Month: October 2011

Categories
Disputes News Technology WIPO

Apple files domain name dispute over AppleStores.com, UsedMacs.com

Apple Store

Apple’s legal department has been keeping busy in 2011, filing a new domain name dispute with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) over five names which belong to the same owner: Wachter Consulting Inc.

A total of ten cases have been filed by Apple Inc in 2011 going back to January, when Apple filed a complaint over aplle.com and won.

The domains involved in the latest dispute (WIPO case number: D2011-1866) include: applestores.com, imacstore.com, macdaily.com, mactimes.com, and usedmacs.com.

Wachter Consulting Inc. owns over 6,000 domains including web addresses like LAClippers.com and VintCerf.com.  The company has been a respondent in disputes in the past, which involved mercede.com and matériel.net.  In both disputes, Wachter Consulting Inc. won. 

This time however, it may prove difficult for Wachter Consulting to hold on to their ‘Apple’ names.

Apple has been having success all year long and in recent disputes, winning AppleiPods.com and iPods.com, among many notable web addresses it has filed complaints over.

Apple currently has three cases open with WIPO, which involve names like appleproductsonline.com, applebigdiscount.com, applesdiscount.com, applessales.com, and applestorewell.com.

One case it surprisingly hasn’t filed in 2011, is that of iPhone4S.com. 

Apple fans expecting to learn more about the iPhone 4S, are currently greeted by a not-so-safe-for-work surprise when typing in the web address iPhone4S.com into their browser.

I wrote about the NSFW site back in mid July after a leaked photo of a rumored iPhone 4GS turned up on Weibo. 

One would expect a domain dispute to follow soon.

(Photo of Apple Computer — Apple Store, Michigan Avenue (Chicago) via TonyTheTiger)

Categories
News Technology

Google quietly reveals GOMO, a service that mobilizes your site [UPDATED]

Google GOMO

gomo

Early in September, I wrote about Google registering the domain names Howtogomo.com, Howtogomo.net, and Howtogomo.org, and I wondered why the search engine giant went out and bought the web addresses.

Well, it looks like we finally know why.

Although currently ‘Access Restricted’, Howtogomo.com has been launched on the web this week and it appears to be a service that allows visitors to get mobile-friendly versions of websites.

Unless you know the correct password, when you click the Preview button, you’ll receive an ‘Incorrect Password’ message.

While a service like this is nothing new, demand and competition is growing. 

Google already has a similar service called ‘Google Mobile Optimizer’ found at  google.com/gwt/n, however it’s very limited in features.

[Updated, Nov. 1, 10:05am EST:  Google has now made the website public, as shown in the picture below.  However, you may encounter an “Over Quota” error and have to try again later. 

According to the Agency Guide that can be downloaded from the website, the initiative is designed to educate businesses about the mobile opportunity and empower them to build mobile-friendly sites.  A web tool called the GoMoMeter shows you how your current site looks on a smartphone, and provides a free report with personalized recommendations.]

Discussion: ReadWriteWeb, Techmeme, PC Magazine, Betabeat, Search Engine Land, Softpedia, Press-Register, 9to5Google and CNET

Categories
News

Is Tumblr working on a secret yet-to-be-revealed project called Seltzer?

Tumblr Seltzer

Tumblr is continuing its rise in the social media ranks, with milestones such as President Obama’s campaign for 2012 experimenting with the platform.

Now, it appears Tumblr is getting ready to roll out something new called Seltzer.

Several private domain name registrations were made this week through the brand protection and domain management company MarkMonitor, that hint at something new like TumblrSeltzer.com.

The domain registrations include seltzertumblr.com, tumblrseltzer.com, getseltzer.com, and even tumblrsupply.com.

While Tumblr Inc has a record of using Register.com to purchase domain names, it may be using MarkMonitor in hopes of keeping future projects a secret until they are officially released.  MarkMonitor is used by several of the social media heavyweights including Google and Facebook.

Discussion: SocialTimes.com

Categories
Movies News

Looks like Paramount’s Paranormal Activity 4, 5, and 6, headed for big screen

Paranormal Activity 3

Paranormal Activity 3

With the massive success of the Paranormal Activity franchise, it’s no surprise that Paramount is eyeing at least three more films in the supernatural horror film series.

While it could be nothing more than defensive domain registrations, this week, Paramount has gone out and registered several names like Paranormalmovie4.com, Paranormalmovie5.com, and Paranormalmovie6.com.

The list of newly registered domain names includes:

paranormalactivity5movie.com
paranormalactivity6movie.com
paranormalmovie4.com
paranormalmovie5.com
paranormalmovie6.com

Although the owner of the names remains hidden behind WHOIS privacy, all of the web addresses were registered through MarkMonitor, well-reputed for its internet brand protection services provided to companies like Google. 

Paramount Pictures already registered paranormalactivity4movie.com through MarkMonitor in early December 2010.

Though Paramount Pictures hasn’t officially confirmed a Paranormal Activity 4, 5, or 6, considering the films have been one of the best investments in movie studio history, you can guarantee Paramount is already thinking forward to October 2012.

Categories
News

Google registers ‘Maps Matter’ domain names

Maps Matter

With changes being released for Google Maps like business interiors in Street View, it appears an online marketing campaign might be in store for the search engine giant.

On October 28, 2011, Google registered a handful of domains like MapsMatter.com and WhyMapsMatter.com.

While neither MapsMatter.com nor WhyMapsMatter.com resolve to a web page as of yet, given the timing of the registrations coinciding with enhancements to Street View and the plug being pulled on unlimited access to its API, it’s safe to say Google is planning to unveil something soon on the new web addresses.

Here’s a look at the WHOIS record for MapsMatter.com, registered through the brand protection company MarkMonitor.

Registrant:
        DNS Admin
        Google Inc.
        1600 Amphitheatre Parkway
         Mountain View CA 94043
        US
 
    Domain Name: mapsmatter.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…………..: 2011-10-28.
    Expires on…………..: 2013-10-28.
    Record last updated on..: 2011-10-28.

Google also registered mapsmatter.org and whymapsmatter.org.