.mobi unlocks the mobile potential
Today sees the launch of the new .mobi top-level domain, which will be exclusively for use with mobile phones and other mobile devices. This is what we have been waiting for to see the mobile revolutionize the world. One fact remains that there are over 2.2bn mobile phones in use today– that’s four times as many phones as there are PCs. In some parts of the world e.g. Africa the mobile comes in a handy device because there is not so readily available internet for all to browse. According to TechSpot.com some 13,000 companies have already registered .mobi addresses as part of a pre-registration process. In fact, in many places in Europe and Asia, phones are the primary way that people connect to the web. While adoption of mobile browsing has been slower in North America, a new top-level domain is poised to change that experience.
To me what is most disturbing is the fact that so far, the DotMobi registry has reserved over 5,500 so-called premium generic terms, which include such domain names as sex.mobi and sun.mobi. If you wish to apply for a premium name it will cost you $1,500 which you must pay to the World Intellectual Property Organisation for accreditation. Other than that, it costs about $25 (£14) to register a DotMobi site for a minimum two-year period.
I have applied for several .mobi domains and all i can do now is to sit down and wait!!