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The Deal: EarthLink Inc. has agreed to acquire PeoplePC Inc. through a tender offer of 1.71 cents per share in cash, for a total just under $10 million. Earthlink has said that preclosing adjustments to the purchase price could raise the price to as much as 2.45 cents per share, which would raise the total purchase price to about $14.3 million. In addition, EarthLink will also assume about $35 million in deferred service liabilities to customers who purchased prepaid Internet access from PeoplePC. The transaction requires a majority of PeoplePC common shares to be tendered before the offer expires. Softbank of Japan, which owns about 70 percent of PeoplePC stock, has said that it supports the sale of the company. Any shares not acquired in the offer would be acquired in a follow-up merger at the final tender offer price.