July 11, 2005
New .mobi suffix points to wireless Web sites
This doesn't really sound like news, since it's been in the headlines before, but today it's official, the new ".mobi" suffix was approved by ICANN at a Luxemburg meeting on Monday.
"Consumers will soon be able to recognize Web sites specially designed for use by mobile phones by the new ".mobi" suffix, which will be introduced alongside the popular ".com" and other top-level domain names.
The first Web sites for mobile devices, which will be fit for a small screen and limited memory and bandwidth, will be ready in 2006."
Related:
-- ICANN gives a preliminary nod «.mobi»
-- 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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