Virgin ISP starts typosquatting.

European internet service provider Virgin Media is the latest ISP to start an error redirect service typosquatting operation. On an F.A.Q. on its web site, the company writes:

We are introducing this new service that we hope our customers will find useful. It’s designed to help you find the websites you’re looking for more easily. We think it offers a better customer experience and more convenience, but if you disagree, you can opt out in seconds, and you won’t see it again.

Like similar schemes, the first thing that will jump out at you when mistype a domain using Virgin Media is an ad. In an example shown at TheRegister, a typo of VirginMedia.com returns a paid ad for…Virgin Media.

Most major ISPs in the United States use such typosquatting schemes, even while they battle cybersquatters of their own trademarks. As I’ve written many times, these redirect services are inherently evil compared to domain parking; with basically all good generic domains registered these services serve up on 99% trademark typos.

Verizon, Comcast, Time Warner, and even computer manufacturers such as Gateway and Dell have used similar “error redirect” service.

(Via TheRegister)

Former Looksmart web directory gets new life.

Domain name broker NameMedia has brokered the sale of the storied domain name Zeal.com for $50,000.

Zeal.com was formerly a human-powered directory run by Looksmart. Looksmart purchased Zeal in 2000 for $20M. It was once seen as a potential rival to Open Directory.

The domain was purchased by Kenneth Yeh, a former volunteer editor of Zeal. On a message on the Zeal.com domain, Yeh writes:

I know that many of you Zealots like myself were very saddened by the loss of Zeal in March 2006.

For those of you who don’t know me, I was a former volunteer editor at Zeal before it shut down.

As the new owner of this domain, I hope to rejuvenate Zeal and bring it back to its glory days. I’ve been a software engineer for over 10 years and hopefully, I can use my programming skills to develop a web directory worthy of the name Zeal.

NameMedia sold about $600,000 worth of domains over the past week, including IMMO.net for $30,000. The company operates Afternic and BuyDomains.

Domain company wins board battle but hires outside firm to consider strategic options.

Dark Blue Sea has hired an advisor to explore the company’s strategic options, and has won a challenge to its board makeup.

The company, which operates domain registrar and parking company Fabulous, hired mid-market advisory firm Allier Capital to help it “explore a range of strategic options”, the company announced. The company has been shopping around its service businesses over the past year. With the loss of its GoDaddy sales agreement, it is likely facing increased pressure.

Separately, the company’s board staved off an attack to remove its chairman Vernon Wills and add two board members from Photon Group, a large shareholder. However, Photon Group has been aggressively buying shares of the company on the open market.

Hotel domain name top Sedo’s weekly sales list.

Sedo cooled down a bit this week after a few weeks of blockbuster sales. But its sales are nothing to sneeze at. The top sale this week was BookHotels.com. The buyer, who paid 50,000 EUR for the domain, is using privacy protection to block whois for now.

Coming in second place at $25,000 is GermProof.com, a domain that should come in handy as cold and flu season rolls in. The domain was bought by Amazon Thunder, which sells Acai berry products. The domain forwards to its AmazonThunder.com web site.

In another interesting sale, Alaska.tel sold for $1,050.

Here’s a look at other notable sales at Sedo this past week:

.COM
discountlaptops.com 2009-08-13 23,760 USD
trekking.com 2009-08-12 19,500 EUR
officelife.com 2009-08-14 15,000 USD
mypizza.com 2009-08-17 15,000 USD
filesearch.com 2009-08-14 10,000 USD
ofb.com 2009-08-12 9,500 USD
geruest.com 2009-08-17 8,950 EUR
caby.com 2009-08-14 7,200 USD
ipooltables.com 2009-08-14 7,000 USD
vcig.com 2009-08-14 6,250 USD
bizcards.com 2009-08-13 6,100 USD
byv.com 2009-08-16 5,700 USD
comprale.com 2009-08-13 5,500 USD
troogle.com 2009-08-17 5,000 USD
mplife.com 2009-08-13 5,000 USD
egiving.com 2009-08-11 5,000 USD
shoesshop.com 2009-08-14 5,000 EUR
windlab.com 2009-08-13 5,000 USD
exch.com 2009-08-17 5,000 GBP

ccTLDs
cam.be 2009-08-12 15,000 USD
trucchi.it 2009-08-11 14,400 EUR Tricks in Italian
wellnesshotels.de 2009-08-13 14,280 EUR
topnews.de 2009-08-14 8,330 EUR
secure.it 2009-08-14 6,000 EUR

Other
tipps.net 2009-08-13 7,140 EUR
insurancequotes.info 2009-08-12 5,600 USD
hypotheken.org 2009-08-17 4,567 EUR Mortgage in German

State to auction personalized license plates.

Perhaps taking a cue from the United Arab Emirates, the state of Texas hopes to generate cash by auctioning off personalized license plates.

Texas is opening up personalized license plates from the previous 6 character limit to 7, which opens up new possibilities such as COWBOYS, which the state and its vendor think may be in high demand. There will also be a couple dozen plate designs to choose from.

This isn’t the first attempt at offering highly personalized plates in the state. An offering a couple years ago from a company called MyPlates failed. The name of the new company offering the plates? Also MyPlates. They’re going to use the same MyPlates.com domain name.

Although an interesting idea, I’m not sure that Texans will get too excited about this. Compared to other states, Texas has a relatively low percentage of people opting for personalized plates.

But Texas did something both accidental and smart this time around. It just released the most hideous new license plate design I’ve ever seen. I just bought a car and am stuck with these hideous plates, so I’m willing to pay to upgrade.

With seven characters, I could now be like Adam Strong. But if they allow punctuation, I’d prefer DNW.COM.