We could be visiting search.google or watch.youtube domains next year if Google’s plans go ahead

By Andy Boxall Published April 11, 2012

When the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers, or ICANN, publishes a list of companies who’ve applied to acquire a series of new generic top-level domains — that’s the bit that comes after the second “dot” in a web address — it’s expected that Google will feature heavily.

An article published at adage.com quotes a Google marketing spokesperson, who told the site “we plan to apply for Google’s trademarked top-level domains, as well as a handful of new ones.”

Recommended Videos

Although the company didn’t elaborate on which domains these would be, it’s logical to expect the major Google brands to feature, such as .Google and .YouTube.

This would see an influx of more creative — and more importantly, fully branded — domain names to be introduced, for example search.google or a watch.youtube.

The introduction of a .gplus or .g+ domain could also see personalized Google+ accounts introduced, a system which would work equally as well for myname.gplus as it would for brandname.youtube.

Another possibility is a .android domain. There has been talk of Google re-introducing an online store, through which it would sell the as-yet unannounced Nexus tablet, and a buy.android or experience.android domain would suit such a site perfectly.

Google won’t be the only one taking this approach either, as many big brand names will be jumping at the chance to incorporate their brand ethos into a simple, memorable web address. Pepsi mentioned the possibility of a drink.pepsi domain, plus the same scheme would enable geographical addresses like .london or .nyc.

There are currently just 22 registered top-level domains, but this new scheme could see that number increase by thousands. Back in March, ICANN revealed it had approved 290 registrants, and each can apply for up to 50 new domains.

It’s not a simple process though, as each applicant has to give a $5000 deposit and pass a legal review, then stump up a $185,000 registration fee.

The application window closes on 12 April, and ICANN will reveal who has applied for what on 30 April or 1 May. The new domains will then go live in January 2013.

Topics

Google

Senior Mobile Writer

Andy is a Senior Writer at Digital Trends, where he concentrates on mobile technology, a subject he has written about for…

Computing

How to change margins in Google Docs

Laptop Working from Home

When you create a document in Google Docs, you may need to adjust the space between the edge of the page and the content --- the margins. For instance, many professors have requirements for the margin sizes you must use for college papers.

You can easily change the left, right, top, and bottom margins in Google Docs and have a few different ways to do it.

Computing

What is Microsoft Teams? How to use the collaboration app

A close-up of someone using Microsoft Teams on a laptop for a videoconference.

Online team collaboration is the new norm as companies spread their workforce across the globe. Gone are the days of primarily relying on group emails, as teams can now work together in real time using an instant chat-style interface, no matter where they are.

Using Microsoft Teams affords video conferencing, real-time discussions, document sharing and editing, and more for companies and corporations. It's one of many collaboration tools designed to bring company workers together in an online space. It’s not designed for communicating with family and friends, but for colleagues and clients.

Computing

Microsoft Word vs. Google Docs

A person using a laptop that displays various Microsoft Office apps.

For the last few decades, Microsoft Word has been the de facto standard for word processors across the working world. That's finally starting to shift, and it looks like one of Google's productivity apps is the heir apparent. The company's Google Docs solution (or to be specific, the integrated word processor) is cross-platform and interoperable, automatically syncs, is easily shareable, and perhaps best of all, is free.

However, using Google Docs proves it still has a long way to go before it can match all of Word's features -- Microsoft has been developing its word processor for over 30 years, after all, and millions still use Microsoft Word. Will Google Docs' low barrier to entry and cross-platform functionality win out? Let's break down each word processor in terms of features and capabilities to help you determine which is best for your needs.
How does each word processing program compare?
To put it lightly, Microsoft Word has an incredible advantage over Google Docs in terms of raw technical capability. From relatively humble beginnings in the 1980s, Microsoft has added new tools and options in each successive version. Most of the essential editing tools are available in Google Docs, but users who are used to Word will find it limited.