Minds + Machines: No gTLDs until 2012

Minds + Machines, a company that has significant ties in the gTLD scene, released an estimated timeline today for the roll-out of the first gTLDs.

Those pining to register new gTLDs will be sourly disappointed if M+M is correct. According to its best guess, gTLD registrations won’t be available to the general public until February 2012. And people might have to wait even longer. As the timeline clearly states, “Delay is a fact of life at ICANN. Dates are subject to change.”

Source | The Domains

Start-up to embark on ambitious gTLD acquisition

With the opening day for the submission of gTLD applications looming, interest in the new extensions is heating up. This weekend, start-up Adrenaline TLD announced plans to spend more than $1 million USD to apply for 5 gTLDs: .Ski, .Bike, .Surf, .Board and .Skate.

According to the company’s FaceBook page, promotional sites for each proposed gTLD have already been launched. Adrenaline claims the extensions will provide “unique navigation opportunities” as well as “safe and dedicated content.”

I personally have doubts about the viability of these extensions, but the company boasts that after only a year, there will be 250,000 registrations across the gTLDs. Normally I would tell the start-up to put its money where its mouth is, but it appears as though Adrenaline plans to do just that.

Source | The Domains

Canon shoots for .canon gTLD

Canon announced yesterday that it will submit an application with ICANN to acquire the .canon gTLD. Though the new system isn’t expected to go live until the second half of 2011, Canon says it will actually use the extension in its day-to-day affairs:

Following approval for the new gTLD system, which is expected to take place after the latter half of 2011, Canon will make full use of the new domain name to increase the convenience and effectiveness of its online communications.

While Canon believes a .canon gTLD would enhance its online communications, I think it would confuse many consumers and in the end do more harm than good. Why does a company with an established .com need its own gTLD?

I’m sure many firms will be watching Canon closely to see if its successful with the gTLD. My guess is most companies will want to stick with .com.

Photo | Flickr

Afilias seeks approval for one and two character .info names

Afilias, the operator of the .info gTLD, is seeking permission from ICANN to allow the registration of one and two character .info domains. The names are currently reserved for administrative purposes.

The .biz registry auctioned off its one and two character names several months ago with ICANN’s blessing, so Afilias’s request is likely to be approved.

How much will the domains fetch? Probably quite a bit. It is still unclear if Afilias will auction the short names or let anyone register them, but my guess is it will want to auction them. Why would the company accept the standard registration fee for such valuable names, after all?

Company pushes for .Madrid gTLD

PuntoMadrid, an Internet developer, is pushing for the creation of a .Madrid gTLD. The company is hoping individuals and firms within the city of 3-million can benefit from the success of the .cat domain.

While I think the idea is good in theory, Madrid should look for a shorter extension. What about .mrd or .mad? A six-letter suffix is asking for problems.

Regardless of length, don’t expect to see the extension go live any time soon. It still needs to be approved by the city and ICANN, a process that could take several years. And of course, Madrid isn’t the only city vying for a piece of the web. Other potential gTLD applicants include Paris, New York, and Berlin.

Source | Domain News

Paris mayor launches campaign in support of .paris

Bertrand Delanoë, mayor of Paris, has shown he is serious about .paris with the launch of a new campaign and website advocating for a .paris gTLD. Last year, the city officially declared its intention to apply for the extension.

The city has an urban area of 11.6 million people, more than many countries with their own ccTLDs. According to the campaign:

The Paris metropolitan area could substantially benefit from the availability of domain names under a dedicated .paris TLD. For instance, .paris domain names could demonstrate a sense of belonging to the metropolis. They could also contribute to the localization of services. And they may additionaly increase the profile of companies or brands associating their name to that of Paris.

Paris will likely be able to submit its application for the extension late next year.

Source | Domain News
Photo | leilahh

ICANN considering .post domain

With so many people choosing email over traditional snail mail these days, it seems as though post offices are feeling a bit left out in the Internet age. The U.N.’s Universal Postal Union hopes to change that with the creation of a .post domain.

The gTLD would be available to any postal service provider around the globe. The UPU submitted an application for .post in 2004. This week, ICANN gave the UPU approval to sponsor the extension.

Before the name can go live, however, approval is also necessary from the Board of Directors. After ICANN’s meeting in Seoul on October 30, a pubic comments process will begin. If no major obstacles are encountered in these two phases, we could see a .post domain soon.

INTA testifies against gTLDs and ICANN

At a congressional hearing last month regarding ICANN’s new gTLD system, International Trademark Association (INTA) President Richard Heath testified against the new program.

Using the current 21 gTLDs as examples, Heath argued that allowing unlimited generic extensions would increase consumer confusion, decrease Internet security and safety, tarnish brands, and increase business costs. To counter ICANN’s oft-made claim that new gTLDs will increase competition and benefit the economy, he made it clear that no empirical research has been done to back up this claim.

He also blasted ICANN for its inability to regulate a web full of ever-increasing abuses, stating:

Despite the hard work of the ICANN Board and staff, Mr. Chairman, we see significant increases in abuses of the domain name system and inadequate management by ICANN to address the problems, including their inability to enforce contracts.

Rod Beckstrom responds to Congress

Last week, two Congressmen sent a letter to ICANN CEO Rod Beckstrom expressing concern about the new gTLD program. Now the CEO has written a response.

Beckstrom stood behind the gTLD plan. ICANN stands to make a good bit of money from gTLDs, so it’s it’s only natural that the CEO doesn’t want to back down.

He stated that the goal of gTLDs is to increase competition and end “holding portfolios based upon the value of current .COM names.” In essence, it seems as though Beckstrom might be intent on ending .com’s status as domain king.

For those interested, the full letter can be viewed here (PDF). I printed a few copies and placed them in the bathroom in case I run out of toilet paper any time soon.

Source | Domain Name Wire

New gTLD proposed for Bavaria

Germans will always consider themselves German, but Germany is a land of many different groups with stiff cultural loyalty. One region, Bavaria, wants to further express its unique identity by applying for a gTLD– .bayern.

“Bayern” translates literally to “Bavaria,” a state in southern Germany that was one of the last to join the country in 1867. It is one of a number of other German states and cities with plans to apply for a gTLD, including Berlin.

I think if accepted, .bayern would be see quite a bit of use. Germany has a very high number of Internet connections per capita, and .de is currently the most-used ccTLD.

Source | Domain News

Photo | svenic