TechCrunch wrote a post yesterday about a new mobile version of Facebook, that’s going to be entitled Facebook Zero.
Apparently Facebook choose to use the URL zero.facebook.com (mobile phone uses only) and neglected to register Facebookzero.com which was quickly registered by someone in Beijing China after the TechCrunch story came out and is already resolving to a domainsponsor lander.
Facebook zero according to TechCrunch “is a light-weight version of facebook.com that omits data intensive applications like Photos. It will launch in coming weeks and we are discussing it as an option to make Facebook on the mobile web available to everyone, anywhere and allow operators to encourage more mobile Internet usage”
Hooray for China…
Do they really need this domain? people who search for facebook will find facebook
I’m all for pressing companies to buy domains they need but these second tier names for companies who already have worldwide brand appeal are not really neccessary in the big scheme of things. I know you’re just stating what happened but I think domainers as a group (not you specificially Mike) overrate how important these second tier names are to well established brands.
Just mho
If they want it, it’s just a UDRP away…
Alan
Thousands of People can’t find Facebook.
http://www.thedomains.com/2010/02/16/how-are-people-going-to-understand-the-new-extensions-if-they-cant-even-figure-out-how-to-sign-in-to-facebook/
Doesn’t surprise me … walk into the DMV, you’ll see how many stupid people there are around. I still dont think these second tier names are worth anything and just a UDRP filing waiting to happen plus if anything they continue the road of “domains are just cybersquatters” impression we all would like to erase.
Oh well, probably some dude in Montana with a Chinese address 🙂
It’s a mobile app so it needs no navigation is needed. Becomes an icon on your phone like the one I use now. Should still have the domain, though, to demonstrate and explain and sign up prospects who want to investigate from a PC.
“If they want it, it’s just a UDRP away…”
Yea well, the $8 to register it would have been a better deal.
Normally no lawyers needed for straight away domain registration. 🙂
Big deal – Apple doesn’t own ipad.com either, but if you type it in the search box, guess who’s listing comes up first. Half the time, I never enter a direct url in the address bar anyway – I don’t think this will be an issue at all.
sub domains are easy to manage for them