A startup changed its domain from .com to .top

Some companies trade in longer .coms for shorter second level domains in other extensions.

I love watching the Chinese domain market because it is full of surprises. Recently, I read a news story that a Chinese startup changed its domain from .com to .top. That challenges the conventional wisdom of .com being the ultimate upgrade.

Will Chinese IDN domains become widely used?

So far, Chinese IDN top level domains have struggled.

 

Just a few days ago the Internet Society of China announced the formation of a working group to promote the use of Chinese domains. Is it the trigger we need to see Chinese IDN (Internationalized Domain Name) flourish?
As the organization is supported by the Ministry of Information Industry, this also suggests a strong desire from the Chinese government to see the widespread use of Chinese domains. The working group aims to resolve technical issues so that Chinese domains can work nicely with browsers, email systems, search engines, and other aspects of the internet. It will also promote innovation and application of Chinese domains to enable their popular use.

.Org updates: deadline extended, state regulators ask for time to weigh in

ICANN and Public Interest Registry have mutually agreed to extend the time that ICANN has to answers to its questions about the sale of .org to Ethos Capital by 30 days. ICANN also says that it will be asking more questions.

review Public Interest Registry’s (PIR)
Separately, The National Association of State Charities Officials has written to ICANN (pdf) to ask it to allow time for regulators to review the transaction.

What is a Subdomain? And How to Create One?

What is a subdomain?’ you may ask. Well, the most popular definition is ‘a subset of a larger domain name’. But that doesn’t sound very much like English, does it?
Let’s make it easier to grasp with an example. First, a standard domain name:

As you can see, a normal domain name has a couple of components to it. The two most significant ones are:

• TLD — Top Level Domain — which is also commonly referred to as a domain extension. This part is your familiar .com, .net, .org or whatever else your domain extension is.

How To Make Money With Domain Names

Domain names are hot commodities in today's tech-centric world. The $16 million sale of 'insure.com' to Quinstreet in 2009 may have set the world record, but even lengthier domain names are routinely sold for hundreds of dollars every day. The result is a unique opportunity for investors to invest in domain names that can be sold for a profit in the future.

Building a Solid Domain Portfolio

Building a high-quality domain portfolio can take months or years to accomplish. Often, the key is looking forward to what domains may become popular in the future and hedging through numbers by purchasing hundreds of domains. Others choose to purchase a few already high profile domains and sit on them hoping that they appreciate in value.

Generic Names

Words that describe a product or service, including new and emerging products, can be a great investment. But it's very important to avoid any copyright or trademark issues that could result in domain forfeiture.