December 14, 2004
ICANN approves «.mobi»
The Internet's key oversight agency gave a preliminary nod Monday to new domain names targeting mobile services and the jobs market, reports the Associated Press.
"Sponsored by leading mobile phone and technology companies, including Nokia, Microsoft and T-Mobile, the «.mobi» domain would set apart Web sites and other services that are specially designed to work around the limitations of cell phones, including their smaller screen size and data capacity.
Microsoft.mobi," for instance, might carry smaller photos or fewer graphics than the main site at Microsoft.com.
The «.jobs» suffix, meanwhile, would go to members of the human resources community.
Related article:
-- Father of the Web blasts .mobi domain - Tim Berners-Lee, has gone on record against the idea of a mobile-only TLD (top level domain).
The .mobi propsal in particular, Berners-Lee claims, is directly contrary to the design and purpose of the Internet. Firstly, it is intended for use only by selected companies, mobile carriers and content providers. That breaks the device independence that is, according to Berners-Lee, integral to the Internet.
-- Read also MocoNews where James Pearce has an interesting take on what's going on.
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