It's easier than ever to get your hands on a ready-to-fly quadcopter to send buzzing around the skies. But there are definitely some guidelines you'll want to follow before taking off.
Joshua Goldman/CNET
Editors' note: What follows is not legal advice. Please contact officials in your area or consult an attorney for laws, rules and regulations for where you plan to fly.
The current furor about drones and what you should and shouldn't be allowed to do with them is another case of technology being ahead of laws and regulations (not unlike the controversy over 3D-printed firearms).
Spurred by concerns about privacy and public safety, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has initiated an awareness campaign, including a new site, Know Before You Fly. That's in advance of more concrete consumer drone legislation expected from the agency by the end 2015. At the moment, however, current regulations for where and under what conditions you can recreationally fly radio-controlled drones -- quadcopters, multirotors, flying cameras, unmanned aircraft systems or vehicles (UAS or UAV) or whatever you want to call them -- are a bit confusing.
So before you take your new toy out for spin in the park, here's what you need to know. And this goes for everything for recreational use: from palm-size toys that can be flown around your living room to large multirotor aerial photography and videography models that can carry dSLRs.
Joshua Goldman/CNET
The basics
The FAA claims responsibility for the safety of US airspace from the ground up. For RC hobbyists (read: noncommercial pilots), the FAA safety guidelines limit recreational use of model aircraft to below 400 feet, within sight of the operator and more than 5 miles away from airports and air traffic without prior FAA notification. These guidelines fall in line with the National Model Aircraft Safety Code of theAcademy of Model Aeronautics (AMA).
Other no-fly zones include military bases and national parks. Though some models, such as DJI's Phantom 2, use GPS to help avoid flying too close to an airport, in general you're on your own in following these guidelines. Custom map developer Mapbox created a Don't Fly Drones Here map for the US if you're curious about the area where you plan to fly. DJI has a global No Fly Zones map.
Google Drive for both Android and iOS has matured quite a bit since its release. Here's some advice on getting started with the app.
Jason Cipriani/CNET
Editors' Note: This article was originally published April 24, 2012, and has been updated to reflect the numerous updates, changes and additions to Google Drive since then.
Since its launch in early 2012, the Google Drive app has seen many changes. When it originally launched it replaced the Google Docs app, didn't allow you to actually edit documents on iOS, but allowed for creating and editing Google Docs files within the Android app. Now it better serves as a hub for accessing the various types of files you store within Google Drive.
The basics
Screenshot by Jason Cipriani/CNET
The main screen of Google Drive provides a few options for navigating your files. You will have quick access to files in your Drive, any documents that have been shared with you, any files or folders you have starred, recently opened or edited as well as any files you have downloaded for offline access.
When you first launch the app, you'll find a list of your folders and files stored in Google Drive. The default thumbnail view (pictured on the left above) can be changed to a list view (middle) by tapping on the list icon in the top menu bar.
Naturally, tapping on an item will open it. Tapping on the "i" icon, however, will open the details screen (pictured right) for the respective file or folder. On this screen you can view who has access, when changes were made, who made them and other important details. Additionally, you will find options for sharing, moving, deleting, renaming, starring (for quick access) and for files the option to download it to your device for offline access.
Creating, editing
Screenshot by Jason Cipriani/CNET
The Google Drive app for Android was recently updated with the Material Design language, complete with a floating "New" button and fun animations. Tapping on the circular, red button will bring up a prompt. The options for creating a new document include uploading a file from your device, scanning a document, creating a folder and lastly, creating a Docs, Sheets or Slides document. The iOS app is sure to receive the same design treatment, but in the mean time you can tap on the "+" in the upper-right hand corner to create a new document.
The last three options require the respective app to be installed on your device. Be sure to install Docs (Android | iOS), Sheets (Android | iOS) and Slides (Android | iOS) on your device. Should you try to create a document without the accompanying app installed, Google Drive will prompt you to install it before continuing.
Viewing documents without the above apps installed is still possible, though your editing options will be limited.
When selecting upload, you are able to browse and upload any type of file to your Drive account directly from your device. It's important to note -- on Android installing a file manager, such as Astro File Manager, is required to browse all files stored on your device. By default you can access images, videos, audio, and downloads. iOS users are restricted to videos and images only.
Keep in mind if you want to place the new item in a specific folder, you will need to navigate to that folder in the app before you upload or create it. Otherwise the new file uploaded item will be placed in the root directory of your Google Drive account.
Menu and settings
Jason Cipriani/CNET
Slide out the menu from the left side of the screen, where you can then switch accounts or view files that are shared with you (categorized as "Incoming"), recently accessed, starred or downloaded, as well as those you've uploaded from your device.
Scrolling down the menu's list on an Android, you'll find an option to view the apps settings along with the current amount of Drive space you're using with each account. Within the settings for the Google Drive app, you can set the amount of data you will want the app to cache, topping out at 250MB. You can also enable or disable encryption of offline documents as well as set your device to only upload or update files over Wi-Fi in an effort to help save your mobile data plan.
iOS users will need to tap on the Settings icon, located next to the username at the top of the menu. There you can find storage allotments, and the option to set a security code to grant access to the app. Lacking in iOS is the ability to cache items or restrict uploads to Wi-Fi only.
What do you do when you get a gift card for a place you aren't too happy about? Why, you sell it, of course!
Did you know you can sell or trade your unwanted gift cards?
Most people don't even know such an option is possible, when in fact it is, and can come in really handy around the holiday season when almost everyone gets at least one gift card.
Below you will find a rundown of a few Web sites that facilitate the buying and selling of unwanted gift cards as well as an ingenious way of dealing with those Visa/Amex gift cards.
Cardpool.com
Screenshot by Jason Cipriani/CNET
Cardpool allows you to buy, sell or trade gift cards with fellow Cardpool members. You're able to sell a gift card for a little less than the overall value of the card. If you opt to send the cards' info in electronically, you are going to get a little bit less for the card than if you choose to physically send the card in.
The actual percentage Cardpool takes per card varies based on the demand for the gift card, and not a flat fee across the board. You're given the option to get an Amazon gift card instead of a check for the value of the card(s) for payment methods.
If you're looking to buy a card, you will be able to buy cards at a lesser amount than the card is worth, allowing you to save some money. (Which is also a great way to buy the gift cards you plan to give.)
Raise
Raise iPhone AppScreenshot by Jason Cipriani/CNET
Raise allows you to buy and sell gift cards directly from your iPhone using its free iOS app. While that may not seem like a big deal at first, think of the savings you can take advantage of by buying a gift card at a discounted price for the store you're currently shopping in. See something you want in Home Depot that's listed at $50? Launch Raise, search for Home Depot and buy a $50 card for $42.
Alternatively, you can keep tabs on the cards you have listed for sale on Raise directly from the app. Alerts are sent when a card is sold, letting you know you have funds available to deposit into your bank account or claim via check. You set the price for the gift card, deciding how much of a discount you're willing to give for someone to take it off your hands. For its part, Raise lays claim to 15 percent of the sales price.
Coinstar
Coinstar Exchange KioskScreenshot by Jason Cipriani/CNET
Look for a Coinstar kiosk. I know what you're thinking: "Isn't that the company where you can dump years' worth of coins into one of its machines and get money back?" Yes, yes it is. Little did I realize it also has machines that offer cash in exchange for a gift card. You can locate a Coinstar Exchange kioskhere. Once you find a kiosk, you'll need to have a gift card with a minimum balance of $20 on it. Scan the card, verify your identity and wait for the machine to spit out cold, hard cash. Actually, it prints out a voucher for you to redeem inside whatever store the kiosk is located in. But it's all the same.
Gift Card Granny
Gift Card Granny's listing of gift card-selling sites.Screenshot by Jason Cipriani/CNET
Who doesn't love a Grandma that's always looking out for you? Gift Card Granny is a service that searches some of the leading gift card exchange sites and provides you with the current rates you'd receive when selling your card. Services covered include Raise and Cardpool (mentioned above),GiftCards.com, Giftcard Zen, ABC Gift Cards and MonsterGiftCard.com. The services use different fees and payment methods, so it's a wise idea to shop around and double-check that you're receiving the most money you can for your unwanted plastic.
Screenshot by Jason Cipriani/CNET
Square
This next piece of advice comes from Twitter user @garz76, via @nanpalmero; when you receive a Visa or Amex gift card, instead of trying to manage the balance at retail outlets, simply transact a payment to yourself using a Square card reader.
Granted, you are going to be charged the 2.75 percent fee for the transaction, but you will have the remaining value of the card deposited into your bank account within a couple days. Now, instead of having to fumble through keeping track of the balance or worry about what places will accept the card, you have cash in your bank account, to be used however you choose.
It only takes a few minutes to request a free Square reader (or you can purchase them at most big-box retailers now) and set up an account via the Web site in just a few minutes more.
If none of the above solutions sounds like a winner to you, there is always eBay, which allows the selling of gift cards. Of course, eBay has its own set of fees along with PayPal that can end up costing you more in the end. Weigh your options and choose whichever one works best for you.
Ready to get into financial shape? Get to know some of Mint.com's most helpful features.
It's around this time of year -- after more-than-intended gift spending and holiday travels -- that bank statements tend to get more of an eyebrow-raise than usual.
Mint.com, a free personal finance site, is one of the most popular choices for budgeting and record-keeping, thanks to its clean interface and long-standing reputation. Whether you're new to the service or want to get more out of it, here are some best practices.
Sync all your financials
Mint works best when it can see your entire financial picture. That means entering all accounts, including savings, checking and even credit cards. But don't stop there: Any student loans, car loans and mortgages should be entered, too. And to make sure your net worth is accurate, take a moment to add in your assets, such as cars and real estate.
Once that data is entered, Mint can more accurately suggest budgets, goals and display your net worth.
Set goals
Mint's most valuable tool, at least for me, is Goals, which can be accessed from the desktop website (the tool isn't yet available for mobile). Goals is a well-designed tool that automatically tells you how to best allocate your money based on what you'd like to accomplish.
For instance, let's say you have two debts to eliminate -- student loans and a credit card balance. If you create a goal to pay off your debts (that's a goal type you can choose from the tool), and indicate how much you'd like to put against those balances each month, Mint will automatically tell you how to distribute that money based on the interest on each loan and credit card.
There's even a useful (and somewhat scary) slider that calculates how much interest you'll pay over time. Of course, the more money you put toward the debts, the less time they'll take to pay off, and the less interest you'll have to pay.
There are similar automated goal tools for purchasing a home, creating an emergency savings account and even saving for sizable purchases, like a new computer.
Keep transactions in check
After you've configured your budgets, Mint will keep track of how you're doing by automatically categorizing transactions as groceries, gas, utilities, entertainment and so on. But Mint doesn't always get things right and sometimes, it leaves things uncategorized. Leaving transactions inaccurately categorized not only makes your budgets less useful, but it also affects your Trends.
Once or twice a week, take moment to review your transactions and make sure they're properly categorized. You can do this in the app or online.
In addition to categorizing your transactions, you can also add Tags. The two available by default are Vacation and Reimbursable. Reimbursable is especially useful because if it is a business expense, tagging the transaction as such will exclude it from your budgets.
You can also create your own tags and set them to exclude any associated transactions from your budgets by going to Accounts > Hide on the Mint desktop site.
Tips for tracking cash
Keeping track of cash is one of the most common challenges, but there are a couple straightforward solutions.
Option 1: The first strategy (and the one I use) is to set a budget for Cash & ATM, and forego tracking cash transactions entirely. You can even go as far as deciding to solely use your cash for restaurants and coffee, for example, and let your Cash & ATM budget reflect that.
Option 2: This one is a little more labor-intensive, but valuable if you want to get a precise analysis of your financials. Each time you spend cash, head into the Mint app, tap the + symbol in the upper-right corner, and enter the transaction.
If you take this approach, just be sure to delete or exclude any cash withdrawals so that Mint doesn't think you're spending twice as much as you are.
Apple, Microsoft, Sony sell smartphone patents for $900M
The tech giants finally relinquish their hold on the highly-coveted technology rights, possibly marking the end of a patent fight between Android phone manufacturers and competitors.
An Apple-led group is selling off its portfolio of smartphone technology patents following a settlement with Google and other Android handset makers.James Martin/CNET
Apple and other high-profile tech companies sold 4,000 smartphone patents for $900 million to a clearinghouse, the patents' new owner announcedTuesday, in an effort to put a long-fought courtroom battle behind them.
The Apple-led Rockstar Consortium -- which includes Microsoft, BlackBerry, Ericsson and Sony -- sold the patents, initially purchased for $4.5 billion four years ago, to the San Francisco-based RPX Corp. RDX plans to license the patents to another group of about 30 tech companies, including Google and Cisco Systems, according to a press release.
The deal is expected to end a series of lawsuits -- which effectively pitted Rockstar against smartphone makers who developed Android phones -- around patents for some basic smartphone technology, including navigating through documents, data networking and Internet access.
"Today's announcement is good news for our industry as it demonstrates our patent system working to promote innovation," said Erich Andersen, vice president and deputy general counsel of Microsoft, said in the release. "We joined Rockstar to ensure that both Microsoft and our industry would have broad access to the Nortel patent portfolio, and we're pleased to have accomplished that goal through this sale and our valuable license to the patents being sold."
BlackBerry and Google declined to comment. Apple, Ericsson and Sony did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
This could indicate the tech companies willingness to move away from often drawn-out and expensive patent lawsuits. Rights to a patent typically prevent competitors from profiting from a company's original ideas.
13-inch Sony Xperia Z4 Tablet Ultra could have 4K display and 6GB of RAM?
A rumor of newly discovered details for a forthcoming Sony tablet has some crazy high-end specs. Are they too good to be true?
The Xperia Z4 Tablet Ultra rumors read like a fanboy fantasy.PadNews
Sony could introduce a 13-inch, 4K Android tablet as early as January, if the latest details prove true.
Not only is it rumored to be big, the tablet could potentially also pack some downright crazy hardware, like a 12.97-inch display with a 3,840x2,400-pixel resolution. Indeed, this means we could be in for a 4K Ultra HD screen with a 16:10 ratio.According to information obtained by Chinese websitePadNews, a slate known as the Sony Xperia Z4 Tablet Ultra is looming on the horizon.
Keeping with outlandishly top-shelf features, the Xperia Z4 Tablet Ultra is also listed as having 6GB of RAM, twice the 3GB threshold we see in today's top devices. Let's just say we're skeptical.
Other specs may include a 2.86GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 processor, 64GB of internal storage and a 12,100mAh battery.
While it's entirely possible that Sony will soon introduce some sort of tablet, these details read more like a fanboy wishlist than like a feasible product for early 2015. Sony has a CES press conference slated for January 5, which would be a good time to introduce a new tablet, especially one as high-end as this rumor claims it will be.
It was another terrible, horrible, no good, very bad week for Sony, and we learned even more as reporters sifted through a trove of stolen documents from the Hollywood studio.
President Obama holds a press conference during which he discussed Sony Pictures' decision not to release "The Interview" in the wake of the alleged North Korean hacking scandal.Leigh Vogel, WireImage
Fallout from the destructive breach of Sony Pictures' computer network on November 24 and the struggle against the deluge of leaked internal documents has stretched from Tinseltown to DC and beyond.
President Obama on Friday said Sony "did the wrong thing" when pulling the movie at the heart of the breach, "The Interview," from theaters. Earlier in the day, the FBI said it had concluded North Korea was behind the attack. Hackers had broken into Sony's computer network and leaked thousands of emails and financial documentsrevealing the Hollywood studio's secrets, demanding that the comedy about assassinating North Korea's leader be kept from release.
Some of the revelations have been merely interesting, a few have been shocking invasions of privacy, while others could damage individual reputations.
From backbiting executives to backroom deals, here are nine more things we learned about Sony. These revelations have been reported previously in a variety of publications.
1) Hell hath no fury like a Google scorned
Google was apoplectic at the prospect of Sony and the other Hollywood studios attempting to resurrect proposed Internet content-restriction laws -- the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and the Protect Intellectual Property Act (PIPA). Google general counsel Kent Walker wrote a scathing blog post.
"[O]ne disappointing part of this story is what this all means for the MPAA itself, an organization founded in part 'to promote and defend the First Amendment and artists' right to free expression,'" Walker wrote. "Why, then, is it trying to secretly censor the Internet?"
2) Google will fight The Law -- but will it win?
As part of the efforts to resurrect SOPA's intent through nonlegislative means, Google revealed that Mississippi state attorney general Jim Hood sent the search giant a 79-page subpoena. Google says it is similar to subpoenas discussed in leaked Sony emails, and the company plans to fight back.
3) State Department gave two thumbs up to "The Interview"
Sony Pictures CEO Michael Lynton, aware of the sensitive nature of some of the material in "The Interview," screened the comedy to a US State Department official and received a stamp of approvalmonths before it was due in theaters. The unnamed official even signed off on the ending, depicting the assassination of Kim Jong-Un.
4) Snapchat CEO Evan Spiegel needed a hug
Spiegel was so upset when his personal emails to Lynton, who sits on Snapchat's board of directors, were exposed he had to go for a walk. "I felt like I was going to cry all morning," he said in a statement to Snapchat employees and on Twitter, so he said he went for a walk where he ran into a high school teacher. "She gave me a huge hug. I really needed it."
5) Even Kanye must pitch
Apparently, Kanye West is in "The Interview" for a hot minute. Perhaps it's connected to West's creative director Elon Rutberg pitching Sony Pictures co-chair Amy Pascal on a film. "[W]e have a major film project coming up that involves both cinematic and technological innovation, so I naturally thought Sony and wanted to reach out," he said, according to the Daily Beast.
6) QR codes are worth more than Google Glass
More Sony emails revealed Snapchat acquired several startups, including $15 million for one making an Internet-connected headset similar to Google Glass, and another for $50 million whose technology reads iBeacons and those pixelated black-and-white boxes called QR codes. QR codes, really.
7) Mark Zuckerberg really, really hated "The Social Network"
We knew Zuckerberg was no fan of the movie about Facebook's origins, but we didn't know until Sony's emails were exposed that Zuck tried to kill the flick outright. "I said to Zuckerberg when he tried to stop 'The Social Network,' 'No one wants their sophomore year in college examined or portrayed,'" Lynton is said to have written in one email, reported Business Insider.
8) And for my next witness, your honor
Next up in court: Sony employees, both current and former. The first lawsuit alleging Sony mishandled the personal information of employees by not having better computer security has been filed.
9) Costliest "Interview" ever?
The stars of the movie that led to the hack that kicked this whole thing off were well-compensated. Seth Rogen was paid $8.4 million, and James Franco got $6.5 million. All told, $44 million was spent on a movie that may never be seen, according to Bloomberg.
Or will it? Following President Obama's comments on Friday that Sony made a mistake by cancelling the film's scheduled release, Sony Pictures sent a statement to the press saying it was looking at "a different platform" for making sure "The Interview" isn't left on the cutting-room floor.
How to set up PlayStation 4 Remote Play on your Xperia phone or tablet
If you own one of Sony's high-end Xperia phones or tablets, you'll be delighted to know that you can stream PS4 games straight to your phone. Here's how.
Aloysius Low/CNET
Sony's latest flagship phone, the Sony Xperia Z3, comes with a new feature -- Remote Play. While it wasn't available when the phone was launched, Sony recently turned it on. If you own a PlayStation 4, you'll be able to stream games to your phone and play those games with either a PS4 DualShock controller or with onscreen controls.
If you already own the Xperia Z2 or Z2 Tablet, the good news is that Sony has enabled Remote Play for those devices as well. And while modders have managed to get Remote Play working on other devices, that involves a bunch of work that most people won't bother with, since it involves rooting and flashing certain files to trick the app into thinking it's running on a Sony-certified device.
Anyhow, if you already own the official devices, here's how to get started. I used the Xperia Z3 for this.
Setting up
Setting up is really easy. First, you'll need to download the PlayStation Remote Play app from the Google Play Store. Remember how I said it doesn't work if you don't have a compatible device? Google Play won't let you download the app unless you do.
Once you have the app installed on your Xperia phone, you'll need to ensure that Remote Play is turned on in your PlayStation 4 settings. Navigate to Settings > View Controller Guide > Register and turn it on.
Screenshot by Aloysius Low/CNET
When you first start up the app, it will ask if you want to connect the PS4 DualShock controller to the phone. If you only have one controller, I suggest skipping this step for now. This is because you may need to use the controller when setting up and if you only have one, you won't be able to do so since it will be locked to the phone until you pair it again to the PS4. That said, you can return to doing this any time by clicking on the settings button in the app.
Before you begin pairing the Xperia phone and the PS4, make sure both devices are on the same home network, then hit the search button on the app. If the phone doesn't detect the PS4 (like in my case) automatically, you can still use a number code to pair up your devices.
Ideally, you'll want the PS4 to be on an Ethernet connection, but Remote Play will still work even if both devices are on Wi-Fi. Also, if you're away from home, you can also connect to the PS4, though it's best not to do this with a mobile connection as it will chomp through your data plan. Connecting this way does take a while, so it's really not recommended. Latency was also an issue -- it takes ages for your input instructions to be relayed back and forth through the Internet.
If you have a fast connection, you can also make the video quality better by heading to Settings > Video Quality for Remote Play and switch it to High.
Ta-da! All set up and ready to go.Aloysius Low/CNET
One controller to rule them all
To get the best experience from Remote Play, it's best to use the DualShock controller with the phone. You can buy a clip-on mount, the Game Control Mount GCM10, that lets you attach your Z3 to the controller, though this method can be tiring after a while as the combined weight is fairly hefty.
Just simply stick the Z3 to the suction cup and you're all set to go.Aloysius Low/CNET
I suggest putting the phone somewhere you can see, such as on the table, and holding the controller normally. It's also best to have a dedicated controller if you think you'll be using Remote Play a good deal, since it's quite tedious to switch between pairing with the phone and the PS4.
If you choose not to use the DualShock controller, the Remote Play app does have onscreen controls, but they take up quite a bit of screen real estate, and aren't very useful for fast action games such as Call of Duty.
Aloysius Low/CNET
What you can expect?
While streaming quality was generally smooth, the whole process is really dependent on your router being able to handle the load (especially if you choose the highest quality stream). Depending on the action on the screen, you may see artifacts and noise that aren't apparent in the original on the TV.
Also, if you're trying to aim on the comparatively tiny display in first-person shooters, good luck. Unless you have exceptional eyesight, you'll be squinting most of the time or holding the screen really close to make things out.
Of course, if you're using Remote Play on the larger Z3 Tablet, that shouldn't be a problem. Smaller screens are less of an issue with games such as Driveclub, in which you're just driving a car around.
Sony and Android
Sony will keep this exclusive to its own devices for now (it needs to, given the company's dismal mobile business results), so it's unlikely you'll see this feature appearing on other Android handsets any time soon. That includes those that have been certified PlayStation-compatible, which only means they're able to use DualShock controllers to play Android games.
Here's an easy way to turn your dSLR into a DIY webcam for PC.
First, you will need to check that your camera is compatible with the software for this tutorial. It's called SparkoCam, and works with most Canon and Nikon dSLRs. Check the list at thebottom of this pagefor your particular model.Maybe your webcam is broken. Or maybe, you just want to try something fun with your dSLR. Here's how to turn your dSLR into a webcam for PC.
Step one: Download SparkoCam and install on the PC.
Step two: Connect the camera to your PC using a USB cable. This is usually a microUSB or miniUSB to full USB cable, and one comes with your camera. Turn on the camera and let drivers install if necessary.
In SparkoCam under the Device tab, you should see the software auto-detect your camera. You can change the preview resolution and the video bitrate. Under the Effects tab you can add overlays to the video image if you so desire.
SparkoCam also allows you to change the exposure to adjust aperture, shutter speed, ISO and white balance. Make sure to set the focus at this stage, otherwise the person on the other end will see you as a blur.
Screenshot by Lexy Savvides/CNET
If you're feeling particularly adventurous, you can click over to the Effects tab in SparkoCam to add cute overlays like glasses, hats or masks to the image.
Step three: Start the chat software (such as Skype). Go to Tools > Options, then select Video Settings. Choose the SparkoCam option as your webcam input. You should see the image from the dSLR on screen.
Step four: Find a microphone to record sound, or use your PC's internal mic. You can't use the dSLR's internal mic for this, unfortunately.
Step five: Chat away! The free version of SparkoCam is fully functional but comes with a big watermark, so if you like what it does, $30/£19/AU$36 unlocks the full version. Choose the standard license for SparkoCam and choose either Canon or Nikon.
2014 welcomes the Net's new names: .beer, .farm, .nyc and much more
New Web and email address options exploded this year with 469 new top-level domain names. Next year, Google, Amazon and 10 others will bid for rights to oversee .app.
In 2014, people registered about 3.6 million domains using hundreds of new addresses like .berlin, .pizza and .florist.NTLDstats
In 2014, the renaming of the Net has begun in earnest.
A dramatic liberalization of the Internet address system means that people can set up websites and email addresses ending in .photography, .london, .gift, .beer and .restaurant. And since they started arriving early in 2014, the virtual land grab has begun in earnest.
Starting in February, 469 of these new names arrived, says the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers ( ICANN), a nonprofit organization that oversees the system. As of December 18, people have registered 3.6 million Internet domains using the new names, according to a tally by GreenSec Solutions' NTLDstats site.
The addresses are called generic top-level domains (GTLDs), and their debut is part of ICANN's years-long plan to introduce new virtual real estate on the Net. There were only 22 such domains beforehand -- the familiar .com, .net and .org among them -- but now it's time to get used to a huge number of new alternatives.
With the GTLD expansion, people can identify themselves by profession -- for instance, .photography, .florist, .realtor, .pizza and .plumber. They can indicate where they live or do business -- for instance, .nyc, .paris, .london and .berlin. And they no longer have to rely on Latin-based alphabets and keyboards, which is why the very first new GTLDs that arrived were in Russian, Chinese and Arabic.
In France, an ad exhorts people to register Internet addresses ending in the new .paris domain name.Stephen Shankland/CNET
The new Internet domains also brought problems, however, by increasing the potential for brand name trademark violations. Whether for thesedefensive reasons or for better promotion or branding possibilities, 13 of the 15 biggest US brands have applied to use their names. Those include .apple, .google, .ibm, .microsoft, .ge, .mcdonalds, .intel, .cisco and .amazon. Coca-Cola and Disney are holdouts so far, according to the Trademark Clearinghouse, a new group established to iron out domain-name disputes and, when possible, nip them in the bud.
How new TLDs arrive
There are three big steps to bringing a new name to the world. First, an organization must apply to ICANN -- paying a $185,000 application fee -- to operate a registry that will make the new domain available. Second, ICANN must approve it, a process that can involve auctions when multiple parties want the same address. Third, companies like GoDaddy and 1and1 Internet, called registrars, enable customers to register subdomains likemagicam.photos or tinyfield.farm.
ICANN only accepted applications for a few months, but that was enough for 1,930 applications. The top applicant was a startup calledDonuts, which sought to operate registries for 307 domains. Next on the list were Google (101 applications) and Amazon (76 applications).
Those eager to get on board with a registry of their own will have to be patient. The next application window likely will open in 2017 or 2018, according to Akram Atallah, president of ICANN's global domains division.
The single-most popular new top-level domain is .xyz. The new names arrived in 2014.NTLDstats
What are the most popular new GTLDs? The top one, by far, is .xyz, which drew more than 726,000 registered domains, indicating that there's a lot of demand for an open-ended term. Next, in descending order of popularity, are .berlin at 154,000, .club at 140,000, .realtor at 85,000, .wang at 84,000, .guru at 76,000, and .nyc at 59,000, according to the Trademark Clearinghouse.
It's remarkable growth, but it should be put into perspective. As of December, there were 915,780,262 websites on the Internet, according to a monthly tally by NetCraft. Note also that not all registered domains have websites associated with them.
Dueling for domains
There's contention over some top-level domain names. The most hotly contested is .app. Google, Amazon and 10 other organizations are vying to operate the .app registry. Such disputes are settled through auctions, and the .app auction is set for February 25.
Those auctions can be a lot more expensive than the $185,000 application fee and the $25,000 a year that registries must pay ICANN. On Wednesday, Johnson & Johnson won a six-party auction for .baby with a bid of $3,088,888, and the Canadian Real Estate Association outbid one rival to claim .mls by paying $3,359,000.
Other hot GTLDs coming up for auction include .inc with 11 applicants, .blog with nine applicants, .movie with eight applicants, .store with seven applicants and .game or .games with six applicants. Another item of note: Because ICANN prohibits domains that sound similar, another February 25 auction will pit .unicorn against .unicom. The contenders are China United Network Communications Corporation --China Unicom for short -- and European computing company Unicorn.
Many more will deal with GTLDs by registering their subdomains. Prices vary, but one Web-hosting company, OVH, charges €0.99, or $1.22, to register a .ovh domain for the first year and double that to renew. Curiously, that business got its start when company founder and Chief Executive Octave Klaba announced the .ovh domain as an April Fool's prank in 2009 but still attracted 22,000 registration requests.
"We want to make domain names accessible to as many people as possible, and always at the best price. That's why .ovh will be one of the most affordable extensions on the market," the company said.
It's true that domain names are mere labels -- convenient collections of letters, numbers and punctuation to get us the data we want on the Internet. But given the excitement and friction surrounding the new domain-name program, it's clear those names hold great importance.
2:52 PM
