Merger combines Mio's hardware with Navman’s software

     MiTAC International Corporation has announced the formal merger of its two GPS navigation device subsidiaries, Mio Technology and Navman.
     The merger follows MiTAC's acquisition of the Navman portable navigation business from Brunswick Corporation in March 2007. The formal merger will create a single operating company with a new brand identity and an exciting, new product line up for 2008.
     Both companies have a history of innovation in the GPS market including a number of industry firsts, such as the first dedicated portable in-car navigation device, the first smartphone with integrated GPS receiver and the first portable navigation device with 3D street mapping and elevation models.
     In addition to this focus on product innovation, the merger brings together very complementary distribution channels and shared expertise in GPS hardware, software and content to create a significant, new force in the GPS market.
     "With the merger of the Mio and Navman brands, two complementary organizations have been brought together with a shared passion for delivering consumers the best navigation experience. Mio Technology brings core competencies in hardware to the table, and Navman brings expertise in software and content, creating a stronger proposition that is better able to create unique, innovative products and services," said Samuel Wang, president, Mio Technology Corporation. "2008 will be an exciting year for the newly combined company with innovative new products, a significantly larger workforce and expanded distribution channels. Both companies are already recognized as challenger brands in the GPS market with very feature-rich, competitive products and the combined company has the potential to be a true market leader."
     Following the merger, the Navman brand will continue to exist in select markets, including the United Kingdom, Spain, Australia and New Zealand.
     All products in the UK market will be Navman branded, while the company will initially offer both Navman and Mio products in Spain. In regions where the Navman brand will cease to be present, Mio Technology will continue to offer existing Navman users the same level and array of after-services.
     Mio Technology develops and markets products that enable users to take advantage of the latest developments in mobile services. The company was established in May 2002 and now has operations in Taiwan, mainland China, Europe, North America, Australia, Japan, and South Korea.
     Mio Technology has more than 1,200 employees worldwide and sells and markets its products in over 47 countries and territories. The company offers a wide array of mobile navigation products, which today includes car navigation systems, handheld navigation systems, GPS PDA phones, and GPS PDAs, all designed to enable people to explore and discover the world around them.
     Mio Technology is among the world's top three vendors of mobile devices with integrated GPS. The company is online at http://www.mio.com/.
     Navman, a world leader in the design, manufacture and marketing of global positioning system (GPS) products, has 20 years experience in GPS, and as such is now widely recognized as a pioneer of portable, in-car satellite navigation devices. Navman is a top three vendor of personal navigation devices across Europe as a result of the brand becoming synonymous with reliability, innovation and simplicity.
     Navman is a global corporation with offices in the UK, Germany, France, Italy, The Netherlands, Denmark, Switzerland, New Zealand, Australia and Singapore. Its products are sold and supported worldwide.

modu & Tele Atlas join forces

     modu and Tele Atlas, a leading global provider of digital maps, dynamic content for navigation and location-based solutions, have forged an alliance to support the development of modu-enhanced GPS products, adding mobile voice and data capabilities to personal navigation devices. The announcement was made at the Mobile World Congress, taking place in Barcelona, Spain.
     modu has develop the world's first modular mobile phone, supported by a variety of ecosystem partners. At the heart of the ecosystem is modu----a tiny, sleek mobile phone that is fully functional and easy to use. modu can be slipped into a wide variety of modu jackets----stylishly designed phone enclosures and modu-enabled consumer electronic products. modu's ecosystem offers boundless possibilities in a simple and affordable way.
     modu mates can function as standalone devices, so that when the modu is inserted into the device, the modu mate gains mobile voice and data connectivity and inherits a variety of other features, creating an exciting new experience for the consumer.
     modu mates will include consumer electronics products such as DECT phones, digital picture frames, alarm clocks, boom boxes, photo printers, digital cameras, personal media players, personal navigation devices, built-In car infotainment systems and ultra-mobile PCs. The modu concept redefines the mobile market and opens it up to major consumer electronic players in a new and innovative way.
     Jacob Shama, VP Value Added Products, modu, said: "The partnership between modu and Tele Atlas makes perfect sense as personal navigation content is, by its very nature, a mobile experience that will benefit from being part of the wider modu ecosystem.
     "Tele Atlas is among the first of many content providers that modu will work with to develop modu mates and generate innovative solutions that address consumers' needs."
     Lionel Maestri, Senior Director Regional Sales EMEA, Tele Atlas, said: "We are very pleased to engage with modu as we appreciate fully the innovation and capabilities they will bring to our customers, boosting location based services and regular updates right into the hands of personal navigation device users."
     modu (www.modumobile.com) was established by Dov Moran and several of his colleagues from msystems, a company he founded and sold to SanDisk in 2006 for $1.6B. modu's vision is to bring a fundamental change to the dynamics of the mobile phone industry.
     Tele Atlas delivers the digital maps and dynamic content that power some of the wor's most essential navigation and location-based services (LBS). The information is the foundation for a wide range of personal and in-car navigation systems and mobile and Internet map applications that help users find the people, places, products, and services they need, wherever they are.
     The company also works with business partners who trust its digital map data to deliver critical applications for emergency, business, fleet, and infrastructure services. Through a combination of its own products and partnerships, Tele Atlas offers digital map coverage of more than 200 countries and territories worldwide.
     The company was founded in 1984 and today has approximately 2,500 full-time staff and contract cartographers at offices in 24 countries and uses a sophisticated network of professional drivers, mobile mapping vans, and more than 50,000 data resources to deliver highly accurate and up-to-date digital maps. For more information, visit www.teleatlas.com.