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News

Google wants to ‘Get your folks online’ too, not just businesses

Get Your Folks Online

Google recently unveiled its program to help get Virginia businesses online, in an easy, free, and fast way with no catch and no cost.  It did something similar in Texas back in July after registering a number of ‘Get Online’ domains in June that covered all fifty states.

If all goes according to Google’s plans based on domain registrations, your parents will be able to get online for free, too.

Google purchased GetYourFolksonline.com, GetYourFolksonline.net, and GetYourFolksOnline.org on September 26, 2011.

While Google hasn’t announced anything official yet, it’s possible the program could be for helping your parents who have businesses.  Or, maybe Google wants you to help get your parents online to start using their social network Google+.

At the time of this story, the web addresses do not resolve to a page.

Following is the Whois record for Getyourfolksonline.com.

Registrant:
        DNS Admin
        Google Inc.
        1600 Amphitheatre Parkway
         Mountain View CA 94043
        US

    Domain Name: getyourfolksonline.com

        Registrar Name: Markmonitor.com
        Registrar Whois: whois.markmonitor.com

    Administrative Contact:
        DNS Admin
        Google Inc.
        1600 Amphitheatre Parkway
         Mountain View CA 94043
        US

    Technical Contact, Zone Contact:
        DNS Admin
        Google Inc.
        1600 Amphitheatre Parkway
         Mountain View CA 94043
        US

    Created on…………..: 2011-09-26.
    Expires on…………..: 2013-09-26.
    Record last updated on..: 2011-09-26.

Categories
News

Google reveals it got Chromebox.com via secret intermediary, launch imminent?

Chromebox

Google officially launched its Chrome OS laptops called Chromebooks on June 15, but there is still no official release date for its desktop version of the Chrome OS called Chromebox announced back in May.  Though Google did acquire several related domain names around Chromebook and Chromebox around the same time as Google I/O 2011, one name it didn’t own was Chromebox.com.

According to Whois records, Google acquired the domain Chromebox.com through MarkMonitor’s secret shell company Brand Certified Inc in August (price unknown).  Then on September 23, 2011, the registrant information was updated on Chromebox.com, revealing Google as the owner.

Is the update to the Whois record and transfer to Google’s domain servers a sign of an imminent launch?

Here’s a look at the Whois record.

Registrant:
        DNS Admin
        Google Inc.
        1600 Amphitheatre Parkway
         Mountain View CA 94043
        US
        
    Domain Name: chromebox.com

        Registrar Name: Markmonitor.com
        Registrar Whois: whois.markmonitor.com

    Administrative Contact:
        DNS Admin
        Google Inc.
        1600 Amphitheatre Parkway
         Mountain View CA 94043
        US

    Technical Contact, Zone Contact:
        DNS Admin
        Google Inc.
        1600 Amphitheatre Parkway
         Mountain View CA 94043
        US

    Created on…………..: 2003-05-17.
    Expires on…………..: 2013-06-01.
    Record last updated on..: 2011-09-23.

    Domain servers in listed order:

    ns2.google.com
    ns3.google.com
    ns4.google.com
    ns1.google.com

Image Credit: Engadget

Categories
News Video Games

Nintendo gains rights to SuperMario.com, more than 25 years after game’s release

Super Mario Bros.

It’s hard to believe it’s been over 25 years since Nintendo released Mario Bros. and Super Mario Bros.  In 2010, Super Mario Bros. celebrated its 25th anniversary.  But in all these years, Nintendo hasn’t owned the matching domain to one of the most beloved games of all time. 

That’s changed for 2011, as Nintendo has finally gained control of the domain name: SuperMario.com.

Back in early August, Nintendo filed a complaint with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO Case Number D2011-1348), however even though the case is still listed as active, it appears the case is closed as SuperMario.com is now registered to Nintendo of America Inc. as of September 25, 2011.

It’s possible WIPO’s online database has not been updated at the time of this story.  It’s also possible that Nintendo reached an agreement with the name’s previous owner before WIPO could review the case.  Of course, it’s even possible the owner fearing legal problems for hosting Super Mario games on the web address, simply turned over the name.

The company still doesn’t own SuperMarioBros.com, SuperMarioBrothers.com, MarioBros.com or MarioBrothers.com, but it does have a win with SuperMario.com.

Here’s a look at the updated Whois record.

Domain Name………. supermario.com
  Creation Date…….. 1996-02-24
  Registration Date…. 2011-09-25
  Expiry Date………. 2013-02-26
  Organisation Name…. Nintendo of America Inc.
  Organisation Address. 4600 150th Ave. N.E.
  Organisation Address.
  Organisation Address. Redmond
  Organisation Address. 98052
  Organisation Address. WA
  Organisation Address. UNITED STATES

Admin Name……….. Web Master
  Admin Address…….. 4600 150th Ave. N.E.
  Admin Address……..
  Admin Address…….. Redmond
  Admin Address…….. 98052
  Admin Address…….. WA
  Admin Address…….. UNITED STATES
  Admin Email……….
  Admin Phone………. +425.8822040
  Admin Fax………… +425.8823585

Discussion: Game Informer, Destructoid and Nintendo Life

Categories
News Video Games

PopCap planning to launch casino-style social games on Lucky Gem Casino

Lucky Gem Casino

A little over over a week ago, I wrote about PopCap Games registering over two dozen new domain names of many of its existing games.  The names included the words: casino, slots, and poker, such as bookwormcasino.com and bookwormslots.com. 

Included in the bunch was luckygemcasino.com, which now appears to be the name of PopCap’s Online Casino game destination, based not only on the fact that PopCap has filed a trademark application with the USPTO as of September 20th, but on the name change that took place in the past week to its Facebook PopCap Casino Page.

Originally, the page was called PopCap Casino (pictured below from early Sept.), now it’s be renamed to Lucky Gem Casino (as shown above).

PopCap Casino

Earlier this week PopCap filed a trademark with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (serial no. 85427495).

Here’s a look at the filing.

PopCap Games, Inc.

Address:
PopCap Games, Inc.
2401 4th Avenue, Suite 300
Seattle, WA 98121
United States
Legal Entity Type: Corporation
State or Country of Incorporation: Washington

GOODS AND/OR SERVICES

International Class: 041
Class Status: Active
Entertainment services, namely, providing online interactive, computer, video or electronic games; providing interactive, computer, video or electronic games through computer networks or television or other telecommunications networks; providing websites featuring content and information in the field of games, interactive game content, computer game content, video game content or electronic game content; providing temporary use of non-downloadable interactive games, computer games, video games or electronic games; providing temporary use of non-downloadable social networking games and social networking-related software applications
Basis: 1(b)
First Use Date: (DATE NOT AVAILABLE)
First Use in Commerce Date: (DATE NOT AVAILABLE)

International Class: 042
Class Status: Active
Creating an online community for registered users to participate in electronic discussions, chat, give and receive feedback, form virtual communities, engage in social networking, and post, retrieve, share and display data, information, messages, images and other digital media; creating an online community for game players for the purpose of connecting players and enabling game-related activities and competitions
Basis: 1(b)
First Use Date: (DATE NOT AVAILABLE)
First Use in Commerce Date: (DATE NOT AVAILABLE)

[Update 1 on February 21, 2012: PopCap Games unveiled the slot-based social game experience Lucky Gem Casino.  You can read the full press release here.]

Discussion: GeekWire

Categories
News Video Games

ModernWarfare3.com to re-direct to official MW3 web site, any day now

Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3 website

It’s good news for all the fans of the Call of Duty franchise. 

The domain name ModernWarfare3.com has transferred over to Activision’s domain server that hosts other names like CallofDuty.com, which likely means only one thing:  ModernWarfare3.com will finally resolve to the official MW3 website any day now.

Earlier in the week, Activision’s trademark attorneys at Millen, White, Zelano & Branigan, P.C, took official control of ModernWarfare3.com from Anthony Abraham following a dispute over the web address.

The transfer of the domain to Activision’s domain server occurred on Saturday, September 24, 2011.