Brussels, Belgium - French-language newspapers in Belgium have reached a truce of sorts with Google, and will allow the search engine to once again link to their websites, but talks fell short of an agreement that would return their articles to Google News, the Associated Press reported. [more..]

Warren, N.J. - Virgin Mobile USA, a mobile virtual network operator joint venture between U.K. billionaire Richard Branson's Virgin Group and Sprint Nextel, has filed to raise up to $100 million in an initial public offering on the NYSE. [more..]

Redmond, Wash. - Microsoft announced on Thursday that it will acquire ScreenTonic, a Paris-based provider of mobile advertising technology. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed. [more..]

Seattle - RealNetworks, a provider of media delivery technology and subscription services, said it saw an 18% increase in digital music revenue in the first quarter of 2007, to $34.1 million, ending the period with a total of 2.67 million subscribers, up from 1.57 million a year ago. [more..]

San Jose, Calif. - Adobe Systems, the maker of Web publishing software, said on Thursday that it will acquire Novato, Calif.-based Scene7, a developer of rich media delivery services. [more..]

Santa Monica, Calif. - Video game publisher Activision said on Thursday that it expects to record a charge of $67 million to account for errors in its stock option granting practices from 1994-2006. [more..]

Redwood City, Calif. - Frengo, a mobile social network, announced on Thursday that it has raised $5.7 million in its first round of venture capital financing, led by Trilogy Equity Partners. [more..]

Bangalore, India - Minglebox, a social networking site in India, has raised $7 million in funding from Sequoia Capital India, contentSutra reported. [more..]

Santa Barbara, Calif. - IntroNetworks, a developer of online social networks for businesses, has raised $2.7 million in its first round of funding, led by Adobe Systems. [more..]

El Segundo, Calif. - Satellite TV provider DirecTV on Thursday announced the retail launch of what it says is the world's first portable satellite TV system, DirecTV Sat-Go, which is available to DirecTV customers for $1,499. The briefcase-like device includes a 17-inch LCD monitor with integrated satellite receiver and a flat antenna, and when not in use on-the-go can be used as an additional in-home receiver. [more..]

Foster City, Calif. - Sony Computer Entertainment America announced on Thursday the creation of a new intellectual property licensing team, designed to increase awareness of the company's brands and characters and to expand collaborations with new and existing business partners. The company named Shelly Gayner to head the new unit, which will license first-party game characters for merchandise and entertainment products, as well as peripherals and accessories for all PlayStation platforms. [more..]

Milpitas, Calif. - Consumer electronics firm Creative on Thursday introduced a new line of tiny, colorful MP3 players that aim to compete with Apple's iPod Shuffle. The $39 Creative ZEN Stone 1GB player, set for release on May 14, is available in black, white, red, blue, pink and green. [more..]

Potomac, Md. - Looking to target the ever-growing population of serious bloggers and podcasters, Larstan Publishing said that it has launched a new monthly trade magazine, believed to be the first publication to launch simultaneously in print, digital and podcast formats. The Maryland-based company said that Blogger & Podcaster Magazine will include news, features, tips and profiles written for and by those who use the thriving online media. Despite an initial circulation of just 20,000, publisher Larry Genkin projects the publication's readership to reach 250,000 in the next year. [more..]

Washington - The Newseum, a 250,000-square-foot news museum scheduled to open near the National Mall in October, said that it has received a $5 million pledge from Robert H. and Clarice Smith to sponsor its Big Screen Theater. The 3,500-square-foot theater, which will bear the Smiths' name in recognition of their gift, will present historic newscasts, original documentaries and breaking news on a 100-foot-long video wall. [more..]

New York - Sona Mobile on Thursday launched its Sona Media Platform, which delivers "push media" streaming video and other content to BlackBerry and other wireless devices in the background, notifying users when it is available for playback. New York-based Sona said the platform supports SMS, WAP, SMTP, BES/MDS and e-mail. [more..]

San Rafael, Calif. - Game publisher LucasArts has announced plans to publish "Fracture," an original third-person shooter title for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, in the summer of 2008. Developed by Day 1 Studios, the game will feature weapons -- like "tectonic grenades" -- that reshape the game's environment to fit the player's goal. [more..]

Burbank, Calif. - Disney Interactive Studios announced on Thursday that it will release two games on the Xbox Live Arcade online game service for Xbox 360 in connection with the 25th anniversary of its classic film, "Tron." Developed by Backbone Charlottetown, "Tron" and "Discs of Tron" -- both classic arcade titles -- will be available in their original form and in enhanced versions on Xbox Live Arcade this summer. [more..]

Cambridge, England - U.K.-based game developer Jagex said on Thursday that its "RuneScape" massively multiplayer online roleplaying game has now surpassed one million subscribers. The game claims subscribers in the U.S., U.K., Canada, Australia and Scandinavia; Jagex also recently launched a German-language beta of RuneScape. [more..]

Timonium, Md. - Developer Big Huge Games said on Thursday that it has signed a deal to create a new roleplaying game for publisher THQ, slated for release in 2009 for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and the PC. Ken Rolston, the lead designer of Big Huge Games, most recently worked on "Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion," which topped North American and European sales charts after debuting in March 2006. [more..]

New York - Game publisher Take-Two Interactive's 2K Sports label said on Thursday that it has signed St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Albert Pujols to serve as the cover athlete for its "The BIGS" title, set for release in the summer. The game will be available for Nintendo Wii, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 2 and the PSP. [more..]