Tag: Sony

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Featured News Video Games

Sony spends a few thousand dollars for TaketheOath.com as PS4 launch date nears [UPDATED]

PlayStation 4

PlayStation 4

In a little less than 2 weeks on November 15, Sony will launch the PlayStation 4 (PS4) in North America.

Despite everything that’s going on at the company, Sony Computer Entertainment America LLC for some reason acquired the domain name TakeTheOath.com.

According to WHOIS records, the name switched hands this week from its previous owner to Sony.

It’s anyone’s guess what “Take the Oath” will be.  At the time of this story, there is no website present at taketheoath.com.

In early October, TakeTheOath.com had been listed for sale for $2,988 through Rare Names (aka BuyDomains).

TakeTheOath.com domain for sale

“Take the Oath” could be for anything like marketing of an upcoming Sony video game, but for now, it’s all just speculation.

On a separate but related note, Sony has been adding more names to its portfolio lately, but one name still noticeably missing is PlayStation4.com.  In July 2013, Microsoft became the first company to secure the matching dotcom domain of its next-generation video game console.

Currently, Playstation4.com re-directs visitors to a video game website that covers PlayStation news.  The name is still not owned by Sony according to WHOIS records.

UPDATE 1:. The Take The Oath website is now live at http://playstation.taketheoath.com/.  The website is being used to market Killzone Shadow Fall.  A message on the website says, “What will you sacrifice for peace? On 11/15/13 find out for yourself. Take the Shadow Marshal oath and, using the PS4™ share button, create your very own custom gameplay trailer. Like Killzone Shadow Fall on Facebook to be notified when you can Take the Oath.”  You can watch the trailer below.

Talking about this story: PlayStation LifeStyle and GameSpot

(Image via playstation.com)

Categories
Movies News Video Games

Sony Pictures registers a slew of ‘Console War’ movie domain names

Playstation 4 PS4 concept

The next generation of console wars between Nintendo, Sony, and Microsoft is set to begin as all three manufacturers are due to release a new console in the near future.  Nintendo plans to release the Wii U in 2012, while the PlayStation 4 and Xbox 720 are expected in 2013.  Adding to the “war of consoles”, Sony Pictures has registered several domain names this week like ConsoleWarmovie.com (Whois) and TheConsoleWarmovie.com (Whois).

Could ‘Console War’ actually be a movie or just a creative marketing video promoting the Playstation 4?

What hints that this is more than just a video, is the names were all registered by Sony Pictures Entertainment, the television and film production/distribution unit of Sony.  The names weren’t registered by Sony Computer Entertainment, the video game company.

Either way, there doesn’t appear to be any news coming out of Sony on the subject, but Sony Pictures Entertainment has picked up well over a dozen names.

Each domain was registered on August 23, 2012, through the brand protection company MarkMonitor.

The full list includes:

console-war.net
console-warmovie.com
console-wars.net
console-warsmovie.com
consolewar-movie.com
consolewar-movie.net
consolewar.net
consolewarmovie.com
consolewars-movie.com
consolewars-movie.net
consolewarsmovie.com
theconsolewar-movie.com
theconsolewar-movie.net
theconsolewar.net
theconsolewarmovie.com
theconsolewars-movie.com
theconsolewars-movie.net
theconsolewarsmovie.com

At the time of this story, none of the domains resolve to a web page.

Talking about this story: Kotaku, Screen Rant, Collider.com, /Film, G4tv, Digital Spy, IGN, Tapscape, Game Informer, GameZone, Push Square, gamona.de, games.on.net, NU.nl, I Am Rogue.com, 411mania.com, WorstPreviews.com, The Escapist, OnlineWelten.com, Side Mission (blog), Techzine, Spong, Joystiq, Le Journal du Geek and VG247

(Image of Playstation 4 concept by Tai Chiem)

Categories
News Video Games

Xbox720.com owner redirects domain to US PlayStation 3 website [UPDATED]

Xbox 720

Xbox 720

Update 2 on Feb. 24 at 8:16pm Est: Jeremiah Germany has commented on the story by e-mail.  Jeremiah wrote, “Yes, I still do own the domain.  I switched to namecheap after the godaddy SOPA fiasco, which came with free Whois Privacy.  Yesterday I was testing the redirect with namecheap.  Apparently more than my friends saw the joke; it doesn’t get a lot of hits. I believe you asked me earlier, No, Microsoft hasn’t approached me.”

Update 1 on Feb. 23 at 2:52pm Est: Xbox720.com has stopped forwarding to the US Playstation 3 site.  The web address now sends visitors to a different site operated by Jeremiah Germany (the apparent owner of Xbox720.com), in an obvious ploy to get attention for his site.   Jeremiah has not responded to a request for comment.  I e-mailed Jeremiah earlier today when this story was first posted.

Original story on Feb. 23 at 3:27am Est: It appears the owner of the domain Xbox720.com is none too happy with Microsoft or simply playing an online joke.

As of today, type the web address into your browser and you’ll be redirected to the US PlayStation 3 site (us.playstation.com/ps3).

It’s unknown what prompted the change.  Previously, the domain was monetized using the Google Adsense for Domains program, which Google announced only yesterday would be shut down by mid-April.

Last year we saw a similar case of a web address being redirected to a rival’s site with ModernWarfare3.com, when the disgruntled owner of the domain name sent visitors to the official website of Electronic Arts’ Battlefield 3, Activision’s competitor.  The redirect of ModernWarfare3.com was short-lived as Activision moved swiftly to get the domain name by filing a complaint with the National Arbitration Forum.

As I wrote about in November, neither Sony, Nintendo, nor Microsoft own the domains for their next consoles.

Xbox720.com was registered to a Jeremiah Germany of New York as late as November 2011, but the contact information became protected after going into Whois Privacy in December.

Since first being registered, Xbox720.com has been host to a number of different sites ranging from a Les Paul guitars site in 2006 to a Google Custom Search page in 2008.   In 2009 the site began earning money using Google Adsense for Domains.

I’ve reached out to the most recent owner on record for more information, and will update this story if I hear back.

I’d imagine the redirect will not last long.

Discussion: N4G, Joystiq, Gameranx, Myona News and Bölüm Sonu Canavarı

(Image of Xbox 720 concept by ~djeric on deviantART)

Categories
News Technology Trademarks

Sony files trademark for “Xperia Sola” smartphone with USPTO [UPDATED]

Sony Xperia Sola

Sony Xperia Sola

Sony may have revealed what the ‘S’ stands for in its new Xperia S smartphone expected to be released in March.

On January 30, 2012, Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications AB filed a trademark application for “Xperia Sola”. 

‘Sola’ means ‘alone’ or ‘only’ in English.

The goods and services covered in the filing (Serial Number: 85528680) include mobile phones and accessories.

In early January, Sony introduced four new smartphones at CES 2012: the Xperia Ion, the Xperia NX, the Xperia Acro HD, and of course the Xperia S, Sony’s first smartphone in the next generation series.

If the ‘Xperia Sola’ is actually a different device other than the ‘Xperia S’, Sony hasn’t made any official announcement at the time of this story. 

So, I guess we’ll have to wait and see.

[Updated March 14, 2012:. Sony has launched the Xperia Sola with ‘floating touch,’ NFC, 3.7-inch Reality Display, and Android 2.3.]

Discussion: MobileSyrup.com, tweakers.net, Gizmodo, AndroidAppTests, Phandroid, Electronista, MobiFrance, Geeky Gadgets and Xperia Blog

Categories
News Technology Trademarks

Next Sony Ericsson smartphone may be named Xperia Ion according to trademark

Xperia Ion

Xperia Ion

The Sony Ericsson LT28at, that is described as an Xperia “super phone”, may have a name according to a recent trademark filing with the United States Patent and Trademark Office.

On December 13, Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications AB filed a trademark for “Xperia Ion”. 

The goods and services covered under the application (Serial Number: 85493863) include nothing more than mobile phones, similar to its trademark filings for the Xperia Play and Xperia Arc.

Earlier this month a number of sites reported that Sony will likely unveil its new Xperia smartphones at CES 2012.  CES 2012 is taking place in Las Vegas, from January 10-13, 2012.  The Xperia Arc, one of the newest models in the Xperia line, was revealed at CES 2011.

Discussion: The Next Web, Phandroid, Ubergizmo, Xperia Blog, Mobile Syrup, Geeky Gadgets, Le Journal du Geek, AndroidOS.in, Mobile Bulgaria, Phone Arena and Unwired View

[Update 1 on January 9, 2012: Sony Ericsson and AT&T announced the LTE-powered Sony Xperia Ion, the first Sony-branded smartphone.]

(Image of Xperia Arc via Sony Ericsson)