According to many reports out today Apple is going to name its upcoming Tablet computer “iSlate” and yes it appears to own or control the domain.
The excitement over this new product which is expected to be formally announced on January 26th, caused the shares of Apple to hit an all time high of $209 yesterday.
Concerning the domain, iSlate.com, Back in August 2005 the domain was registered to a domainer:
Registrant:
Eurobox Ltd.
p.o. box 108
St. Petersburg 197022
RU
Then October 2006 the domain was changed registrars to MarkMonitor to a company know as:
Data Docket Inc. (DOM-1498405)
12438 W. Bridger
Boise ID 83642
US
Domain Name: islate.com
By March 2007 the new owner of the domain is the current registrant:
DNStination, Inc. (DOM-1498405)
45 Fremont St. Suite 1400
San Francisco CA 94105
US
I know you saying well then Apple doesn’t own the domain.
But If you look back at the whois history for Mobileme.com which is now owned by Apple you will see the same registrant as is currently showing for islate.com:
Registrant:
Domain Administrator
DNStination, Inc.
303 Second Street Suite 800N
San Francisco CA 94107
US
Also in July 2007 the domain islate.com whois record reflected Apple as the owner:
egistrant:
Apple Inc. (DOM-1498405)
1 Infinite Loop Cupertino, CA 95014 US
Domain Name: islate.com
Registrar Name: Markmonitor.com
Registrar Whois: whois.markmonitor.com
Registrar Homepage: http://www.markmonitor.com
Administrative Contact:
Apple Inc. (NIC-14211600) Apple Inc.
1 Infinite Loop Cupertino, CA 95014 US
eddingsk@apple.com +1.4089744286 Fax- +1.4089741560
Technical Contact, Zone Contact:
Domain Administrator (NIC-14570324) DNStination, Inc.
303 Second Street Suite 800N San Francisco CA 94107 US
admin@dnstinations.com +1.4155319335 Fax- –
Created on…………..: 2004-Oct-30.
Expires on…………..: 2007-Oct-30.
Record last updated on..: 2007-Jul-16 16:00:17.
By August 2008 the domain’s ownership reverted by to its current registrant, DNStination, Inc.
So if your ever contacted by DNStination, Inc about a domain, now you know your dealing with Apple.com
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it’s a trick to hide the real name of the tablet … 🙂
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also their way of being cheap and making millions later on 😉
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if Apple doesn’t add something really new and innovative in its table, the device will haven’t the same success of the iPod and iPhone, that, since, a “generic PC tablet” built around the Android or Chrome OS or a Linux distro, could cost less than $200 and could do nearly exactly the same things of a $1000 Apple Tablet
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Message on iTab.com:
We have dozens of email address that use this domian.
It would take a lot of time and trouble for us to switch all the email addresses.
itab.com $10,000
email: aa@itab.com
Odd to me that they would pick that name it spells (is late or islate) if you put a space between them, another two meaning domain name word. They will not use this if they do then marketing is overlooking this. itablet would be better. Don’t want to be know as late for something.
Have they overlooked this. I don’t think a multi billion dollar company is going to name this islate. They are throwing people off. Good luck with this name if that is what they are going to use.
Don
I don’t think itablet is a good name for Apple.
Every computer maker is going to have a “tablet” computer in the next few years so it would like calling an Macbook a ilaptop, pretty lame.
DNStination = Mark Monitor so you wouldn’t be dealing with just Apple. I’m sure they hid themselves well under one of their other company names if they needed t to at all in this case. Eurobox typically has a lander for his names with a for sale page and typically has a price on it. . . This is one reason having prices could cost you big bucks eh?
btw since Apple’s named their product IsLate, which company is going to come out with the IsntLate or maybe ISurly (pronounced Is Early) ? : )
As a trademark lawyer, myself, I can tell you that (a) this was pretty compelling detective work, (b) not an uncommon way of doing things, i.e., using a shell company to custody/register a stealth name, and (c) …actually makes perfect sense as a brand; which “iTablet” does not (way too generic at this point in time).
Assuming that “iSlate” is the chosen name, it’s a safe bet that everyone will quickly drop the “i” when referring to this device – and simply call it “Slate”.
And, as such, the countless businesses that third-parties will build atop/around this new platform will leverage names that play on the “Slate” brand.
Should be fun to watch this all unfold in the coming weeks.
Gene
Slate.com is owned by the Washington Post/Newsweek
Slate is a generic term for a type of tablet pc that does not have a dedicated keyboard. If Apple goes with iSlate, expect the generic term “slate” to explode and as Gene said others will have their own versions of Slate pcs. It is certainly possible that down the road slate will be a more popular term than tablet.
Understood: but TMs are specific to particular classes of goods/services…so the fact that slate.com is owned by a media company will have no effect on (a) AAPL’s rights to use the mark in conjunction with a device, or (b) that the world will be referring to AAPL’s tablet whenever the word “slate” is used…probably till the end of time. And I say this as no particular fan of AAPL.
MHB
I would not use either itablet or islate but if I had to choose between the two, itablet would be it.
Would probably try to pick up ipad.com it’s short and easy and goes along with ipod and iphone.
Would make sense to use this. Tab sounds like the old drink people used to consume. But they have so much money that building a whole new brand name around slate is very possible. Also not sure what slate or ipad sounds like in other countries, another thing to consider.
Don
@ gene dont worry brian has faith in your predictions : )
http://whois.domaintools.com/slatetablets.com
I don’t imagine people will call any kind of tablet a slate. There’s been tablets around for awhile now. This will just be Apple’s brand. Worth $7 gamble ? sure. Good luck Brian.
If I could call it anything it would be iPad. iSlate just doesn’t have that Apple ring to it (is late?). iTab (generic is often called a PC tablet), mentioned above isn’t bad and $10k seems a pretty good price for it. But certainly I wouldn’t call it JooJoo. (was going to be the Crunchpad, re-branded as JooJoo, domain theJooJoo.com!)
Thanks Adam 🙂
hahahahahaha “iPad”. The revolutionary digital feminine hygiene product. Now with Snow Leopard. I’m sure that’ll be it, guys, totally. Genius.
‘iSlate’ that turned out as ‘iPad’. That’s really funny JohnH. Lol. But definitely, Apple will earn another billion bucks with this restructured gadget.
Thanks for the info!
Good job!
Another hint: Look at the whois of islate.info! It was never registered until DNStination, Inc. did so in November 2006.
islate”EVERYTHING”.com is registered by now, but “islateverything.com” is available.
Alexander from Thailand
Well, something went wrong.
ipad.
OK.
Maybe next time.
Without question, whenever contacted by ANYone regarding a domain of yours, you always hold your asking price. Dont EVER fall for the “well I am a poor college student with lots of loans to pay back and dont have a job, and I need to eat, but I have to do this project for class which involves buying a domain name and …. BLAH BLAH BLAH.” The domain is the same price, sorry. Why? Because he most likely works for one of these shell companies.
I am not saying there is anything wrong with them trying to acquire something for as cheap as possible but, sorry, not from me. Wise up people. 🙂