Android Tablet PC

Google launched the Android smartphone operating system widely used in smart phones, tablet PCs and other intelligent mobile platform features, to attract more and more electronics manufacturers start to release Android smartphone operating system equipped with flat-panel computer products. Android 2.2 of the Tablet PC has been out for some time, today we introduce to you a new Android Tablet PC (currently the closest ipad) – 10.2″ Android 2.2 APad Cortex A8 Tablet PC



















SPECIFICATION
Model No: G08-FA-1(Built-in Camera and Support 3G and GPS)

* CPU: Freescale Imx515 ARM Cortex A8, 800MHz
* OS: Android 2.2 Froyo
* Display: 8.0 Inch LCD Resistive Touchscreen,800 x 600 Pixels, 4:3
* Memory: 512MB DDR2
* NandFlash: 4GB built-in, can extended upto 32GB by TF Card or Micro SD
* Flash: Support Flash 10.1
* Camera: Built-In Camera
* Support 3G Dongle (Huawei E1750)
* Support GPS (Star Sirf 4)
* Android Market: Download and install any compatible application from the Official Google Android Market. The number of available apps is approaching 10,000 !
* Wireless: WI-FI (802.11 a/b/g)
* Buttons: Power On/off, Front-side Back Button,Home and Menu buttons on the side
* Input Resistive touch screen, Virtual keyboard
* Sensors: 3 sides G-sensor
* Audio Input: Built-in Microphone
* Audio Output: 3.5mm Earphone Jack, Built-in Speaker
* Extension Devices: Standard 30-pin port (Support many devices)
* Audio Playe: MP3, WMA, FLAC, AAC, AC3, OGG, WAV
* Video Player: MKV (H.264 HP)/RMVB/MPEG-4/FLV 720p (Supports all format)
* Image: JPEG, PNG, BMP, GIF
* Battery Time: WIFI ON: 4 hours ; WIFI OFF: 6Hours; 4200Mah
* Power Adapter: 9.5V 1.5A
* Language: Support Multi-Language

Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9

Does this list apply to you? A.) You don't want an iPad. B.) You want a tablet. C.) Ten inches is too big. D.) Seven inches is too small. If so, you might soon be in the market for a Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9 ($470-$570). Powered by Android 3.0 Honeycomb and a dual-core 1GHz processor, the 8.9 features a 1280x800 8.9-inch display, HSPA+ networking, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, a three-megapixel rear camera, a two-megapixel front camera, Sammy's TouchWiz UX interface — the first custom job for Android 3.0 — either 16GB or 32GB of internal storage, and all the glory that comes with being the only person you know who owns an 8.9-inch tablet.

MOTOROLA XOOM Android Tablet (Wi-Fi)

The Motorola XOOM features a front-facing 2-megapixel camera for video chats over Wi-Fi via Google Talk, as well as a rear-facing 5-megapixel camera (with LED flash for stills) that captures video in 720p HD. The 10.1-inch display delivers console-like gaming performance on its 1280 x 800-pixel display, and it features a built-in gyroscope, barometer, e-compass, accelerometer, and adaptive lighting for new types of applications.It runs Google's Android 3.0 Honeycomb operating system, which offers a multi-touch, holographic user interface that improves on Android favorites such as widgets, multi-tasking, browsing, notifications and customization. It also offers the latest Google Mobile innovations, including Google Maps 5.0 with 3D interaction, access to over 3 million Google eBooks and Google Talk with video and voice chat.
Other features include a 32 GB internal memory, memory expansion via optional microSD cards (with future software upgrade), 802.11 a/b/g/n Wi-Fi networking, Bluetooth for hands-free devices and stereo music streaming, access to personal and corporate e-mail, HD 1080p video playback, HDMI output for connecting to a compatible HDTV or monitor, and a 3250 mAh battery for up to 10 hours of Wi-Fi internet browsing.

Coby Kyros MID7015 7-Inch Android Internet Touchscreen Tablet

Android 2.1 connects to the world though the touch of a fingertip. The Kyros Tablet is a powerful and flexible Internet and Entertainment solution that features a generous 7" screen with intuitive touchscreen controls powered by the Android 2.1 operating system. Browse the web wirelessly or enjoy media on a sleek and stylish media device. Enjoy 1080P HD videos, photos, music, and more in the comfort of your living room when connected to your TV via HDMI. The Kyros has 4GB of built-in internal memory and features a microSD card slot for upgrading the capacity to up to 16GB. It also allows you to wirelessly access the Internet through a hi-speed networking support and includes more than a dozen built-in applications, each one identified by an icon. Among the included apps are an alarm clock, browser for surfing the web, calculator, email, gallery for viewing and playing videos, music and video player for launching the mobile YouTube browser page to watch Internet videos and more! In addition, the Kyros offers two unique apps, the Aldiko E-Book, for downloading and reading thousands of e-books (which supports the ePub standard) and AppsLib, to browse, download and install apps from the AppsLib marketplace for a complete mobile Internet solution. Features Large 7 inch Resistive Touchscreen Connect to the Internet wirelessly Browse the web and check e-mail Watch videos on YouTube Integrated flash memory Built-in 4GB internal memory microSD card slot(upgrade up to 16GB) Connect and enjoy Full 1080p on your HDTV via a HDMI cable Discover and download apps to play games, check the weather, listen to the radio, and more with AppsLib Download and read thousands of books with the included Aldiko E-book reader application View pages in portrait or landscape with automatic orientation detection Full-size USB connection enables keyboard of your tablet USB 2.0 Hi-speed for fast file transfers Rechargeable lithium-polymer battery

How to work from home using Google Adwords

First of all you need a substantial investment. The more the better. Anything under $500 probably isn't worth it. What you'll be doing is writing those ads that you see when you do a search on a google search engine. These are the ads that are on the right side all the time that say things that make you really want to click on them.

To do this you'll need to create a google adwords account. The google adwords account is what you use to write these ads. Second you need to create a clickbank account. The click bank account is where you find people who need you to write the ads for their websites. There are many categories so you can find some thing that appeals to you. There's home and garden, fitness and health, sports, clothing, just about anything. When you pick the category you like, they'll give you a list of websites that need advertising.

You're job is to view the websites provided and pick one. Read everything on the website and make sure you're familiar with it. Now go to your google adwords account and start writing your ad. They'll have a simple form for you to fill out. It's short and simple, just like the ones you see all the time.


The difficult part is your investment. You must choose how much you'll pay per click. The higher you'll pay, the higher you'll be up on the search engine. Bad news is, it can use a lot of money really fast! Make sure you have the money to spare. The good news is once you start getting hits (meaning people visiting your ads) it will become a lot easier to make the money back. When people buy something from the website your ad is for, you'll get paid. If this happened enough, with enough ads, you really can make thousands a day. But don't expect this to be immediate. You'll need time to learn how to spend your money wisely and learn how to write persuasive ads.

How to set up a Google Adwords campaign

Start with Google AdWords.

Focus on your unique value proposition. Decide what you are selling and what makes you stand out from your competitors.

Focus on the most relevant keywords. These terms will convert better than words or phrases that are not as appropriate for your offer.

Set up your site:

1.Well-designed landing pages;
2.A free, valuable email newsletter to capture the addresses of potential customers so you don't have to pay to reach them again.

Build a list of the keyword "themes," phrases, and single words you plan to target. Build this "map" outside of the constraints of the PPC interface. Brainstorm keyword phrases using online tools such as Google's keyword selector tool and wordtracker.

When creating a new Google AdWords campaign, consider bidding higher than you normally would for some important terms. This is an approach unique to Google because it rewards a higher click-through rate (CTR). In a simpler world, CTR would depend solely on the quality of the ad copy. However, your CTR will be higher if your ads appear higher in the search results.

Set up split-testing to optimize your PPC ads. Optimize for click-through rate, which will help you achieve higher placement at lower cost, especially for Google AdWords.

Split-test from top to bottom
1. Headline
2. Description Line 1
3. Description Line 2
4. Display URL

Split-test your landing pages.

Consider creating customized landing pages for specific keywords. Certain types of pages will convert better for some terms than for others.

If a desired keyword is too expensive, try to break it down and go after phrases that are more specific. Identify words and phrases that may not receive as much traffic but can be purchased at a lower bid.

Certain keywords will yield a higher ROI than others. To optimize your PPC campaign, analyze the return at the keyword level.

Facebook app lets dead people post :)

FACEBOOK users have been given the opportunity to post one last message on the site after their death thanks to a new app.

‘If I Die’, created by Israel-based company Willook, allows individuals to write posts or record videos that can be published posthumously. Three ‘trustees’ selected by the customer during their lifeline will have to verify the death before anything is broadcast. Nobody - not even those at the company - will be able to see what has been recorded until then.

The app’s website suggests that messages could be “your life story, a secret you haven’t shared before or even a will”.

CEO Eran Alfonta told NBC that he came up with the idea after some of his friends almost died in a car accident. “We all have things to say and don’t necessarily have the audience with the patience to hear us,” he said. “They stopped aside and drank water and relaxed and started speaking between themselves: ‘Oh my God, what would happen to the kids if something happened to me?’”

Hackers had 'full functional control' of Nasa computers

Hackers gained "full functional control" of key Nasa computers in 2011, the agency's inspector general has told US lawmakers.

Paul K Martin said hackers took over Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) computers and "compromised the accounts of the most privileged JPL users".

He said the attack, involving Chinese IP addresses, was under investigation.

In a statement, Nasa said it had "made significant progress to protect the agency's IT systems".

Mr Martin's testimony on Nasa's cybersecurity was submitted to the House Committee on Science, Space and Technology's Subcommittee on Investigations and Oversight.

State of security

In the document, he outlined how investigators believed the attack had involved "Chinese-based internet protocol [IP] addresses".

He said that the attackers had "full system access" and would have been able to "modify, copy, or delete sensitive files" or "upload hacking tools to steal user credentials and compromise other Nasa systems".

Mr Martin outlined how the agency suffered "5,408 computer security incidents" between 2010 and 2011.

He also noted that "between April 2009 and April 2011, Nasa reported the loss or theft of 48 Agency mobile computing devices".

In one incident an unencrypted notebook computer was lost containing details of the algorithms - the mathematical models - used to control the International Space Station.

Nasa told the BBC that "at no point in time have operations of the International Space Station been in jeopardy due to a data breach".

Mixed motives

Mr Martin said Nasa was a "target-rich environment for cyber attacks".

He said that the motivation of the hackers ranged from "individuals testing their skill to break into Nasa systems, to well-organized criminal enterprises hacking for profit, to intrusions that may have been sponsored by foreign intelligence services".

But while Mr Martin criticised aspects of Nasa's cybersecurity he noted investigations had resulted in "arrests and convictions of foreign nationals in China, Great Britain, Italy, Nigeria, Portugal, Romania, Turkey, and Estonia".

Nasa said it was working to implement the security improvements Mr Martin suggested in his testimony.

However the chairman of the congressional subcommittee, Rep Paul Broun, quoted in an online report of proceedings, said: "Despite this progress, the threat to Nasa's information security is persistent, and ever changing. Unless Nasa is able to constantly adapt - their data, systems, and operations will continue to be endangered."

Nokia Lumia 900 rumors emerge

Nokia Lumia 900 rumors emerge - Daniel Acker/BLOOMBERG - Nokia Oyj Lumia 900 smart phones sit on display during the 2012 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, Nevada, Jan. 12.

BGR is citing a "trusted source" today as saying that AT&T and Nokia plan to retail the upcoming Lumia 900 for $99.99 on contract, a number that puts it right in the thick of the carrier's typical midrange lineup. It's an aggressive price, and we might have expected $150 or even $200 on day one — granted, many of Windows Phone's specs now lag the best that Android and Apple have to offer (processor performance and screen resolution, to name a couple), but the Lumia 900 is clearly Nokia's high-end play in the near term and features LTE support to show for it.

Also appearing again is the rumored March 18th launch date, something we've heard before. BGR's tipster notes that the Lumia apparently hasn't yet been granted terminal acceptance, though — a key checkpoint before a carrier will take a handset to retail — so the date could slip if that acceptance doesn't go through as planned. Does the Lumia 900 become more appealing at a sub-$100 price point?

Dasient Crew Picked Up By Twitter: Now What?

Just a week after Twitter's acqui-hire of Summify, the company has done it again. This time Twitter is grabbing Web security firm Dasient and winding down the Dasient business. Instead of servicing the old customer base, the Dasient team is going to work on Twitter's revenue engineering team. Wait, what?

You might think that Twitter would be looking to snag Dasient in order to curb problems with spam and other attacks on the platform. Instead, it looks like Twitter is hoping to use Dasient's team to prep the platform for self-serve ads that might be launching later this year.

Part of Dasient's product portfolio is targeted at "malvertising," that is ads from third parties that might be malicious or take users to malicious content.

So, though Twitter isn't saying much right now, given the note that the team is going to "revenue engineering" instead of security that they'll be focused on the self-serve advertising platform that's running behind. According to Twitter in 2010 the platform was going to be coming "next year" but it's currently limited to a "handful" of businesses after debuting in December 2011.

It's understandable that Twitter wants to tackle problems that lead directly to revenue, but it'd be nice if they'd focus on curbing Twitter's spam problem first.

What Is Proxy Server

A server that is located between a client application, such as a web browser (Internet Explorer, Firefox, Opera, Safari, Google Chrome) and a real server. It sends all requests (web page, message, file,..) to the real server.
Why use proxy?

Hide IP address for anonymous and security, by pass firewall of ISP. Filter and cache content, compress and data. Access to restricted sites or online services. And etc.
Proxy usage

With alive proxy you are able to play in online games at not available game servers. Play in SilkRoad Online, Rappelz, StarCraft, Vindictus, WoW and other games in official game servers with proxy server. Anonymous proxy gives you new possibilites with playing in online poker or online casino.

USA fresh proxy helps to create accounts in PayPal, dating sites (like match.com for example), post any advertisement on Craigslist.org, Kijiji.ca, Ebay or Leboncoin.fr

HTTP Proxy also help to improve results of online voting, to post reviews and feedbacks in many sites.

How to use HTTP(S) in Arora browser

Arora is a lightweight web-browser with many features for security: privacy mode, AdBlock support, great socks 5 / HTTP(S) proxies support.

Run Arora and click "Tools" then "Options"

Go to "Proxy" tab. Select "HTTP (Transparent)" as a type of proxy server if you use Transparent proxy or proxy without HTTPS support.

Select "HTTP (Secure)" as a type of proxy server if you use proxy with HTTPS support.
Note: In this way all DNS requests will be passed through HTTPS proxy.

Fill in Host name and Port fields.

Also if you want you could turn on "privacy mode"..

Go to "File" and click "Private Browsing..."

How to use HTTP(S) proxy in Opera browser

Opera is a well-known free browser which is very popular in Europe. Opera is a quick and powerful browser with features like sending and receiving e-mail messages, managing contacts, chatting on IRC, downloading files via BitTorrent, and reading web feeds and etc.

Using proxy in Opera is easy to configure:

Run Opera and click "Menu" then "Settings" then "Preferences"

Go to "Advanced" tab, click "Proxy Servers..."

Fill in IP addresses fields and Port fields also.

Feel free to enable Proxy Support with pressing F12 key and choosing Enable Proxy Servers in a quick way

Now you could enjoy serfing with Opera over HTTP proxy.

How to use proxy in Skype

Skype as VoIP service provides free calls over Internet. Skype is not only VoIP, it's only a very good application for making voice and video calls. Using proxy in Skype is easy, you just need to configure it properly.

Run Skype

Go to Tools → Options

Click Advanced and choose Connection

Choose HTTPS as a proxy type and place IP address to Host, port to Port

Click Save

Enjoy using proxy in Skype and making free calls over https proxy

How to use HTTP proxy in IE 7,8,9,10 Internet Explorer

Internet Explorer is very popular browser of Microsoft Windows (Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7,..). Many people use it for web. Configuring and using HTTP proxy in Internet Explorer is easy.

Run Internet Explorer

Go to Tools → Internet Options

Choose the provider or see below for LAN settings, and click Settings

Click Advanced

Configure your proxy

If you have only LAN, click LAN settings

Click Advanced

Configure your proxy

How to use http proxy with Chrome

Configuring your connection over proxy in Google Chrome is easy, because Chrome is a pretty simple and quick browser for serfing in Internet.

Run Chrome

Go to Menu → Options

Go to Under The Hood tab and click on Change proxy settings... at the Network section

Proxy settings depends on your Operation System. Instructions for Windows:

Choose the provider or see below for LAN settings, and click Settings

Click Advanced

Congirue your http proxy

If you have only LAN, click LAN sett

Click Advanced

Congirue your http proxy

Enjoy using socks with Google Chrome. Also there are many addons for security and anonymity available.

How to Use Free Proxy with Mozilla Firefox

Open Firefox and in the menu choose Tools and then Options.

This will open the Firefox Options window. Click on Advance Options.

Click on Network tab and the click Settings button under Connection.

In Connection Settings window, click Manual proxy configuration. Now enter the IP address in HTTP Proxy and Port address in Port. ( In this example HTTP Proxy address is 195.175.37.6 and Port is 8080).
Also check the box 'Use this proxy server for all protocols'.

You can use any online service to check your IP. Like check my IP is a site solely dedicated for this purpose.

Samsung Galaxy S2 Android 4.0 update coming March 15th?

Long the thing of mystery, Samsung has seemingly confirmed that the Samsung Galaxy S2 Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich update will land March 15th

The eagerly awaited Samsung Galaxy S II Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich update has leaked online once again ahead of the software’s official release later this year.

One of the most concrete indications to date of the Samsung Galaxy S2 ICS update release, the official Israeli Facebook page has suggested users of the flagship Android handset will be able to give their device a tasty Ice Cream Sandwich filling on March 15th.

“We promised we were working on it. You waited patiently. And on 15 March it'll arrive,” Samsung said via its Facebook feed. It added: “Android version 4, ICS, to tens of thousands of GALAXY S II devices purchased from cellular companies in the country or directly from us. We are very excited for the launch, hope you are too :).”

Samsung Galaxy S II Ice Cream Sandwich Update

Previous Samsung Galaxy S2 Ice Cream Sandwich release leaks saw alpha builds of the latest Google mobile operating system running on Samsung’s market dominating flagship handset back in December, with new versions of the feature heavy OS recently caught again powering the Apple iPhone 4S rival.

Whilst Samsung has confirmed that the recently released Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich OS will land on the Samsung Galaxy S II during the first quarter of the year there has yet to be further details offered as to when users of the phenomenally successful 4.3-inch device will be able to make use of the latest Android offering.

Are you a Samsung Galaxy S II user, have you been waiting for your handset to be on the receiving end of the Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich update? Let us know via the T3 Twitter and Facebook feeds.

Samsung Galaxy S2 running Ice Cream Sandwich

LocalSin - Aplicatia pentru SmartPhone care te ajuta sa gasesti cel mai apropiat partener de sex

Aplicatia pentru SmartPhone care iti gaseste cel mai apropiat partener pentru o aventura de o noapte... Aplicatiile pe care le poti avea pe smartphone incep sa ne ofere din ce in ce mai multe posibilitati. De la gasirea celor mai bune deal-uri din magazine pana la gasirea celei mai apropiate toalete publice.

Ultima noutate este aplicatia LocalSin, un serviciu de matrimoniale ce functioneaza pe baza de GPS, care te ajuta sa gasesti cel mai apropiat partener de sex. Inainte de a porni spre un anumit bar sau club, utilizatorii pot afla cate persoane celibatare se afla in locul respectiv.

LocalSin promite sa-ti creasca sansele de a incheia cu succes o seara in oras cu 90 de procente si este deja un "hit" in Marea Britanie, SUA si Australia. Aplicatia lucreaza cu informatii despre toate preferintele in materie de sex, ofera utilizatorilor acces la o „harta a pasiunii” in timp real si o lista de locatii unde poti gasi compatibilitati.

LocalSin - Aplicatia pentru SmartPhone care te ajuta sa gasesti cel mai apropiat partener de sex

Apoi, ei se pot contacta reciproc si isi pot solicita intalniri, dar au si optiunea de a-si ascunde locatia reala. Dezvoltatorii LocalSin se lauda ca aplicatia lor va revolutiona industria dating-ului datorita simplitatii si eficacitatii sistemului GPS. Sa vedem!

What the Rise of Google+ Says About Facebook

When Google debuted its social network, this time for real, this time for really real, about six weeks ago, it was big news. Once Google+ arrived, many wondered whether or not a true Facebook rival was finally here. People focused on features, apps, APIs, and Google's potential to scale to measure whether this thing would ever be a real Facebook rival, or another dud, like Google Buzz.

While all those things are all important, there's another factor at work in the rise of Google+, which, by most measures, has been incredible. And that's Facebook. More specifically, the things about Facebook that annoy and frustrate its users. When PCMag put the question to readers, "Will you ditch Facebook for Google+," a whopping 50 percent said they would. Even if most of those who answered yes don't actually end up quitting Facebook, that statistic illustrates a general frustration with the service that's probably familiar to anyone who's on it.

Facebook has been annoying its users probably since its inception. Now, every piece of software has its problems. Some users of iPhoto might be annoyed that it doesn't have built-in integration with Snapfish. Twitter users may not like that a direct message looks almost identical to an @reply (Anthony Weiner certainly doesn't). That's normal. Facebook's issues go deeper, though. Facebook's integration into our lives is so personal, so far-reaching, that when it does something users don't like, irritation can quickly become outrage.

There have been numerous cases of Facebook making some kind of of change to its features, users responding with an uproar, and then Facebook proceeds to make the change anyway. A good example is friend lists, which were recently replaced with Groups. Facebook gave its users lists, noted that (after a while) only 5 percent of users actually used them, and then took them away.

"I know that they say only 5 percent of users really cared about that feature, but they cared about that feature a lot," says Paul Allen, founder of Ancestry.com, Facebook app developer, and an self-described unofficial Google+ statistician. "In the end, everyone had to comply and go along with all the Facebook changes, some of them pretty radical, because they had no choice."

Unitl now, of course. There have been other social networks since Facebook came on the scene, sure, but Google+ is the only one that has the features, the scale, and—possibly most important—the buzz to be a real Facebook competitor. Until now, quitting Facebook was a difficult prospect. Not necessarily physically difficult (though Facebook does bury how to leave the service on its site), but socially difficult. I personally know at least a half-dozen people who left the network at one time or another only to inevitably return. The reason? Some variation of "All my friends are on it, and I don't want to miss out."

In other words, there was really nowhere to go that offered the same experience, so they returned. But now that there's another place for people to get social online, things could be different the next time someone walks away. Google+ isn't quite the Facebook alternative Google wishes it was, however, since the new service doesn't actually have all your friends on it—yet. While the growth has been extremely rapid, it's still 25 million to Facebook's 750 million.

"Google has a big chicken and egg problem," says social media analyst Lou Kerner. "Nobody's going to use it until people are on it. But that's a problem that all social networks have. But to the degree that anyone can solve it, it's Google."

Even though Google+'s member base is a drop in Facebook's bucket, it's actually a pretty notable drop. Google was selective about whom it let into its private playground when it debuted its social network, making sure the initial users were, in a word, smart. What Kerner sees as a weakness of Google+—that it's been limited more or less to the digital "cognoscenti"—Allen sees as a strength. Google+ is already the cool new thing, and a dynamic population of first-generation users (see the slideshow above) multiplies that perception.

"The geek crowd has fallen in love with Google+," says Allen. "Those first 10 or 20 million people who first jumped into Google+, it's like the cream of the crop in technical and professional circles. I have never seen this kind of online discourse and communication."

In the end, the cool factor could be the one that ultimately matters the most. A couple of months ago, when it looked like Facebook's popularity in the U.S. was starting to wane, I entertained the theory (one of many) that Facebook's time might have come. I dismissed it right away—rightly, since user engagement on the site is still rising—but all endings have a beginning. Facebook, for all its impressive features and vast statistics, not to mention a looming IPO said to be potentially worth $100 billion, just isn't cool anymore. Even Allen says the people he talks to about Facebook say "It feels so much like MySpace."

Cool, almost by definition, isn't quantifiable. But there's virtually no question that Google+ currently has loads of it, and Facebook is running dry. Mark Zuckerberg probably isn't losing any sleep over Google+ just yet, and maybe he's shouldn't given Facebook's collosal size and influence. But he should definitely think twice before pulling the trigger on the next Facebook feature with questionable privacy implications. As soon as Google+ opens its doors fully (it's still invitation-only and limited to users 18 or older), every single Facebook user will have the chance to try something new. And they may decide they like it better.

ICANN Approves Plan for New Domain Names

The Internet's governing body on Monday approved a plan to increase the number of generic top-level domains (gTLDs), which could significantly increase peoples' options when it comes to domain names.

At this point, there are 22 gTLDs, including .com, .org, and .net. The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), however, have approved a plan that would allow people to apply for new gTLDs, like .pcmag, for example.

"Today's decision will usher in a new Internet age," Peter Dengate Thrush, chairman of ICANN's board of directors, said in a statement. "We have provided a platform for the next generation of creativity and inspiration."

That creativity won't come cheap, however. Applicants must pay a $185,000 evaluation fee, with $5,000 upfront. They might also be required to pay even more "in certain cases where specialized process steps are applicable," in addition to business startup costs, ICANN said.

ICANN will soon kick off a global campaign publicizing the new gTLD option, and will accept applications between January 12 and April 12. When the application period closes, ICANN will publish a list of all requested gTLDs, at which time people can file objections.

The actual evaluation process could take between eight and 18 months; ICANN has a lengthy applicant guidebook against which applications will be assessed. If you wanted to apply for two similar or related TLDs, you would have to file two applications—and pay two $185,000 fees. But ICANN warns that "the application process is currently designed to not allow two strings that are 'confusingly similar' to each other."

Once it's approved, meanwhile, "the applicant is required to conclude an agreement with ICANN and pass technical predelegation tests" before the gTLD will be live on the Web, ICANN said.

If you miss your window next year, ICANN expects to hold additional application rounds in the future.

"ICANN has opened the Internet's naming system to unleash the global human imagination. Today's decision respects the rights of groups to create new Top Level Domains in any language or script. We hope this allows the domain name system to better serve all of mankind," said Rod Beckstrom, president and CEO of ICANN.