Google Struggles to Buy Chinese Gmail Domain Name

[companyone]

Google Struggles to Buy Chinese Gmail Domain Name

Google has been having a tough time acquiring the Chinese domain name for its popular, free web-based email service, Gmail. Beijing ISM Internet Technology Development Co., the company that currently owns “Gmail.cn”, currently operates its own free email service called ISM Gmail.

According to Reuters, Google recently tried to purchase Gmail.cn, but its offer was refused. Google also tried to buy Gmail.cn in 2004, the same year that Gmail launched, a spokesperson for ISM noted to technology trade pub InfoWorld.

ISM’s service pre-dates Google’s public release of Gmail. Google had been using Gmail internally for more than two years previously. However, after the public launch in 2004, Gmail.cn took on a look that was remarkably similar to Google’s. Both now use similarly colored logos and follow a similar design aesthetic.

Two years ago, Google paid handsomely to recover the domain names “google.com.cn” and “google.cn,” briefly causing a surge in Google-related domain name-squatting.

Google has been increasing efforts to buy Gmail-related domain names and filed a lawsuit against a polish poetry group for using “Gmail.pl.” The Internet company lost Gmail trademark disputes in both Germany and the UK, where the service is now known as “Google Mail,” and is currently battling to maintain control of the domain name in Switzerland.

 

[Theo]

The funny thing is that Gmail.cn looks better than Gmail.com

 

[GAMEFINEST]

goog will lose the battle

 

[VirtualT]

The funny thing is that Gmail.cn looks better than Gmail.com

Yeah right, if you like web pages that go like

"how many pictures banners animations and annoying stuff can we possibly cram onto a web page before its unreadable"

way of web site design

 

[NYdomainer]

fvck goog
yahoo is just as bad

 

[picassoface]

Google give the site a PR4. They're really on top of things, lol.

 

[Focus]

wonder what kind of money we are talking for it...

 

[olebean]

I hope they lose

 

[vipinc]

The funny thing is that Gmail.cn looks better than Gmail.com

If you have google toolbar in your browser, it gives you a web forgery warning, when you open gmail.cn ...

 

[ColdGin]

Yeah..it could be interesting to know how much they offered for it...

The question is how the chinese will react to a lawsuit from Google...

Bill Gates is one of the pics in the Homepage...lol (I would pay to see the googles owners face looking at his pic in gmail.cn!)