it didn't expect the acquisition to "have any material impact on its full-year earnings."
Just a week ago, Iomega turned up its nose at an offer from EMC to buyout the firm for $3.25 per share. Now, however, it's singing a somewhat different tune as EMC has struck back with an entirely more succulent offer of $3.75 per share. Said bid puts a $205.5 million value on Iomega -- based on the 54.8 million shares it has outstanding -- and now it's being reported that "Iomega will enter into discussions with EMC that could lead to a definitive acquisition proposal." Go on you two, don't hold back on those feelings any longer.









