Monthly Archives: February 2012

Tue 21st February 2012
Written by The Domains in EN and tagged
FCC Commissioner Warns Of Treaty That Would Move Control Over Domains From ICANN To The UN & Worse - In a op-ed piece written by Robert M. McDowell who is a commissioner of the Federal Communications Commission for the New York Times Today, Mr. McDowell warns of an international movement afoot to give take control to regulate the domain name system away from ICANN and the US and hand it over to the United Nations. As the NYT story is by subscription only we can’t quote much from the story but we will highlight a few quotes: “”On Feb. 27, a diplomatic process will begin in Geneva that could ... read more ...
 
Written by The Domains in EN and tagged
Over 225,000 Domain Names Are On Godaddy Owned SPAM-AND-ABUSE.COM, Like JotForm.com Was - In reading one of the many stories about Jotform.com the site whose domain was seized and then returned by the Government for reasons still unexplained and therefore unknown reasons last week. I came across the servers SPAM-AND-ABUSE.COM on which the domain name Jotform.com was placed on a few days ago and then removed from on Friday. According to DailyChanges.com, There are currently over 225,000 domain names on the servers SPAM-AND-ABUSE.COM (you might also see the servers listed as ns1.suspended-for.spam-and-abuse.com) The ... read more ...
 
Written by DomainNameWire in EN and tagged
iPhone4Settlement.com typo already squatted on - Soon-to-be-busy web site already attracting cybersquatters. 25 million people will soon be sent an email telling them to go to iPhone4Settlement.com. And someone has already typosquatted it. iPhone4Settlement.com is the URL selected by Kurtzman Carson Consultants to manage the claims process for a proposed settlement with Apple over antennae problems when it released the iPhone 4. The web address has been featured in countless mainstream articles over the past 24 ... read more ...
 
Written by DomainNameWire in EN
What should we do about a DNW survey? - I need your help. I have a problem and want your opinion. I’ve been running the Domain Name Wire Survey for seven years. It asks people for their opinions on the state of the domain industry and which service providers are best. The survey was never scientific, but the results seemed to jive with reality. Yet last year social media campaigns by service providers started to skew the results. This year it went to a whole new level with some companies you’ve never ... read more ...
 
Written by DomainNameWire in EN
Melbourne IT to work on during slightest 120 new tip turn domain applications - Company assisting applicants on at least 120 new TLD applications. Melbourne IT has disclosed that it already has 120 new top level domain applications it is working on as of February 14. It expects that number to hit 150 by the end of the application period in April. The disclosure was made in the company’s annual financial presentation. Melbourne IT’s Digital Brand Services division saw revenue grow to $6.2M AUS in the second half of 2011, which it credits to ... read more ...
 
Written by DomainNameWire in EN and tagged
Twitter takes down fraud domain Twittter.com - Arbitrator orders Twitter.com domain name typo that mimics popular site to be transferred to Twitter. A World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) arbitration panel has ordered the Twitter typo Twittter.com (with three t’s) be transferred to Twitter. The domain name should be transferred within ten days. It’s no wonder Twitter was upset about this domain name. It currently resolves to a page on SocialRewardCentral.com that mimics the look and feel of Twitter: Users ... read more ...
Mon 20th February 2012
Written by The Domains in EN and tagged
Guest Post By Paul Keating On UDRP’s: “Why Panel Certification is Important” The Case Of HardwareResources.Org - This Guest Post was written by Paul Raynor Keating, Esq.[1] one of the preeminent attorney’s practicing in the domain industry.  Paul has handled many UDRP’s and had some thoughts about a recent UDRP involving the domain name HardwareResources.org. We are publishing the post unedited: “”Although the UDRP has functioned for over a decade, the evidence continues to mount in favor of a certification process so all can be assured that panelists have the proper legal knowledge and address claims ... read more ...
 
Written by The Domains in EN and tagged
CentralNic Chosen To Handle The New gTLD; .MLS - According to a press release we received this morning, “”MLS Domains Association, a non-profit association of U.S. multiple listing services, has selected CentralNic Ltd. as its registry back-end service provider for the new .MLS top-level domain. “” “The Association concluded a due diligence process late in 2011 and executed the contract with CentralNic this month.” “With so many top-notch providers to choose from, we opted for CentralNic because of its successful experience with novel ... read more ...
 
Written by The Domains in EN
If You Don’t Understand The Value of Domain Names, Maybe You Will Understand Taxi Medallions - Last week Miami-Dade County auctioned off six new taxicab medallions and bidders paid record prices to get one. The story was covered by Local10.com the local ABC affiliate in South Florida. “The least expensive medallion was purchased with bid of $312,000; the most expensive fetched $431,000.” The minimum bid was $140,000, the price the last Medallion was sold at. “It’s insanity,” said Joel Barbanell, president of Flamingo Taxi in Miami, who, as a taxi company owner, was not allowed to ... read more ...
 
Written by DomainNameWire in EN and tagged
Domain Guardians adds domain sales newsletter as it increases brokerage activity - Domain Guardians sees increased demand for domain brokerage. Domain Guardians has added a domain sales newsletter to its mix. The company, founded in part by former Fabulous employees Mike Robertson and Jen Sale, has increased its brokerage activity lately. Last year it sold eSignature.com for $150,000. Domain Guardians’ primary product is estate planning and management for domain name owners. But it has expanded its offerings based on the skillset of Robertson ... read more ...
 
Written by DomainNameWire in EN
SXSW only a few weeks away - Domain companies among those coming to Austin for big tech event. South By Southwest (SXSW) is coming to Austin March 9-18, and plenty of domain name companies will be in attendance. SXSW is actually a series of conferences: interactive, film, and music. The interactive festival attracts tech startup people, along with all of the big tech companies. Last year’s official attendance was 19,364 at the interactive (SXSWi) fest, although unofficial attendance is about ... read more ...
Sun 19th February 2012
Written by The Domains in EN and tagged
Demand Media Plans On Investing $5 Million In New gTLD’s - As part of Demand Media’s earning report, it appears Demand Media has plans for applying for a number of new gTLD’s. In the section of the earnings report “looking forward” to 2012 to serve as guidance to investors of the company’s Demand states: “”Excluding up to $5 million of 2012 operating expenses, which the Company expects to incur related to its generic Top Level Domain (“gTLD”) initiative” Demand Media did not address its $5 Million dollars anticipated investment in the ... read more ...
 
Written by DomainNameWire in EN and tagged
Ashley Madison targets mobile domain - Affairs dating site wants control of AshleyMadison.mobi. I guess if you’re in to cheating on your spouse, it’s probably best to look at dating listings on your mobile phone rather than your home computer. Avid Life Media Inc., the company behind affair personals site Ashley Madison, has filed a UDRP complaint to get the domain name AshleyMadison.mobi. The domain is owned by someone in China. The registrant has listed the domain for sale on Sedo with an asking ... read more ...
Sat 18th February 2012
Written by The Domains in EN and tagged
Marchex Reports Earnings: Sells $2.3 Million In Domains In 4th Q and $9.4 Million in 2011 - Marchex, Inc. (NASDAQ:MCHX) reported its results for the quarter ended December 31, 2011, on Thursday after the market closed. Shares of March fell over 5% on Friday following the earnings report to close at $4.80 a share, giving the company a lower market cap, once again, than the $165 million dollar purchase of the domain name portfolio of Yung Yee. According to the earnings report Marchex sold during the fourth quarter, $2.3 million in  domain names and sold $9.4 million for 2011 Here are the ... read more ...
Fri 17th February 2012
Written by The Domains in EN
FishTrack.com A Domain Bought For $2,995 From Afternic & Launced Today By The Leader In The Biz - Back in October the domain name FishTrack.com sold on Afternic.com for $2,995. Today according to a Press Release, “Surfline/Wavetrak, Inc., the world leader in surf and marine forecasting and international editorial content has just released a new website, Fishtrack.com, that offers the latest sea surface imaging with global wind and swell forecasting capabilities in an easy to use layered interface.” “High resolution Sea Surface Temperature (SST) and Chlorophyll images are key to offshore ... read more ...
 
Written by The Domains in EN and tagged
Web.com Owner Of Network Solutions & Register.com Reports - Web.com Group, Inc. (Nasdaq:WWWW), announced results for the fourth quarter and full year ended December 31, 2011 yesterday after the market closed. Web.com owns Register.com and purchased NetworkSolutions.com last year. Shares rose over 2% in aftermarket trading last night after the earnings were announced Summary of Fourth Quarter 2011 Financial Results: Total revenue, calculated in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP), was $73.6 million for the fourth quarter of ... read more ...
 
Written by DomainNameWire in EN
Amazon buys Prime.xxx domain name - Prime.xxx registered by Amazon.com. Amazon.com has picked up the domain name Prime.xxx, an interesting (likely defensive) domain name registration. The company’s Amazon Prime program has millions of members. It started out offering free two day shipping for $79 a year. It has since added additional benefits, such as unlimited streaming of a large video library. So why Prime.xxx? It’s probably just a defensive registration. It prevents someone from starting a streaming ... read more ...
 
Written by DomainNameWire in EN and tagged
An vast UDRP case - Cases shouldn’t be heard if they’re this bad. So this guy William (Bill) Robert Johnson forms a company called Aahara Enterprises Pty. He registers the domain aahara.com on October 3, 2011 for his business. But he also wants Ahara.com, and tries to buy it from the owner. The owner’s last name is Hara, and the owner’s sister is Asuka Hara (A. Hara). The owner registered the domain over a decade ago. Negotiations to buy the domain don’t go to Johnson’s liking ... read more ...
Thu 16th February 2012
Written by The Domains in EN and tagged
Demand Media Reports A Loss: Content Revenue Up 15%; Registrar Revenue Up 17% & Has $86 Million In The Bank - Demand Media (NYSE: DMD) reported its earnings for the 4th quarter of 2011 after the market closed today. Shares of Demand are up over 2% in after hours trading, but fell almost 5% in trading today. Q4 2011 Content Media revenue ex-TAC grew 15% year-over-year and increased 5% compared to the third quarter of 2011. The 5% sequential improvement represented the second consecutive quarter of accelerating sequential growth and included the return to sequential growth for eHow for the first time since ... read more ...
 
Written by The Domains in EN
Sedo Changing TOS & Will Allow Buyers To Put A Bid On A Buy It Now Price Domain Lower Than BIN - I just received an email from Sedo.com which is announcing a change to their Terms Of Service effective a month from today on March 16th, 2012. “””We have published revised versions of our policies and User Agreement, including updates to our Rules for Domain Parkers, which will affect your Sedo account.” “We have also published a new Domain Parking Terms and Conditions page. These new Terms and Conditions collectively take effect on March 16, 2012.” “”Notable changes to these documents ... read more ...
 
Written by The Domains in EN and tagged
Tucows Reports Earnings: Revenue Up 19% & Yummynames.com Sells $1.65 Million In Domains in 4th Q - After the Market closed today Tucows (AMEX:TCX, TSX:TC) reported earnings for the fourth quarter ended December 31, 2011. Revenue was up 19%. YummyNames.com sold another $1.65 million in domain names in the 4th Q and Tucows ended the 4th Q with 11.8 domain names under management, up 16% from a year earlier. Here is the full report All figures are in U.S. dollars. You can also read the earnings report transcript by clicking here. Summary Financial Results(Numbers in Thousands of US Dollars, Except ... read more ...
 
Written by DomainNameWire in EN and tagged
Sedo adds 0 click, accepts offers on “buy now” domains - Sedo changes TOS to reflect changes. Sedo sent a notice to customers today about changes to its terms of service. Although I haven’t read the entire revised TOS, the company highlights three key changes: 1. Buyers have the ability to submit offers on fixed price listings below the “buy now” price. This could be good, but it’s all about the execution. If it’s clear to buyers that they can offer something less than the asking price then it could defeat the ... read more ...
 
Written by DomainNameWire in EN and tagged
JotForm.com domain suspended, withdrawal 500k users in lurch - Online web form creator’s main domain name is suspended. JotForm, a WYSIWYG web form creator with 500,000 registered users, had its main domain name JotForm.com suspended by GoDaddy today. In a blog post, the company says: As a part of an ongoing investigation about a content posted in our site, a US government agency has temporarily suspended our jotform.com domain. We are fully cooperating with them, but it is not possible to say when the domain would be unblocked. The ... read more ...
 
Written by DomainNameWire in EN
.Halal tip turn domain in a works - Company applying for .halal with ICANN. Halalan Tayyiban, Corp is planning to apply for the .halal top level domain name. The company operates a web site HalalFinder.com. The site used to be a marketplace for halal food products, but now appears to be a general marketplace. The corporation filed a trademark application for DotHalal with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office for “Domain name registration services”. The application was filed February 12. The company ... read more ...
 
Written by DomainNameWire in EN
ESQwire wins a UDRP that we should read - Decision includes a lot of good defenses if you’re hit by a UDRP. If you’re looking for ways to defend a domain name that is hit with a UDRP, there’s a good laundry list of rebuttals in a recent dispute handled by domain law firm ESQwire.com. The case was brought by Sweden’s Rusta AB over the domain name Rusta.com. Rusta actually owned Rusta.com before it let the domain name expire in 2001 and the current registrant picked it up. Now, you tell me: if you believe ... read more ...