Hotspot services to reach $3.46 billion in 2009

Worldwide wireless data hotspot revenue will rise from $969 million in 2005 to $3.46 billion in 2009, according to Arizona-based In-Stat. The growth will occur as the number of hotspot locations nearly doubles in size from 100,000 in 2005 to almost 200,000 by the end of 2009.

The largest sector of the hotspot market will continue to be the cafe market (including coffee shops, fast food, and full service restaurants), which will grow from just over 40,000 venues worldwide in 2004 to just under 100,000 venues by 2009.

Much of the growth in the cafe/restaurant market will be characterized by branded deployments such as the Starbucks, McDonald's, and Panera Bread hotspot networks.

CBL opens Houston branch

Armonk-based CBL Data Recovery Technologies Inc., a provider of computer data recovery services, recently opened a data recovery laboratory in Houston.

The Houston location was selected to provide enhanced customer service in the area and will help feed data recovery jobs to the CBL lab recently opened in Atlanta.

Docudesk moves to Frisco

Docudesk Corporation, which makes PDF document creation software, announced the relocation of its corporate headquarters to Frisco, Texas. The company has relocated to Hall Office Park on the northwest corner of the Dallas Parkway and Highway 121.

Docudesk's premier product, deskPDF, integrates with Microsoft Windows to create compliant PDFs from any application.

IT worker confidence rebounds

According to the Hudson Employment Index survey, IT workers regained confidence in September, as the sector's index increased over seven points from 97.5 to 104.8. Increased job satisfaction, reduced layoff worries and optimism about personal finances spurred the increase. The percent happy with their current job jumped 12 points to 82 percent, the highest yet recorded.

Additionally, only 21 percent of sector employees were worried about losing their jobs, down from 29 percent in August and the lowest level all year.

In contrast, national worker confidence declined to yet another historic low, 96.8, as concerns around personal finances rose significantly.

Hiring expectations also suffered another slight setback as only 29 percent of employees reported their firms expected to hire in the coming months. After holding steady at about 31 percent for nine successive months, this was the second month in a row where hiring outlook dropped by one point. The percent of workers anticipating layoffs remained at 17 percent.

Tyler Technologies gains contract

Dallas-based Tyler Technologies has won a new $1.7 million contract with the city of Warwick, R.I., Tyler will do a full revaluation of the city's 43,000 real and personal property parcels. The company also will provide the city with upgraded assessment administration software.

Tyler has been working with the city since 1997, when Warwick bought integrated assessment system software. The software has functions for data maintenance, field operations, customer service and other features.

Tyler's Assessment & Tax Division is the nation's largest provider of mass appraisal and property tax software and reassessment outsourcing services.

Tyler Technologies provides software and services to government offices.

Pintail buys Austin software firm

Plano-based Pintail Technologies Inc., a provider of semiconductor testing technology, bought Austin's The Boxer Group L.L.P. for an undisclosed amount of cash and stock.

The Boxer Group President Keith Arnold has been named chief technology officer of Pintail, which is based in Plano.

The Boxer Group develops software for test productivity and factory automation technology. The deal included The Boxer Group's intellectual property as well as its customers.

Before joining The Boxer Group, Arnold was vice president of information technology at Austin-based chip company Cirrus Logic Inc.

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