The move gives the French group control of a raft of businesses from radar and sonar, to internet services, as well as Racal's 22% stake in the UK's National Lottery operator Camelot.

BBC: Thomson-CSF seals Racal deal

In the middle to late 1990s, as Amazon was just starting to appear on radar screens, many thought Sears would be the company to dominate the internet.

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De Lencquesaing says mobile Internet devices with larger screens up to 10 inches across are also on his radar.

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