A few .mobi questions

[Wissam]

1) What exactly is the point of .mobi? If a website can automatically detect when a mobile device is used to visit it and then redirect to a mobile device compatible webpage, .mobis seem obsolete already. Am I missing something?

2) All of the companies backing .mobi such as Google, Microsoft, etc. are not stupid. Why do you suppose they are backing it?

3) People say that the iPhone makes .mobi worthless because you can browse any website with no problem but on the Apple site itself there are a few .mobi sites being promoted. Can you explain this?

4) Correct me if I'm wrong, but is it true that .mobi has had the biggest opening out of any tld? People say that .info & .biz also had huge buzzes when they were first available for registration, but were the buzzes as big as the .mobi buzz that has been going on for over a year now and doesn't look like it's going to stop anytime soon?

Thanks for any comments.

 

[acronym007]

1) What exactly is the point of .mobi? If a website can automatically detect when a mobile device is used to visit it and then redirect to a mobile device compatible webpage, .mobis seem obsolete already. Am I missing something?

2) All of the companies backing .mobi such as Google, Microsoft, etc. are not stupid. Why do you suppose they are backing it?

3) People say that the iPhone makes .mobi worthless because you can browse any website with no problem but on the Apple site itself there are a few .mobi sites being promoted. Can you explain this?

4) Correct me if I'm wrong, but is it true that .mobi has had the biggest opening out of any tld? People say that .info & .biz also had huge buzzes when they were first available for registration, but were the buzzes as big as the .mobi buzz that has been going on for over a year now and doesn't look like it's going to stop anytime soon?

Thanks for any comments.

1) There is no technical reasons for .mobi, it's all marketing hocus pocus. All tld's do the same thing or can.

2) They are not backing it so much as protecting their future interest in it. Should it succeed they "predicted it" and if it fails it's no loss to such large companies. You have to understand that in many companies, the leadership has no clue about the underlying technology. Web 2.0, .mobi, all of this potential profit to them.

3) Apple is a big company, read #2. They have to cover all bases so .mobi lovers can see Apple is on board.

4) .mobi created it's own hype and they did a wonderful job. They withheld names and auctioned them in a format that no other TLD had done in the past. The buzz is all about industry acceptance, because CEO's see a potential pot of gold with .mobi many have jumped on board and promoted their interest. They haven't done with with other TLD's but again, the technology hasn't changed, some people do not know that, they literally think this is a new "internet" of sorts. If I thought that I too would buy it.


Hope that helps!

 

[Gerry]

From another point of view...

Every thing mentioned in post two.














Totally disregard it.

 

[MobileDesigner]

1) There is no technical reasons for .mobi, it's all marketing hocus pocus. All tld's do the same thing or can.

true. But everything is hocus pocus.

2) They are not backing it so much as protecting their future interest in it. Should it succeed they "predicted it" and if it fails it's no loss to such large companies. You have to understand that in many companies, the leadership has no clue about the underlying technology. Web 2.0, .mobi, all of this potential profit to them.

true. Web 2.0 isnt anything new. just a new name to help excel mobile accesses and boost the mobile internet and purchases of new mobile phones. .mobi is simply another way to attract users so that they do not get confused.

3) Apple is a big company, read #2. They have to cover all bases so .mobi lovers can see Apple is on board.

true. ladadi ladada. everyone is on board except those who dont like .mobi for some personal reason which varies. Surely if a "hello.com" owner saw that someone else bought "hello.mobi", they think that their .com will decrease in value. in fact, it does not decrease. Im a .mobi supporter and a mobile developer in Japan. but I would rather have a .com than a .mobi. In Japan, it is much easier to access the sites from the "official menus" and "sending a link to their mobile phone emails" or using "QRcodes" to access their sites. Having a .mobi helps create new mobile companies and expand the mobile internet business. Has this helped the industry? dont know yet as the mobile internet is growing. Surely there are some cool browsers on SOME mobile phones, but internationally, that phone is useless.

4) .mobi created it's own hype and they did a wonderful job. They withheld names and auctioned them in a format that no other TLD had done in the past. The buzz is all about industry acceptance, because CEO's see a potential pot of gold with .mobi many have jumped on board and promoted their interest. They haven't done with with other TLD's but again, the technology hasn't changed, some people do not know that, they literally think this is a new "internet" of sorts. If I thought that I too would buy it.

partially true.
Large established companies already own the .com. the lower extensions really dont match up to it. .net, .info, .whatever seems to be an alternative to pc but as you can see, there are a lot of parked pages so that other people than the actual company, gets money.

.mobi was created to seperate all of the other extensions with the mobile internet - .mobi. Companies continue to use .com, but end up purchasing the .mobi in case other people besides the company and trademark owners buy them and make money from them. yes the companies have very little knowledge of what will become of the mobile internet. Honestly, not many people know. And as you can see, there are a lot of people (supporters, owners, and bashers) who dont know either. [/QUOTE]

Hope that helps!

 

[Wissam]

From another point of view...

Every thing mentioned in post two.

Totally disregard it.

Since you say that, I'd be really interested to see how you answer the questions I posted, if you have time of course.

 

[sashas]

1.) There is no need. People will continue to type in Microsoft.com until and unless Microsoft posts a huge notice on their .com that they're migrating everything to .mobi, which would never happen, of course.

2.) MS, Google, they're backing it, but only on paper. Go to Microsoft.mobi. A page full of ads. I don't suppose it takes two years to make a .mobi website, but then, maybe I'm wrong...hmm..

3.) The iPhone is the first of the pack. Expect mobile technology to slowly migrate to iPhone tech. The first camera phone was a big wonder. Now they don't sound so amazing, do they?

4.) For your 4th post, I recommend you see the entire posting history of Vision here. Buzz. Classic.

 

[Gerry]

1.) There is no need. People will continue to type in Microsoft.com until and unless Microsoft posts a huge notice on their .com that they're migrating everything to .mobi, which would never happen, of course.

2.) MS, Google, they're backing it, but only on paper. Go to Microsoft.mobi. A page full of ads. I don't suppose it takes two years to make a .mobi website, but then, maybe I'm wrong...hmm..

3.) The iPhone is the first of the pack. Expect mobile technology to slowly migrate to iPhone tech. The first camera phone was a big wonder. Now they don't sound so amazing, do they?

4.) For your 4th post, I recommend you see the entire posting history of Vision here. Buzz. Classic.

Classic regurgitated bullshit taken from other threads and other people on two different forums. Not an original thought coming from the brain, mouth, and fingers of this member.

Makes a habit of taking a bit or a piece of information from here and running to NP to start a new thread as if it was his genius and then will take a piece of a thread from NP and run back here with it.

So if you want to see someone making a complete fool out of themselves and have no clue what they are talking about, then by all means looks at sasha's posts and comments.

Then look at this thread from 2004:
http://www.dnforum.com/f31/mobi-domains-suck-thread-75471.html

Amazing, isn't it? It wasn't needed or wanted in 2004 by the majority of members and it is not need or wanted in 2008 by the majority of members.

Stunning the clout that a member like this has on the effects of global commerce. And to think that some people on this forum (and off this forum) believe the world should evolve around what they say and do.

Can you imagine a group of domainers dictating how you should eat, dress, drive, and purchase?

 

[hugegrowth]

All indications are that mobile internet is about to get huge in North America, big companies see this as a way to growth, because the 'regular' internet is close to saturated here - mobile web creates a new 'pie' and they all want their piece. People in NA don't use their mobiles for internet yet to the extent that people do is a country like, say, Japan.

Out of all the extensions out there I think .mobi domains will benefit the most from a growing mobile web because, well - marketing, marketing, marketing on behalf of the .mobi people - IMHO - get the public to believe that .mobi = mobile.

The fact that a .com, .biz or .us can do what a .mobi does is of little importance. Up to now .com has the highest demand, but a .biz, .info or other ext can do what a .com does - people want .com because it was first and is used the most. The same argument will go for .mobi - people building a mobile website will go for .mobi over most other extensions because of the marketing.

 

[Fearless]

people building a mobile website will go for .mobi over most other extensions because of the marketing.

The marketing is not working. Non-domainers never heard of .mobi. mobi tld is marketing keyword names to suckers. That's the only marketing going on.

 

[sashas]

come on Doc. Tell us now...what do mTLD pay you and Vision?

 

[Gerry]

come on Doc. Tell us now...what do mTLD pay you and Vision?

Not a ****ing penny.

Do you actually have an original thought or idea in that head of yours?

I've seen you repeatedly play both sides on different forums and in different threads.

You sway like trees in a high wind, which ever way the wind is blowing.

Educate yourself to the realities of life and technology. Acting like a little snot nosed kid on the playground during recess running to different teaches and tattling on what little Johnnie said. That is exactly the impression I get from you and your bullshit that you take, not your thought or idea, from forum to forum and add to a thread or start a thread based on what someone else did or say. Real ****ing original.

On one thread where I listed a partial list of sites that are .mobi and based in India for Jonathan, then you were all "yeah, I can see a use for it."

So what the hell is it? Which side of the fence are you on this hour?

The marketing is not working. Non-domainers never heard of .mobi. mobi tld is marketing keyword names to suckers. That's the only marketing going on.

Who sucked you in? Your own need or greed?

 

[whitebark]

#3 - it's not only iphone making the whole idea behind mobi obsolete. There are a half dozen good software downloads available for mobile devices now available or soon to be that render existing websites in mobile friendly formats. There are also solutions for webmasters as well - most are free too. But the thing is the mobi boosters won't admit it - they will concoct a whole twisted rationale why it doesn't matter. Their usual retort is that mobi sites have less bandwidth requirements, but that doesn't hold water because the latest solutions include data compression, and they are only getting better.

mobi is not going anywhere though. There is far too much vested interest in it by those knee-deep in hock, or doing the hocking. But expect the registry to drop the coding restrictions some time in late 2008 or early 2009 making it just another tld due to the real world reality that already exists with mobile devices and software technology. Because really, who enjoys looking at mobi websites, which sorry to say are like viewing the web in its first few years - bleak, sparse and uninspiring.

 

[iDName]

http://ready.mobi/images/dynamic_element_images/score_5.jpg :cell:

 

[Gerry]

#3 - it's not only iphone making the whole idea behind mobi obsolete. There are a half dozen good software downloads available for mobile devices now available or soon to be that render existing websites in mobile friendly formats. There are also solutions for webmasters as well - most are free too. But the thing is the mobi boosters won't admit it - they will concoct a whole twisted rationale why it doesn't matter. Their usual retort is that mobi sites have less bandwidth requirements, but that doesn't hold water because the latest solutions include data compression, and they are only getting better.

mobi is not going anywhere though. There is far too much vested interest in it by those knee-deep in hock, or doing the hocking. But expect the registry to drop the coding restrictions some time in late 2008 or early 2009 making it just another tld due to the real world reality that already exists with mobile devices and software technology. Because really, who enjoys looking at mobi websites, which sorry to say are like viewing the web in its first few years - bleak, sparse and uninspiring.

You can't be serious.

Have you even bothered to stop and take a look at the differences of these services, browsers, detectors, and tools that you are speaking of?

Have you actually looked at these sites on a phone?

Any .com site will and can be auto dectected now. But you get one mean *** stipped down site. No graphics, no images. And that auto detect system basically somehow determines, in its own infinite way, what to display and what not to display. Log in? not there. Password? not there. Site tools? not there.

You then have to resort to indicating, if you phone has that capability, of selecting the HTML mode so you can find that which you are looking for. A mobile friendly format is exactly that...a site formatted to fit within the screen it detects but does not work or function worth crap. I can look at DNF right now on my Helio Ocean, it will be auto detected, but I will not be able to find anything, nor log in, nor read the latest posts. Now that I think about it, perhaps that is what I should be doing rather than subject myself to reading this bullshit that is the same song and dance routine from 4-6 years ago.

My God, I am glad no one else debates this other than domainers. Some people really need to step out from behind their screen, go outside and enjoy the fresh air.

 

[RustyK]

Very interesting comments made. I seem to like the .mobi idea myself. Whatever mobile game BIG G and the boys have in mind of playing I'm always behind them ready to grab it's coat tail. I think it's more about searching local faster when using .mobi.

I agree with MobileDesigner.

And I approve this message.

 

[sashas]

Doc, I know your retirement depends on .mobi, so you're bound to get emotional.

As far as the disparity in my posts goes, I'll tell you this: I got into this business not too long ago. I didn't even know about .mobi enough to form any opinion on it. Moreover, I was too busy making money to bother at that stage.

Initially, I was a .mobi skeptic. The threads you've seen from me on NP are from that period. I thought it was a decent TLD, but I hadn't done any of my own research. I was asking questions, getting answers.

But when I started doing my own research, I realized that (to me at least) it was a lot of marketing bullshit. Thats also the time when I started to be much more active on DNF than on NP. So I posted my opinions here(which were now negative, instead of being ambiguous). The disparity in views that you so kindly mentioned can be attributed to that; they were just from different time frames. I'm just a bit more polite on NP because no one entices me to act otherwise (unlike you here).

Keep in mind that unlike a lot of the people here, I wasn't prejudiced against .mobi to begin with, simply because I wasn't even around when it rolled out. Heck, I was three years too late. I got my first name in June 07 and had no ideas about .mobi or domains, for that matter. And I certainly didn't get swayed into hating .mobi because of others. I've turned $60 into high xx,xxx profits in 8 months. I sure haven't done that by following others.

Folks who got the good keywords in the beginning will make a killing on .mobi. Period. Would I have regged high quality .mobi keywords if they were available? Heck, sure I would. Its a gTLD, so its always bound to be worth something. And $30 isn't hell of a lot of money. Even .biz - hated by all domainers - is worth something for the top names.

But when I got into the business, all the good keywords in .mobi were long gone. I didn't understand .mobi at that time, so didn't bother buying any. Now, when I do get them, I don't see the point of buying them for xx,xxx prices when there is so much uncertainty about their future. If you offered me Video.mobi for $1000 would I buy it? Sure I would. But sell it to me for $50,000 and I wouldn't take a bite. If I had a hundred million to burn, I would've taken a gamble, but not now, and I dislike .mobi because of the simple fact that mTLD and many domainers are enticing newbies into doing just that: take a gamble.

When .asia comes out, I'll reg a few names. I'll spend a thousand bucks on it because I can afford to lose some money. Besides, it'll also be the first time a gTLD would've rolled out before me. And good keywords are worth something in almost any half decent extension. Even Porn.ws would sell for a couple of thousand.

And about the other thread with Indian .mobis, I said that mobile web can be amazing, not .mobi. They're not the same thing. Check it again.

So Doc, before you jump to conclusions about me, try and get the backstory right.

And btw, this is a business forum. If I let out all my original thoughts about business out in the public, I would be stupid, wouldn't I?
If you want to talk about something original, then you can PM me and we can talk about philosophy, art and literature

And finally, Doc, seriously. You do yourself or .mobi no huge service by getting so emotional about the entire thing. If you can let your emotions dictate how you react to a simple post, then I can pretty much imagine what you base your financial decisions on, as well as your thoughts about .mobi.

 

[accent]

OWWW!

Mobi is a bitterly disputed topic. One way to get insight into mobi is to ponder why people get so upset about it.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Two topics, related but different: the future of the mobile internet, and where mobi fits into it. Most people who follow the technology believe that the mobile internet is about to become a huge marketplace. But it is a few years off and nobody really knows what form it will take, what new ideas will blossom there. I strongly disagree with those who say that it will be the same PC internet, or anywhere close. There will be people accessing the PC internet sites, certainly. But the needs of people when they are away from their desk and laptop are qualitatively and radically different. Those entrepreneurs who first tap into those needs will become very wealthy.

And one very good way to position your brand to show it is distinctly for the mobile internet..... is .mobi.

 

[sashas]

accent, mobile internet will be huge, but I don't think for a single moment it'll displace PC internet, or even bite into its share of traffic. They both have completely different uses. I would want to get the headlines on my mobile, not read a 10,000 NYT article on it. I would like to play pacman on it, but I would reserve my serious gaming to my PC or XBOX360. I would monitor the stock market on it, but I wouldn't do my company research on the mobile.

There's one basic thing: lots of tasks are just plain uncomfortable being performed on a 2.4 inch screen. And some people actually like to sit down and do their stuff...most don't really like to live their life so fast paced that they've to look up everything on a tiny screen. Heck, I'm going to Jamaica in two weeks, and the most exciting part of the trip will be that my mobile won't work there.

and regarding .mobi, well, I think I've made my thoughts clear on that.

 

[Gerry]

Doc, I know your retirement depends on .mobi, so you're bound to get emotional.

I assure you that my retirement is well secured and domain names does not have a place in it.

I could care less if I bring out the best of you or the worst of you. You speak out of two mouths.

Jump to conclusions about you? What is there to conclude other than what i previously posted? And now you talking about this being an business forum and you don't want to reveal anything. What pure hogwash and bullshit. You know exactly what I am referring to and now you want to cover it up in some veiled attempt to appear all secretive and shit.

Talk about something original like philosophy, art, or literature? That would be a massive waste of your time. Granted, you more than likely know more about Indian art, literature, and hinduism, but I am not sure you want to get out of your area of comfort.

And as far as getting emotional? I am not getting emotional over mobi. I am getting to be a critic of critics because I can not believe the shit I am reading on these forums. Same bullshit I read by the so called experts 8 years ago.

Nothing but .com
no numbers
no hyphens
no more than 7 letters
english only

I am still reading that same bullshit right here on this very forum today.

And you and others that are so anti mobi are creating another atmosphere of misinformation based on personal opinion and no factual basis.

Do you think I am emotional about .mobi? How emotional do you see the critters that come out when the .net, .ca, or .in are attacked.

Trust me, my emotions do not run along the lines of any one domain extension. My emotions run as I see the bullshit being preached.

Yes, you and many other will even take what I have written as bullshit. But the point is it is here, it is here to stay. It was tossed around in 2004 and 2006. It was kicked and beat with a stick then and it is today.

Get over it, get used to it, most of all, get over yourself.

accent, mobile internet will be huge, but I don't think for a single moment it'll displace PC internet, or even bite into its share of traffic. They both have completely different uses.

and regarding .mobi, well, I think I've made my thoughts clear on that.

More expert analysis.

It will not displace PC internet and not bite into its share of traffic.

Mobile devices are outselling PC's 4:1. Half of the world's population are mobile phone subscribers. That is 3.3 billion people. 30% of them have used a mobile device to surf the internet.

Facts, not fiction. Look it up yourself.

Traffic will come from a new source and a new medium. Those companies like amazon.com who have a mobile presence will not only keep their traffic but increase their traffic in enormous ways by acquiring a new customer base.

Facts, not fiction. Look it up yourself.

So if you want to know what I would bet on were I a betting person, I would bet on the 4:1 odds and go with the 1 billion people, not domainers, who use their mobile device to access the internet and am counting on all those cute little iphone and snazzy items to put the internet into the hands of those remaining who have not surfed the internet yet.

Nothing says mobile more than mobile. Nothing.

 

[accent]

accent, mobile internet will be huge, but I don't think for a single moment it'll displace PC internet, or even bite into its share of traffic. They both have completely different uses. I would want to get the headlines on my mobile, not read a 10,000 NYT article on it. I would like to play pacman on it, but I would reserve my serious gaming to my PC or XBOX360. I would monitor the stock market on it, but I wouldn't do my company research on the mobile.

There's one basic thing: lots of tasks are just plain uncomfortable being performed on a 2.4 inch screen.

...up to here I think we are saying exactly the same thing. I don't think mobile will take much of a bite out of PC/Laptop internet usage - it takes too much effort to do extended work on a phone and in most mobile situations there is not a lot of time and not much chance for concentration.

But who would call a taxi on their PC? Who would ask directions after they have become lost? Who would check to see what nearby stores have sales on? Or which nearby restaurants have tomato soup ready and hot?

Mobile has intersections with the PC internet, but that is not it's strength. It's strength is in providing brief, timely, and often location-specific information of immediate use. And with an estimated four times as many mobile devices as PC/Laptops the marketing potential is off the charts.

Will mobi ride this tiger? No way to know, but it surely could. Simply as a marketing device a .mobi extension will say "mobile". And good names are a whole lot cheaper in .mobi.

And some people actually like to sit down and do their stuff...most don't really like to live their life so fast paced that they've to look up everything on a tiny screen. Heck, I'm going to Jamaica in two weeks, and the most exciting part of the trip will be that my mobile won't work there.

and regarding .mobi, well, I think I've made my thoughts clear on that.

Unplugging will become more difficult, as time goes on. Not all good, true.