Broadband growth not offsetting wireline declines

While growth in broadband wireline revenues remains robust in the US, it is not enough to overcome steady losses in consumer wireline voice revenues, reports In-Stat. As a result, wireline service revenues in the United States will decline by 3.3 percent annually, on average, from 2004 to 2009, the high-tech market research firm says.

In-Stat found that traditional data services, including frame relay, private line and ATM are sinking as businesses increasingly seek lower-cost Internet solutions. The study also showed that DSL and cable modem growth is strong, but bundling strategies are pressuring revenue margins, and that business voice services are also experiencing revenue declines, but significantly less than those of consumers.

Itron to by Quantum Consulting

Spokane technology services company Itron Inc. agreed to buy Quantum Consulting Inc. for as much as $6 million.

Itron agreed to a cash payment of $4 million, with additional payments adding up to as much as $2 million, based on the company's ability to hit revenue, profit and staff-retention targets.

Quantum, based in Berkeley, Calif., offers energy consulting services. Its staff will work out of Itron's office in Oakland, Calif.

Hidden City signs pact with Marvel

Seattle-based Hidden City Games signed a deal with Marvel Entertainment Inc. that will allow the Seattle game maker to use Marvel Super Heroes, such as Spider-Man and X-Men, in its products.

Terms of the three-year deal weren't disclosed.

The deal will allow the game company to use Marvel characters in its Clout Fantasy games, where players throw poker-sized chips to score points.

Microsoft, Brown team up

Microsoft Corp. and Brown University are teaming up on a research center devoted to pen-based computing technology.

The Microsoft Center for Research on Pen-Centric Computing is the nation's first academic-research program devoted to this technology, Microsoft and Brown said in a joint statement.

Microsoft Research, a unit of Microsoft, will invest $1.2 million in the project over the next three years.

Corbis buys licensing company

Seattle image company Corbis said it's purchased Beateworks of Los Angeles for an undisclosed sum.

Beateworks is an online licensing company of photos of high-end homes, including photos of celebrities in their own houses.

Privately held Corbis was founded by Microsoft Corp. co-founder Bill Gates in 1989.

PopCap to open San Francisco studio

Computer game maker PopCap Games will open a game development studio in San Francisco.

The game provider also has development studios in Dublin, Ireland, and at its Seattle headquarters.

The San Francisco studio will initially be staffed with five people, with expansion to 15 people planned, PopCap said. The office will be headed by Dave Rohrl, formerly of Electronic Arts' casual games service, and it will be located in San Francisco's SoMa district.

Among PopCap's downloadable titles are "Bejeweled," "Zuma," and "Bookworm."

Zillow forms advisory board

Seattle-based Zillow.com announced the formation of a technical advisory board to provide independent advice on improving the technology and algorithms that support the company's online services for real estate consumers. Zillow launched its beta site in February 2006, offering consumers free, unbiased information and valuations on more than 60 million homes in the U.S.

The first members of Zillow's TAB are three leading computer scientists--Oren Etzioni, Hank Levy and Hanan Samet--whose combined accomplishments include research and practical developments in data mining, Internet search, distributed operating systems and spatial databases/geographic information systems (GIS).

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