According to TechFlash.com, Microsoft looks like they are go to name their new site for men, ONIT but they don’t own the domain name OnIt.com
TechFlash writes:
“A newly surfaced trademark filing shows Microsoft seeking to register the name “ONIT” for a new website catering to men.”
“The trademark filing, dated Aug. 4, is clear in describing “ONIT” as “an Internet website portal featuring information of general interest to men,” specializing in “providing information in the field of entertainment, sports, fitness, recreation and leisure activity.”
However Onit.com is owned by a company called, FifthRail LLC and the domain is going to a site for Onit Project Manager.
I’ll save you the time to look.
OnIt. the .Net, ,Org, .Me, .Tv and yes even .Co are taken and none were registered in August.
Maybe Microsoft will go for a new GTLD, .Onit
Maybe not
There is an earlier trademark filed on “Onit” since 2005 with a first in use date of 2003 by Onit Communications Inc
What them sue the owner claiming illegal use of a trademark by back-dating the “first used in business” field on their trademark and then claim the domain owner is squatting as well.
Wtf? Short for “On Information Technology”, no problem, that works beautifully.
But how is OnIt even remotely related to “general information to men”? Maybe they were perturbing the phrase “I’m on it”?
If not, then what is the “it” that these men supposed to be perched “on”? Is it phallic?
Ugh, MS marketing.
they acomplished their first mission “to call your attention”
Perhaps they will launch as the recently registered http://www.MSNOnit.com ?
Get down onit…get down onit…get chyo back up off the wall and get down onit… that would be a catchy commercial lol
MS has enough money and power to have a special registration for ON.IT
or… the on.it
or… theonit.com 🙂
TheOnIt …like… TheNewYorkTimes
“What them sue the owner claiming illegal use of a trademark by back-dating the “first used in business” field on their trademark and then claim the domain owner is squatting as well.”
No way Mike.
OnIt.com is not just parked.
It’s an active site that is being used in a way that would not infringe on MS’s TM if it is approved.
Regarding “backdating “‘first used in business'” date as at
tactic to claim TM infringement, that is certainly one tactic used.
A newer tactic that has worked both with UDRP filings and an actual court case is to wait for the renewal date and then claim TM infringement.
That’s TM infringement going forward.
Scary stuff.