Domain.com will be posting a number of coded messages on Twitter every day until June 1. If you’re one of the first twenty people to decode the message, you’ll be eligible to win a free domain as well as the grand prize $500 Apple Gift Card.

How to Play:

1. Join Twitter and become a follower of @domaindotcom. Stay tuned for decoder posts.
2. Once a new code has been posted, you have one hour to crack the code and submit your decryption in a reply to @domaindotcom including the hashtag “#Decod3r” in your reply.
3. Be one of the first twenty followers to crack the code and you’ll be eligible for a free domain. Two of the twenty code-breakers will be randomly selected to receive the prize.
4. Play as many of the games as you’d like. The more codes you crack, the better your chance will be to win a free domain name or the $500 Apple Gift Card.

Sample Code:

Coded Message: laPy uro cdeeord mgea ot nwi efre oaindsm dna na pApel tgif racd!

Decoded Message:@Domaindotcom Play our decoder game to win free domains and an Apple gift card! #Decod3

The contest will be held on weekdays from May 18, 2009 until June 1, 2009 at 11:59pm Pacific Time. Each free domain winner will receive his or her choice of a single, 1 year .com, .org, .info, .net, .biz, or .us registration. Click here for full contest rules.

[via Domain.com]

By working with representatives of the EPL head office along with officials from Manchester United, Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur, Fulham, and West Ham soccer clubs, Safenames was able to establish a common link between the otherwise separate trademark infringement cases and file a successful complaint with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Arbitration and Mediation Center using the Uniform Resolution Policy (UDRP).

The WIPO Panel ruled in favor of the EPL clubs after finding that the use of the domain names – including official-manchester-tickets.com, official-liverpool-tickets.com, official-tottenham-tickets.com, official-fulham-tickets.com, and official-westham-tickets.com – were either identical or confusingly similar to that of the trademark holders and have been awarded to their respective clubs.

“We are delighted at the arbitration panel’s decision to award the domains to their rightful trademark holders,” explained Prudence Malinki, the Head Counsel for Safenames. “Unauthorised use of trademarks in the form of domain names is quite a common problem and one that continues to grow as Internet usage grows. There is no industry immune from this damaging issue and we were very happy to assist some of the world’s leading brands in professional sport with fighting this battle.”

Safenames has recently launched a Mark Protect service which helps companies identify and prioritize the recovery of domains which are infringing on their brands. Mark Protect was instrumental in gathering the facts used to build this particular case.

[via Safenames]