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And the countdown to 2015 begins! What were your favorite moments of 2014, #GenXYZ? Ours was hands-down launching .xyz in June and building the Generation XYZ® community with all of your support.

For #WebsiteWednesday, we’re flipping things around with an exciting announcement (hint: YouTube) to celebrate another huge milestone: .xyz is the first new domain extension to hit 750,000 registrations!

The only reason why we can feature such amazing sites on the regular is because of you, #GenXYZ. Because bloggers, artists, musicians, photographers, developers, startups, small businesses, and nonprofits like you are pushing awesome .xyz sites live, #WebsiteWednesday exists.

Inspired by all the great .xyz sites, we are super amped to announce our very first video series: Ways to .xyz. Check-out this teaser video for what to look forward to!

“Ways to .xyz” will explore all the ways you can use .xyz to achieve your goals. Whether you’re looking to have your personal voice heard or itching to turn your idea into a business, .xyz can help you jump start that journey.

What ways do YOU use your .xyz? We’re always open to suggestions for our video series, so don’t hesitate to reach out through the usual Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

XYZ is proud to share about the many incredible members that make up the XYZ community! We encourage you to do your own research before using the products and services of the websites we feature. The information about products and services contained in this blog post does not constitute endorsement or recommendation by XYZ.

Yesterday at 14:00 UTC (aka 2 pm London time), over 18,000 never-been-released .xyz domain names were made available – all at our regular standard price. How can this be, you ask?

Until now, these names were blocked from registering because of ICANN’s Name Collision issue. Simply put, these .xyz names were being used by internal servers in the pre-XYZ era, so ICANN blocked these names to prevent any potential conflicts between these and .xyz’s launch as a namespace open to the public.

Now that everything is cleared up behind-the-scenes, over 18,000 new, much-anticipated .xyz domain names were finally released yesterday! Did you snatch any great names from this list, #GenXYZ?


Things got pretty heated when the names dropped. Here are some stats so far:

  • Only 6 of the 100+ 3, 4 number .xyzs are available (hurry!)
  • Less than 800 3, 4 letter .xyz domain names are remaining (think OPI.xyz or Mine.xyz)
  • Major brands registered their trademarks, including Hermes, StumbleUpon, Twitter, and Wikipedia

Great keyword domains are going fast, but don’t fret! There’s still time to find thousands of hidden gems in the full release list. Need inspiration? Stay connected through Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram for our #domainspiration updates!

Here are a few of our favorites to get your creative juices flowing for awesome .xyz domains to register (and still available as of 12/3 8 AM PST):

  • beige.xyz
  • milkyway.xyz
  • theone.xyz
  • blackhole.xyz
  • instantprofits.xyz

Are you the proud owner of a shiny new .xyz domain name? Let us know through all our social media channels @xyz and hashtag #GenXYZ!

 

XYZ is proud to share about the many incredible members that make up the XYZ community! We encourage you to do your own research before using the products and services of the websites we feature. The information about products and services contained in this blog post does not constitute endorsement or recommendation by XYZ.

The holidays are upon us, #GenXYZ! November has been an amazing month for us, starting with the great partnership with Gandi and the Electronic Frontier Foundation (get the deets here), all the way to our first ever hackathon with Product Forge in Scotland (details coming soon).

Ever wonder what Team XYZ is doing behind the world’s most popular new domain extension? We’re excited to share with you the most recent photos and the official premiere of our office Movember videos!

In an effort to give back to our own local community, over the weekend, Team XYZ began a volunteer partnership with the St. Francis Center in downtown Los Angeles. The St. Francis Center is an amazing organization that is responsible for feeding and providing resources to the homeless and elderly, and we couldn’t be more excited to prep, cook, and serve food to our neighbors in need.

Things got busy during service but we managed to snap a few pics here and there:

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Our second November wrap-up update is Movember! As many of you know, we’ve been supporting Movember and raising awareness for men’s health via our Mo’s. To top it all off, check out these Mo’tastic videos that we whipped up. As the domain extension for everyone, everywhere, we wanted to celebrate Movember for all with these little snippets:

 

 

What did you think of the video? Let us know through the usual Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram – our ears are always open for you, #GenXYZ!

And last but certainly not least, from our XYZ family to yours, we hope you have a very Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Wednesday, #GenXYZ! How’s the week been treating you?

With the holiday season right around the corner, we’ve been working hard for you, #GenXYZ, to keep growing .xyz as the go-to ending for domains all through 2014 and beyond. A lot has happened since our last post. Did you catch our #Movember Mo progress? Or CEO and Founder Daniel Negari’s latest blog post about small businesses?

Don’t forget to sign up for the .xyz newsletter to get the freshest news straight to your inbox.

And I think you know what’s coming up next: #WebsiteWednesday! We’ve covered a cornucopia of websites (that’s the Thanksgiving spirit speaking through us), and we aren’t showing any signs of slowing down. As the domain for every website, everywhere, we are always excited to see such a diverse range of websites going live!

This week, the spotlight is on music. .xyz domains are, of course, perfect for artist portfolios, but they’re also a great way to show off some tunes to your listeners.

HouseOfLords.xyzGoDaddy customer (Canada)

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House Of Lords is a Toronto-based music and design blog, bringing you carefully curated tracks and playlists. Are you a fan of house, hip-hop, or bass music? You won’t be disappointed with their selection, and what is more exciting than finding your new favorite song?! Check out their sleek site and follow their SoundCloud account for a midweek pick-me-up.

Unmapped.xyzGandi customer (France)

unmapped

From the other side of the world is Unmapped. Unmapped is an innovative music collective based in Paris, and performs widely across France, Germany, Belgium, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Greece, and the U.S. Made up of eleven members, they’re the laboratory for the next generation of music. Focusing on technology and human interactivity, you surely will be listening to the music of the future when you check out Unmapped.xyz!

Did you discover any new favorite songs through these awesome .xyz websites, #GenXYZ? Share your favorites with us through Twitter and Facebook, and as always, let us know if you have any #WebsiteWednesday websites you’d like us to feature. Also, be sure to look forward to new .xyz videos coming out later this week!

XYZ is proud to share about the many incredible members that make up the XYZ community! We encourage you to do your own research before using the products and services of the websites we feature. The information about products and services contained in this blog post does not constitute endorsement or recommendation by XYZ.

If you could get your hands on a 3D printer, what would YOU make, #GenXYZ? With all the rage with 3D printing these days, some of us might overlook the important step before printing: designing. For this week’s #WebsiteWednesday, we had the opportunity to interview the CEO and self-proclaimed “80’s Movies Geek” of UMake.xyz, Evi Meyer.

UMake is an exciting startup based in Palo Alto, CA, launching the newest intuitive 3D design software – all through their awesome .xyz domain name. When deciding on a business name, they wanted something to reflect the flexibility and innovative quality of their product. And that’s exactly what they found with UMake.xyz.

For their online presence, Evi shared with us that “.xyz fit like a glove for [their] UMake brand. It has a double meaning: 1) XYZ can be anything ‘this X, that Y, and Z’ 2) XYZ are 3D space axes. This is exactly what we want our brand to reflect: You can make anything in 3D.”

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Now let’s dive-in with a few questions:

XYZ: What makes your product stand out from other 3D design software such as SketchUp or AutoCAD?

UMake: All of these tools are great and have influenced the design software space for many years. The difference between UMake and these software offerings is that:

  1. UMake is a super simple and intuitive app, as opposed to having a steep learning curve
  2. Anyone can use it, not only professionals
  3. It’s on mobile, where the touchscreen is key!

Mobile is where everyone is right now. We want to leverage the mobile platform and strengthen its position as the new standard for software experiences that cater to hobbyists and professionals.

X: You just launched your beta program. How are things going so far?

U: It’s very exciting for us to release something that we have put a ton of effort into. We’re starting to get initial data on how people are using our app and we’re getting tons of great ideas and suggestions from people that tell us how UMake can change the way people look at 3D design – that’s amazing and an interesting experience for us.

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X: Your team has an extremely impressive background and are all alums of Autodesk (for those who might not know, Autodesk is the industry leader in 3D design software). How has branching off and the experience of being a startup been?

U: All we can say is “Wow!” This is the most amazing experience we’ve all had in years. I think the freedom to do something you’re so passionate about, and build something, makes it an awesome experience. The uncertainty can sometimes be less pleasant, but that’s also what’s amazing about it – the process can surprise you and brings you to new heights.

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Well, there you have it, #GenXYZ. UMake is changing the face of 3D design and the team is working hard so YOU can seamlessly bring your ideas to life. UMake is looking to add more talented people like you who want to test-drive new design experiences and help improve UMake. This is a great opportunity for designers to try something new. Sign up for the beta program on UMake.xyz now!

Fun fact: they also registered “YouMake.xyz”, just in case some of us might type it in that way. YouMake.xyz will automatically redirect you to their proper site, UMake.xyz. What a great strategy!

Are there any other .xyz websites that you’d like Team XYZ to have a fireside chat with? Let us know through Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram and tag #GenXYZ.

XYZ is proud to share about the many incredible members that make up the XYZ community! We encourage you to do your own research before using the products and services of the websites we feature. The information about products and services contained in this blog post does not constitute endorsement or recommendation by XYZ.

As you can tell, we’re all about teamwork here at .xyz. Our CEO Daniel Negari revealed some of the team’s background in a recent blog post, aptly titled: The team that is changing the internet. Just like any other venture or project, collaboration gives you huge strides towards innovation and success. For today’s #WebsiteWednesday, that’s exactly the theme we’re going with: collaboration.

We’re introducing two sites that are taking a new approach on the familiar subjects of business and dance. Taking collaboration and the advantages of the internet hand-in-hand, these sites are paving the way and building their own genres of websites. And they’re in both very different industries. Their commonality? Their .xyz domain, of course!

We love talking about our favorite .xyz websites, but we’re going to hand the reins over to the creators this time. How they describe their sites is a must-read! Be sure to check out their sites for the full deets.

Iris.xyz – Go France Domains customer (United Sates)

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IRIS
is a collection of vetted experts, in unique areas that offer information and services to make managing your business and interacting with your clients more impactful. We also offer a little candy that will help make your clients even stickier.

IRIS is not about the people behind it, it’s about all of the experts on the site sharing their knowledge and giving you something new and different to absorb and think about. Pardon us if we’re a little disruptive along the way—after all, we do want your attention.

xyznyc.xyz – Dreamhost customer (United States)

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xyz nyc is a new approach to modern dance-making in New York City. Bringing the choreographic process to a reality-TV-inspired format, we invite modern dance-makers to meet for the first time and create an entirely new performance-ready piece in a single week.

The dance audience community needs new life, too. How do we open up our community in a welcoming way? How do we address the common feeling that modern, avant-garde dance is confusing, boring, and impossible to “get” (unless one has a degree in dance) without compromising the integrity of the work? xyz nyc encompasses dances in a format familiar to almost everyone- a television game show.

What do you think of this week’s #WebsiteWednesday, #GenXYZ? Drop us a line on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram and let us know what you’re thinking!

Until next time!

XYZ is proud to share about the many incredible members that make up the XYZ community! We encourage you to do your own research before using the products and services of the websites we feature. The information about products and services contained in this blog post does not constitute endorsement or recommendation by XYZ.

Who defends your speech, rights, and privacy in this massive digital world? This is exactly what the heroic folks over at the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) do!

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#GenXYZ, we’ve done it again. With the help of our partners over at Gandi, .xyz is one of the first new registries to support a nonprofit organization through the registration of domains. For the entire month of November, .xyz and Gandi will each donate $0.50 to EFF for every .xyz domain name registered.

And the cherry on top? Gandi is currently offering .xyz at the amazing price of $4, meaning, the equivalent of 25% of your registration will go towards supporting EFF. How awesome is that? You truly are killing two birds with one stone: get your fresh new .xyz domain AND support EFF, the defenders of your civil liberties in the digital world.

So show your support and act now! Head on over to Gandi and take advantage of this unique November promotion.

Do you have another project you’d like us to support in December? Shoot us a message on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram and let us know!

Hey there, #GenXYZ!


For those of you who follow us on Twitter, you already know that we’ve been preparing for ICANN’s huge conference in Los Angeles that began yesterday. THOUSANDS of people are gathering from around the world to take part in ICANN’s conference to discuss major topics that affect the future of the internet. Yes, you heard right – the future of the internet! And of course, the entire Team XYZ will be front and center, all hands on deck, as the conference is taking place on our home turf.

What is ICANN, you ask? ICANN (we pronounce it “eye-can”) is the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers. In a nutshell, it’s the organization that oversees anything and everything on the domain name system and strives for a stable and unified global internet.

First of all, without ICANN, we wouldn’t have you, #GenXYZ! ICANN rolled out the new domain extension program back in 2011, allowing for CEO and Founder Daniel Negari to bring .xyz to the world.

These conferences cover topics like new domain extensions, all the way to general internet outreach in emerging markets. Best of all, ICANN conferences are open to the public! If you’re interested in these topics (or just want to hang out with Team XYZ), stop by #ICANN51 in Hyatt Regency Century Plaza.

Not in LA? No worries! Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook, and we’ll keep you updated on all the .xyz activity at ICANN. Keep your eyes peeled for some purple fun :)

What was your guess for the 555,555th .xyz domain, #GenXYZ?

Drumroll, please…

The 555,555th .xyz registration was:
BrewIt.xyz

With all of the buzz we’ve been getting for having the most number of active websites, Team XYZ has also been receiving a lot of great questions about how to use your shiny new .xyz domain name.

We thought it’d be perfect to answer one of the most frequently asked questions with none other than a new edition of #WebsiteWednesday.

So, here is our most frequently asked question:

As an individual, what can I do with my .xyz domain name except having a blog?

An excellent way to use your .xyz domain is to show-off your ideas and skills. Are there any artists out there? Artists, photographers, architects, animators, writers? Your .xyz is the perfect platform to build your growing portfolio:

Resl.xyz – GoDaddy customer (Austria)
by Moritz Resl

resl.xyz

Moritz Resl is a multidisciplinary artist and designer from Vienna, Austria, based in New York City. He takes an innovative take on a portfolio and created an awesome site that’s interactive and eye-catching. It’s easy to spend a good chunk of time awing at his work on resl.xyz.

resl

Resl’s work has been featured on Dezeen, Gizmodo, The New York Times, The Verge, and more. And he chose his .xyz website as the centerpiece to showcase his growing body of art.

Another popular way to use your .xyz domain name is as a custom email address that your entire family can enjoy. Just think. If a certain famous rapper registered West.xyz, he can match his daughter with [email protected] and [email protected]

Already registered your LastName.xyz? Check out XYZ101 for a step-by-step on how to set-up your snazzy new email address.

Would YOU like to have your brand new .xyz website featured on #WebsiteWednesday? Give us a shoutout with your .xyz domain on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram, and we’ll take it from there.

We have a lot in store for you this month. Hang tight! Until next time, #GenXYZ!

XYZ is proud to share about the many incredible members that make up the XYZ community! We encourage you to do your own research before using the products and services of the websites we feature. The information about products and services contained in this blog post does not constitute endorsement or recommendation by XYZ.

xyz-bday

Time sure flies when you’re working on the next big thing. And it makes it all worthwhile when we see internet users everywhere with their .xyz domain names.

We might only be 4 months young, but .xyz continues to be the most popular and fastest growing new domain extension. According to the latest stats, there are 549,851 .xyz domains registered and 98,883 active .xyz websites.

That means we’re quickly approaching 100,000 ACTIVE .xyz websites!
That’s more than double our nearest competitor, meaning #GenXYZ, you’re leading the pack with creating amazing websites for everyone to enjoy.

As our CEO and Founder Daniel Negari pointed out, the success of a domain extension cannot be measured purely by registration numbers. What’s more important is to look at how the domains are actively being used by real people like you, #GenXYZ. You can read more about this on Daniel’s blog post titled: .xyz is the most used gTLD – Boooooooom!

On a fun sidenote, any guesses on what the 555,555th .xyz registration will be? Here are what some of us at the XYZ headquarters are thinking:

  • BestHalloweenCostumes.xyz
  • DiaDeMuertos.xyz
  • iPhoneTips.xyz
  • WorldSeries.xyz
  • 北京新闻.xyz
  • 555555.xyz (great guess, but this one’s out of the running. It was already taken!)

Think you have better ideas? Cast your guesses through Facebook, or tag @xyz on Twitter and Instagram. Can’t wait to hear what you have in mind, #GenXYZ!