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Disputes News WIPO

Busy month for Apple in domains, files dispute over AppleiPods.com and more

ipod

Apple has had a busy month in domain names, between winning a dispute over iPods.com and revealing itself as the owner of ApplePico.com, the company has continued its activities filing 12 more disputes over different domains including AppleiPods.com with the World Intellectual Property Organization, and even registering for the first time AppleClassiciPod.com.

In August the company filed the following disputes with WIPO.

Case Number D2011-1327: wwitunes.com, wwwitunes.com

Case Number D2011-1387: appleproductsonline.com

Case Number D2011-1388: applebigdiscount.com, applesdiscount.com, applessales.com, applestorewell.com 

Case Number D2011-1390: appleipods.com, iphhone.com, iphine.com, ipodhack.com, macbookpros.com

In addition to filing the domain disputes, the company registered AppleClassiciPod.com, a domain name that surprisingly had never been taken.

Here’s a look at the Whois record details for AppleClassiciPod.com.

Registrant:
        Apple Inc.
        Apple Inc.
        1 Infinite Loop
         Cupertino CA 95014
        US

Domain Name: appleclassicipod.com

        Registrar Name: Markmonitor.com
        Registrar Whois: whois.markmonitor.com
        Registrar Homepage: ‘http: //www.markmonitor.com

    Created on…………..: 2011-08-17.
    Expires on…………..: 2012-08-17.
    Record last updated on..: 2011-08-18.

Categories
News

Apple got ApplePico.com and 18 other names like iPodTouch.com at same time

iPod Touch

There is all sorts of speculation about what ApplePico.com will be after MacRumors noticed Apple Inc. made an update to the domain. 

The update to the domain name involved Apple removing the Whois privacy, thus revealing to the public that it owned the name.

Apple Pico rumors have ranged from a pico projector, to an “iPod Pico”, to other products and features.

Well, with some domain sleuthing and Whois research, a new iPod model called the “iPod Pico” seems more likely solely based on the domain activity that took place on the exact same day in September 2007 on MarkMonitor’s name server.

For the most part, there is one thing in common among the 18 other domains on the nameserver that day: iPod.

It’s important to point out that Apple newly registered ApplePico.com in late September 2007 after the name had deleted, along with dvbpodcast.com, eyepodblog.com, and eyepodtv.com that had also deleted from its registrar Domainsatcost.ca.  The company did not own ApplePico.com before that date according to Whois and Name Server history.

Here’s a look at the name server report for MarkMonitor published on September 28, 2007. 

Newly registered Apple domain names

Apple not only registered the 4 domain names above, at the same time it also transferred 15 other domain names (see below) from Domainsatcost.ca to the MarkMonitor server. 

It appears most (if not all)19 domains were previously registered to a Derek Nuhn of Canada.

Apple domains transferred in to MarkMonitor's name server

If you pore over the list of names, you’ll notice Apple acquired iPodTouch.com from Derek Nuhn weeks after its initial product launch.

So there you have it, more domain activity all taking place on the same day to add further speculation.

ApplePico.com may be destined for a pico projector, just as PVRApple.com may end up as a personal video recorder that offers Tivo-like recording for the Apple TV.  But as MacRumors first rumored, it could turn out to be the next iPod model.

If you recall, Apple recently won a domain dispute for iPods.com, so something bigger could be brewing.

Come September 7th when Apple holds its iPod event, we may finally know what is to become of ApplePico.com.

Categories
News

Apple personal video recorder? PVRApple.com emerges from privacy

Apple PVR

Since at least 2007, the domain name PVRApple.com has remained hidden behind Whois privacy through DNStination, Inc.

That all changed on July 29, 2011, when the registrant information switched to Apple Inc.

For years people have talked about an Apple PVR (personal video recorder) that offers Tivo-like recording, something the Apple TV has been lacking.

The update to PVRApple.com, could be a sign of things to come for the Apple TV or other Apple device. 

The URL currently re-directs visitors to Apple’s website.

Here’s a look at the Whois record:

Registrant:
        Apple Inc.
        Apple Inc.
        1 Infinite Loop
         Cupertino CA 95014
        US

    Domain Name: pvrapple.com

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

Created on…………..: 2006-05-06.
    Expires on…………..: 2012-05-06.
    Record last updated on..: 2011-07-29.

Discussion: MacRumors

Categories
Disputes News Technology WIPO

Apple wins dispute over iPods.com, domain name ordered transferred

iPod Shuffle

Updated August 1, 2011:  The full administrative panel decision has been posted online.

**

WIPO Panelist David Cairns has ruled in favor of Apple in a dispute over the domain name ipods.com.

Apple filed the complaint at the end of May with the World Intellectual Property Organization.

Although the company is known for paying millions of dollars for domain names, sometimes months after launching a product, it may be adopting a different approach by following the Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (the UDRP), which costs thousands not millions when it’s successful for a complainant.  

In the case of iCloud.com which captured technology news headlines, the company reportedly paid $4.5 million in late April for ownership of the domain name (along with others) from Swedish cloud computing company Xcerion, shortly before officially launching the service. 

But the days of Apple purchasing domain names for seven figures, like it did for iPhone.com from businessman Michael Kovatch months after it released the iPhone, might be gone.

Full details of the ruling in case no. D2011-0929 have not been posted yet, which would explain what led Panelist David Cairns to the decision of ordering ipods.com to be transferred to Apple.  

The decision was just issued this past Friday, on July 29, according to WIPO’s website.  When the full decision becomes available online, I will update this post.

Depending on the reasoning, this decision could prompt Apple to file dozens of disputes over web addresses it still doesn’t own such as iPad.com, iPads.com, Macs.com, iPhones.com, iPhone5.com and countless more.

Earlier this month, Apple acquired the domains iPhone4.com and WhiteiPhone.com for an undisclosed amount.

Discussion: Apple Insider, Chron.Com / TechBlog, iPodNN, Neowin.net, 9to5Mac, Network World, The Inquirer, Mashable, Geeky Gadgets, the Sociable and Techmeme

(Photo of iPod Shuffle Second Generation via Wikipedia)

Categories
News Technology

Apple acquires ‘leaked’ iPhone4.com domain name, still missing others

iphone4

Apple has officially acquired the domain name iPhone4.com, the fourth generation of its iPhone that was released in 2010.

The iPhone 4 has been one of Apple’s more controversial devices, after technology news site Gizmodo obtained a prototype of the smartphone before its release.

The Whois record for iPhone4.com switched from Whois Privacy Services to Apple Inc on July 11.

Registrant:
Apple Inc.
Apple Inc.
1 Infinite Loop
Cupertino CA 95014

Domain Name: iphone4.com

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

Administrative Contact:
Apple Inc.
Apple Inc.
1 Infinite Loop
Cupertino CA 95014
US

Created on…………..: 2006-08-11.
Expires on…………..: 2020-08-11.
Record last updated on..: 2011-07-11.

Apple may now own iPhone4.com, but according to registrant records the company still doesn’t own iPhone5.com, iPhone6.com, iPhone7.com, iPhone8.com… you get the idea.

Apple acquired iPhone.com for an undisclosed amount in 2007, which many speculate the company paid over $1 million to acquire the name.

This week Apple also acquired the domain name WhiteiPhone.com for an undisclosed amount.

Discussion: TechCrunch, Mac RumorsThe Washington Post, Cult of MacElliot’s Blog, Redmond PieUberGizmo, TNerd, DomainNameNews and InvestorPlace