Month: September 2011

Categories
News

Microsoft privately registers Microsoft Academic Platform domain names

Windows 8

Shortly after unveiling Windows 8 features in mid-September at the BUILD developer conference, Microsoft has privately registered domain names related to ‘Microsoft Academic Platform’ for a yet-to-be-released product.

On September 20, 2011, the company registered four web addresses including: MicrosoftAcademicPlatform.com, MicrosoftAcademicPlatform.net, MsAcademicPlatform.com and MsAcademicPlatform.net.

In early September, I wrote about how Microsoft privately registered several Advertising on Windows 8 domain names, several days before the company made an announcement that it was planning an ad platform for Windows 8 apps.

While Microsoft has an Academic Search and other academic type services and products, one can only imagine that Microsoft has separate plans to launch a new Microsoft Academic Platform.

Here’s a look at the Whois record for MicrosoftAcademicPlatform.com.  Although the owner’s name is hidden, it’s registered to DNstination Inc., the Whois privacy service provided by brand protection company MarkMonitor, where its own microsoft.com is registered.

Registrant:
        Domain Administrator
        DNStination Inc.
        303 Second Street  Suite 800N
         San Francisco CA 94107
        US

    Domain Name: microsoftacademicplatform.com

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

    Administrative Contact:
        Domain Administrator
        DNStination Inc.
        303 Second Street  Suite 800N
         San Francisco CA 94107
        US

Categories
News Video Games

Zynga uses a defensive buying strategy for Mafia Wars 2 domain names

Mafia Wars 2

As Zynga announced Mafia Wars 2, it went on a buying spree of Mafia Wars 2 domain names, registering over 75 web addresses on September 20, through the registrar MarkMonitor.

The domains range from MafiaWars2Android.com to MafiaWars2iPad.com, and MafiaWars2sucks.com to BoneyardTokens.com.

Because of the sheer number of names registered, I have listed them separately here.

In early September, Zynga went on a similar buying spree for Kingdoms and Quests domains.

Zynga does own MafiaWars2.com, which is official web site of the sequel to Mafia Wars.  Like many of its domain names, it’s registered at MarkMonitor, a brand protection company regularly used by many large companies.

Discussion: Inside Social Games and TechCrunch

Categories
News

AOL launching more than just NVibe; MapQuest network ‘MQVibe’ added to mix

MapQuest Vibe

Last week I wrote about AOL’s rumored plans to launch a neighborhood social networking site called NVibe, after I found that AOL had filed a number of related trademarks and domains around the terms ‘NVibe’ and ‘Neighborhood Vibe’.   

Now, it looks like AOL may have bigger plans for its so-called Vibe network, this time with a MapQuest service called: MQVibe.

Not only has AOL owned the domain names MQVibe.com  and MapQuestVibe.com since July 2011 (both of which re-direct to mapquest.com), this week AOL Inc. filed four  trademarks applications for MQVibe with the United States Patent and Trademark Office.

Here’s a quick look at each of the trademarks, which are similar to the NVibe filings.

Serial Number: 85424935
Providing information and news in the field of local business

Serial Number: 85424931
Providing geographic information, destination information, interactive maps, and driving directions via computer and communications networks; Providing information, news, and commentary in the field of travel via computer and communications networks

Serial Number: 85424926
Providing a website that enables users to connect with people in a particular neighborhood or city; Providing user-defined content and content of others selected and customized based on the known or estimated geographical location of users

Serial Number: 85424918
Online social networking services; online local and community social networking services

Categories
News

Sony Music registers MusicGifter.com, plans to launch music gifting service?

Music Gifter

This holiday season you may be able to give and receive music as gifts through Sony’s MusicGifter.com.

On September 20, Sony Music Entertainment registered the domain name MusicGifter.com for a yet-be-announced project.

There are music gifting options online already available, for example, you can give an receive gifts through Amazon’s MP3 store.

Back in August, Streaming music service Rdio launched two new music gifting options – physical gift cards and online credits, as reported by TechCrunch.

At the time of this posting, MusicGifter.com does not resolve to a web site.

Here’s a look at the Whois record.

Registrant:
        Domain Administrator
        Sony Music Entertainment
        550 Madison Ave. 
         New York ny 10022
        US
    
    Domain Name: musicgifter.com

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

    Administrative Contact:
        Domain Administrator
        Sony Music Entertainment
        550 Madison Ave. 
         New York ny 10022
        US

    Technical Contact, Zone Contact:
        Domain Administrator
        Sony Music Entertainment
        550 Madison Ave. 
         New York ny 10022
        US

Categories
Disputes National Arbitration Forum News

Anthony Hopkins wins domain name dispute over siranthonyhopkins.com

Anthony Hopkins

The National Arbitration Forum has ordered the domain name siranthonyhopkins.com transferred to the actor Anthony Hopkins.

On August 10, 2011, a complaint was submitted to the National Arbitration Forum against Pablo Palermo who had first registered the domain back in 2001, according to the complaint.  

The panelist, Honorable Paul A. Dorf (Ret.), ruled in favor of Anthony Hopkins after finding the domain name identical and/or confusingly similar to the Anthony Hopkins mark, that Pablo Palermo had no rights or legitimate interests, and the domain name had been registered and was being used in bad faith.

As Kevin Murphy of Domain Incite pointed out when the dispute was first filed in August, Anthony Hopkins was knighted in 1993 and he is the third celebrity to win his “Sir” domain at UDRP.

In August 2010, Anthony Hopkins won control of anthonyhopkins.com, also at the National Arbitration Forum.  Today, the domain name anthonyhopkins.com resolves to a parked page that displays third-party sponsored listings.

You can read the details of the decision here: Claim Number: FA1108001402710