IBM sells digital printer division to Japan's Ricoh

Like a boxer preparing for a title fight, IBM just keeps slimming down. In Big Blue's sights for the latest bout of fat-trimming is the company's digital printer business, which is reportedly being bought by Japanese vendor Ricoh. The Tokyo-based office equipment manufacturer is allegedly in talks with IBM and the two companies are close to cutting a deal--for an alleged $700 million, according to business daily Nihon Keizai Shimbun. You'll recall that IBM sold off its consumer laptop business to Lenovo last year, continuing to narrow its focus toward server hardware and software.

For more on the sale:
- see this ComputerWorld article
- or this CNET article