Intel Corporation v. M. Macare a/k/a M. Macar
Claim Number: FA0603000660685
Complainant is Intel Corporation (“Complainant”), represented by Joel D. Leviton, of Fish & Richardson P.C., P.A., 60 South Sixth Street, Suite 3300, Minneapolis, MN 55402. Respondent is M. Macare a/k/a M. Macar (“Respondent”), Buitenweg 75, Maurik 4021 BC.
REGISTRAR AND DISPUTED DOMAIN
NAMES
The domain name at issue is <pentium-extreme.com>,
<pentium-extreme.info>, <pentium-extreme.net>, <pentium-extreme.org>,
<pentium4extreme.biz>, <pentium4extreme.com>, <pentium4extreme.info>,
<pentium4extreme.net>, <centrino-duo.biz>, <centrino-duo.com>,
<centrino-duo.info>, <centrino-duo.net>, <centrino-duo.org>,
<centrinoduo.biz>, <centrinoduo.com>, <centrinoduo.info>,
<centrinoduo.net>, <centrinoduo.org>, <centrino-solo.biz>,
<centrino-solo.com>,
<centrino-solo.info>, <centrino-solo.net>, <centrino-solo.org>, <centrinosolo.biz>, <centrinosolo.com>, <centrinosolo.info>, <centrinosolo.net>, <centrinosolo.org>, <core-inside.biz>, <core-inside.com>, <core-inside.info>, <core-inside.net>, <core-inside.org>, <coreinside.biz>, <coreinside.com>, <coreinside.info>, <coreinside.net>, <coreinside.org>, <core-duo.biz>, <core-duo.info>, <core-duo.net>, <core-duo.org>, <coreduo.biz>, <coreduo.info>, <coreduo.net>, <coreduo.org>, <core-solo.biz>, <core-solo.info>, <core-solo.net>, <core-solo.org>, <coresolo.biz>, <coresolo.info>, <coresolo.net> and <coresolo.org>, registered with Enom, Inc.
The undersigned certifies that he has acted independently and impartially and to the best of his knowledge has no known conflict in serving as Panelist in this proceeding.
Louis E. Condon as Panelist.
Complainant submitted a Complaint to the National Arbitration Forum electronically on March 15, 2006; the National Arbitration Forum received a hard copy of the Complaint on March 16, 2006.
On March 15, 2006, Enom, Inc.
confirmed by e-mail to the National Arbitration Forum that the <pentium-extreme.com>,
<pentium-extreme.info>, <pentium-extreme.net>, <pentium-extreme.org>,
<pentium4extreme.biz>, <pentium4extreme.com>, <pentium4extreme.info>,
<pentium4extreme.net>, <centrino-duo.biz>, <centrino-duo.com>,
<centrino-duo.info>, <centrino-duo.net>, <centrino-duo.org>,
<centrinoduo.biz>, <centrinoduo.com>, <centrinoduo.info>,
<centrinoduo.net>, <centrinoduo.org>, <centrino-solo.biz>,
<centrino-solo.com>,
<centrino-solo.info>, <centrino-solo.net>, <centrino-solo.org>, <centrinosolo.biz>, <centrinosolo.com>, <centrinosolo.info>, <centrinosolo.net>, <centrinosolo.org>, <core-inside.biz>, <core-inside.com>, <core-inside.info>, <core-inside.net>, <core-inside.org>, <coreinside.biz>, <coreinside.com>, <coreinside.info>, <coreinside.net>, <coreinside.org>, <core-duo.biz>, <core-duo.info>, <core-duo.net>, <core-duo.org>, <coreduo.biz>, <coreduo.info>, <coreduo.net>, <coreduo.org>, <core-solo.biz>, <core-solo.info>, <core-solo.net>, <core-solo.org>, <coresolo.biz>, <coresolo.info>, <coresolo.net> and <coresolo.org> domain names are registered with Enom, Inc. and that Respondent is the current registrant of the names. Enom, Inc. has verified that Respondent is bound by the Enom, Inc. registration agreement and has thereby agreed to resolve domain-name disputes brought by third parties in accordance with ICANN's Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (the "Policy").
On March 16, 2006, a Notification of
Complaint and Commencement of Administrative Proceeding (the "Commencement
Notification"), setting a deadline of April 5, 2006 by which Respondent
could file a response to the Complaint, was transmitted to Respondent via
e-mail, post and fax, to all entities and persons listed on Respondent's
registration as technical, administrative and billing contacts, and to
postmaster@pentium-extreme.com, postmaster@pentium-extreme.info,
postmaster@pentium-extreme.net, postmaster@pentium-extreme.org, postmaster@pentium4extreme.biz,
postmaster@pentium4extreme.com, postmaster@pentium4extreme.info, postmaster@pentium4extreme.net,
postmaster@centrino-duo.biz, postmaster@centrino-duo.com, postmaster@centrino-duo.info,
postmaster@centrino-duo.net, postmaster@centrino-duo.org, postmaster@centrinoduo.biz,
postmaster@centrinoduo.com, postmaster@centrinoduo.info, postmaster@centrinoduo.net,
postmaster@centrinoduo.org, postmaster@centrino-solo.biz, postmaster@centrino-solo.com,
postmaster@centrino-solo.info, postmaster@centrino-solo.net, postmaster@centrino-solo.org,
postmaster@centrinosolo.biz, postmaster@centrinosolo.com, postmaster@centrinosolo.info,
postmaster@centrinosolo.net, postmaster@centrinosolo.org, postmaster@core-inside.biz,
postmaster@core-inside.com, postmaster@core-inside.info, postmaster@core-inside.net,
postmaster@core-inside.org, postmaster@coreinside.biz,
postmaster@coreinside.com, postmaster@coreinside.info, postmaster@coreinside.net,
postmaster@coreinside.org, postmaster@core-duo.biz, postmaster@core-duo.info, postmaster@core-duo.net,
postmaster@core-duo.org, postmaster@coreduo.biz, postmaster@coreduo.info, postmaster@coreduo.net,
postmaster@coreduo.org, postmaster@core-solo.biz, postmaster@core-solo.info, postmaster@core-solo.net,
postmaster@core-solo.org, postmaster@coresolo.biz, postmaster@coresolo.info,
postmaster@coresolo.net and postmaster@coresolo.org
by e-mail.
A response was received on April 5, 2006 and was determined to be deficient because it was received after the deadline and was not in hard copy.
An Additional Submission from Complainant was received on April 11, 2006 and determined not to be in compliance with Supplemental Rule #7 because it was received after the deadline for submissions.
On April 13, 2006, pursuant to Complainant's request to have the dispute decided by a single-member Panel, the National Arbitration Forum appointed Louis E. Condon as Panelist.
Having reviewed the communications records, the Administrative Panel (the "Panel") finds that the National Arbitration Forum has discharged its responsibility under Paragraph 2(a) of the Rules for Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (the "Rules") "to employ reasonably available means calculated to achieve actual notice to Respondent." Therefore, the Panel may issue its decision based on the documents submitted and in accordance with the ICANN Policy, ICANN Rules, the National Arbitration Forum's Supplemental Rules and any rules and principles of law that the Panel deems applicable, without the benefit of any response from Respondent.
The National Arbitration Forum has determined that
Respondent has submitted a deficient Response in accordance with ICANN Rule
#5(b), because the National Arbitration Forum did not receive the Response in
hard copy form. The Panel may still
consider the late Response in addition to materials timely received but has no
obligation to consider it in light of its deficient nature. See
Bd. of Governors of the Univ. of Alberta v. Katz, D2000-0378 (WIPO June 22,
2000) (finding that a panel may consider a response which was one day late, and
received before a panelist was appointed and any consideration made); see
also Telstra Corp. v. Chu, D2000-0423 (WIPO June 21, 2000) (finding that any weight
to be given to the lateness of the response is solely in the discretion of the
panelist). But see S. Exposure v. S.
Exposure, Inc., FA 94864 (Nat. Arb. Forum
July 18, 2000) (without an adequate timely filed response, all reasonable
inferences of fact in the allegations of the complaint will be taken as true); see also SuNyx Surface
Nanotechnologies GmbH v. Primmer, D2002-0968 (WIPO Jan. 20, 2003) (choosing
not to consider either Complainant’s or Respondent’s additional submissions
that were received after the stated deadline where neither set out any new
facts or other circumstances that would justify the late submission).
As noted above, the National Arbitration Forum also determined that the Complainant’s Additional Submission was not in compliance with Supplemental Rule #7 because it was received after the deadline for submissions. After due consideration, and in a sense of equity and fair play, in order to afford justice to both parties the Panel decided that in arriving at his decision he would fully consider both documents as though there were no technical defects.
Complainant requests that the domain names be transferred from Respondent to Complainant.
A. Complainant makes the following assertions:
(1) Respondent’s domain names are identical or confusingly similar to
Complainant’s marks.
(2) Respondent does not have any rights or legitimate interests in the domain names.
(3) Respondent registered and used the domain names in bad faith.
B. Respondent makes the following assertions:
(1) All of the domain names were available at the time of registration. While the Complainant’s trademarks may include some of the words used in the Respondent’s domain names, they are commonly used words.
(2) Respondent has other Intel-related domain names that Complainant has
not complained about, demonstrating that Complainant has never seen the
value of these domain names.
(3) Respondent’s domain names are a benefit to Complainant because they
are advertising Intel products without charge.
(4) Although the names are for sale, Respondent has not set a price. Anyone
can bid on them and may even make a “package deal” for a better price.
(5) There are other domain names using Complainant’s names registered by
persons other than the Respondent. Further, there are other possible variations of Complainant’s names that have not been registered by anyone.
(A) AS TO THE COMPLAINANT
For nearly four decades, Complainant Intel
Corporation (“Intel”) has been developing products that have enabled and
advanced the computer and Internet revolution.
Founded in 1968 to build semiconductor memory products, Complainant has
grown to become the world’s leading manufacturer of computer chips. Intel is also a leading manufacturer of
networking and communications products.
In 2005, Complainant’s sales topped $38 billion.
In 1993, Complainant adopted the now-famous PENTIUM trademark in connection with microprocessors. To differentiate various PENTIUM brand microprocessors, Intel uses, among other designations, the numbers “II,” “III,” and “4.” Complainant owns over 500 trademark registrations worldwide for marks comprising or containing PENTIUM, including over a dozen U.S. registrations and registrations in the Benelux region (Belgium, Netherlands, and Luxembourg) and Netherlands Antilles. Complainant also offers, among other types of PENTIUM processors, an Extreme Edition Pentium® processor. Complainant owns registrations for the INTEL INSIDE PENTIUM 4 HT EXTREME EDITION design mark in the European Community, Japan, Taiwan, and the United States.
In 2003, Complainant adopted the well-known and distinctive CENTRINO trademark in connection with various computer hardware primarily designed for mobile technology. Complainant owns over 200 registrations for marks comprising or containing CENTRINO worldwide.
Nearly fifteen years ago, Complainant adopted the famous INTEL INSIDE mark and launched its INTEL INSIDE ingredient brand marketing program. Complainant owns over 200 registrations for the INTEL INSIDE trademark worldwide and hundreds of additional registrations for marks containing INTEL INSIDE, including the famous INTEL INSIDE and Design mark.
In 2005, Complainant introduced the Intel® CoreTM brand family to its customers, such as original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). Complainant’s INTEL® CORE™ processors are the next generation of processors for mobile platforms. Complainant owns over 150 pending applications throughout the world for the INTEL CORE trademark, most of which were filed in September of 2005, two months before Respondent registered the domain names. Complainant owns a registration for the INTEL CORE mark in the country of Andorra.
On November 11, 2005, Complainant began sending its OEMs, including those located in Europe (including the Netherlands), a confidential Branding and Campaign Communication Package for the Intel® Centrino® Duo Mobile Technology and the Intel® CoreTM Brand Family. The communication package advised Complainant’s OEMs of various branding initiatives and included multiple references to certain newly adopted designations including CENTRINO® DUO, INTEL® CORETM SOLO, and INTEL® CORETM DUO. On November 14, 2005, three days after Complainant sent the confidential communication package, Respondent registered fifty-four domain names containing Complainant’s valuable trademarks. The domain names contain designations that had not been publicly revealed when they were registered, including the aforementioned CENTRINO® DUO, CORETM SOLO, and CORETM DUO designations. The remainder of the domain names contain, or are confusingly similar to, other trademarks owned by Complainant, such as the famous PENTIUM and INTEL INSIDE marks. Respondent has sought compensation for the domain names, and in doing so, has admitted that all the domain names are “Intel-related.” Respondent has engaged in bad faith registration and use of domain names in which he has no rights.
Respondent uses the domain names in connection with portal websites that feature links to various third party websites. These websites also feature links to more general terms such as “Hardware,” “Computer,” “Software,” and “Technology” which, when clicked, take the Internet user to a page with additional links to third party websites.
Moreover, the website associated with each domain name indicates that Respondent is offering to sell the domain names for $2,000 each. What’s more, when one clicks on the link to obtain more information about purchasing any of the domain names, a list of all fifty-four domain names Respondent registered appears showing that they all are for sale. The following text also appears:
“INTEL RECENTLY RELEASED THE NAMES OF THEIR NEW PROCESSOR LINES: COREDUO / CORESOLO / CENTRINODUO / CENTRINOSOLO….
TAKE FULL ADVANTAGE OF THESE DOMAINNAMES [sic] WITH AN [sic] HARDWARE BASED INTERNET COMPANY OR ANYTHING SIMILAR!
GUARANTEED TO GENERATE LOTS OF HITS, VISITORS, AND TRAFFIC TO ANY WEBSITE”
(B) AS TO THE RESPONDENT
Respondent alleges that all the domain names he registered were free at the moment of registration on November 14, 2005. He further notes that Complainant has never registered these domain names before. The domain names including the terms “Core-Solo,” “CoreSolo,” “Core-Duo” and “CoreDuo” are not directly registered by Complainant as trademarks. The precise marks of the Complainant include these words, but in Respondent’s view the terms “Core”, “Solo” and “Duo” are very commonly used words that can be used for almost everything because of that fact.
Respondent states that the domain names
featuring the terms “Core-Solo” and “Core-Duo” were registered before
Complainant registered the INTEL CORE SOLO INSIDE and INTEL CORE DUO INSIDE
marks. All “Core-Solo,” “CoreSolo,”
“Core-Duo” and “CoreDuo” domain names were registered on November 14, 2005,
while the domain names featuring the terms “Intel Core Solo Inside” and “Intel
Core Duo Inside” were registered on December 14, 2005 and December 16, 2005.
Respondent further states, “The Complainant is also complaining
about domain names with the names “Centrino”, “Pentium” and “Intel Inside” in
the domain name. The strange thing here is that Intel registered their
trademarks much earlier and never registered these domain names, but complains
when it receives a list where registered domain names are listed in which Intel
thinks that they are their names. This can be determined because the Respondent
owns some more Intel related domain names that are not listed in the domain
names complained about. That Complainant is not complaining about these
“unknown” domain names is very strange. From this it can be determined that the
complaint does not take any action to register their value-worthy domain names.
Considering the time between the “first use dates” and the registration of the
domain names, it can be determined that Intel never has seen the value of these
domain names until they received the “domainnames.txt”.
“The domain names are at this moment advertising
Intel-related products without charging Intel for the advertisement. This will
be always an advantage for Intel because a consumer has no possibility to buy
the Intel products directly from Intel. The pages behind the domain names
complained of are showing the visitor where he can buy Intel-related products.
This is an advantage for Intel because the visitor, when interested in
Intel-products, is redirected to a supplier that can deliver Intel products
directly to consumers.”
“Every person interested in one of the domain names
can make a bid on the website of Sedo.com that can be lower than the shown
price. The Response shows on the information-webpage of the domain names that a
“package deal” is possible. In the world of business it is known that “packages
deals” are always much lower than the sum of all separate parts together.”
“The Respondent wants to notice the NAF that at the moment of writing this “Response” there are other domain names using the Complainant’s marks free for registering. These domain names are in other “extensions” like .com, .net, .org. The Complainant has still not registered these domain names while complaining about the ones that are registered by the Respondent There are also domain names using the Complainant’s names registered by persons other than the Respondent.”
C. Additional Submission by the Complainant
A review of Respondent’s response confirms facts demonstrating that Respondent has no rights or legitimate interest in the domain names and, that the domain names were registered and are being used in bad faith. First, Respondent admits that he was trying to take advantage of the domain names. Second, Respondent admits that he has no rights or legitimate interest in the domain names. Third, Respondent does not deny the domain names are Intel-related. Indeed, Respondent now advises Intel and the Panel that he “owns some more Intel related domain names” that are not the subject of this proceeding.
The evidence demonstrates that on November 11, 2005, Complainant sent out a confidential communication package announcing Complainant’s new brands, and that on November 14, 2005, Respondent began registering domain names it acknowledges are “Intel-related.” Respondent connected each of the domain names to web pages on which Respondent states his awareness of Complainant’s new line of products and touts the value of the domain names. The Response does not contradict any of these facts. In fact, the Response further demonstrates Respondent’s bad faith registration and use of the domain names.
Respondent claims that it is “strange” that Complainant has not registered various domain names containing Complainant’s CENTRINO, PENTIUM, and INTEL INSIDE marks, yet Complainant complains when another party does. Plainly, a trademark owner is not required to register each and every possible domain name containing a variation of its marks
Respondent does not deny that he registered fifty-four domain names (and apparently more) containing both Complainant’s newly announced and well-established brands. Without question, Respondent registered the offending domain names in an attempt to profit.
Paragraph 15(a) of the Rules instructs this Panel to "decide a complaint on the basis of the statements and documents submitted in accordance with the Policy, these Rules and any rules and principles of law that it deems applicable."
Paragraph 4(a) of the Policy requires that Complainant must prove each of the following three elements to obtain an order that a domain name should be cancelled or transferred:
(1) the domain name registered by Respondent is identical or confusingly similar to a trademark or service mark in which Complainant has rights; and
(2) Respondent has no rights or legitimate interests in respect of the domain name; and
(3) the domain name has been registered and is being used in bad faith.
Complainant has established rights in the following marks by
registering them with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (“USPTO”):
PENTIUM (Reg. No. 1,834,434 issued May
3, 1994; Reg. No. 1,941,172 issued December 12, 1995; Reg. No. 2,173,650 issued
July 14, 1998; Reg. No. 2,201,867 issued November 3, 1998); CENTRINO (Reg. No.
2,981,698 issued August 2, 2005) and INTEL INSIDE (Reg. No. 1,705,796 issued
August 4, 1992; Reg. No. 1,702,463 issued July 21, 1992; Reg. No. 2,179,209
issued August 4, 1998). Complainant
also asserts that it has established rights to the CORE INSIDE mark by
registering the mark in Andorra with the Oficina De Marques Del Pricipat
D'Andorra (OMPA) (Reg. No. 22,119 issued September 14, 2005) and filing for a
trademark registration with the USPTO (Serial No. 78/714,166 filed September
15, 2005). See Vivendi Universal Games v.
XBNetVentures Inc., FA 198803 (Nat. Arb. Forum Nov. 11, 2003)
(“Complainant's federal trademark registrations establish Complainant's rights
in the BLIZZARD mark.”); see also Koninklijke
KPN N.V. v. Telepathy Inc., D2001-0217 (WIPO May 7, 2001) (finding that the
Policy does not require that the mark be registered in the country in which the
respondent operates; therefore it is sufficient that the complainant can
demonstrate a mark in some jurisdiction); see also U.S.
Office of Pers. Mgmt. v. MS Tech. Inc., FA
198898 (Nat. Arb. Forum Dec. 9, 2003) (“[O]nce the USPTO has made a
determination that a mark is registrable, by so issuing a registration, as
indeed was the case here, an ICANN panel is not empowered to nor should it
disturb that determination.”).
Complainant
further argues that the Pentium Domain Names are confusingly similar to its
PENTIUM mark, because each domain name contains the entire mark and merely adds
the generic term “extreme” and a generic top-level domain (“gTLD”), with some
domain names also adding the number “4” or a hyphen. In addition, Complainant asserts that the Centrino Domain Names
are confusingly similar to its CENTRINO mark, because each incorporates Complainant’s
entire mark and merely adds the generic term “duo” or “solo” and a gTLD, with
some also adding a hyphen. Complainant
also alleges that the Core Domain Names are confusingly similar to its CORE
INSIDE mark, because each domain name contains one or both terms of the mark
and merely adds a gTLD, with some of the
domain names also including the
generic terms “duo” or “solo.”
Complainant asserts that all of these generic terms and numerals
describe its computer processors and thus have an obvious relationship to its
business. The Panel concludes that
Respondent’s mere additions of generic terms, numerals, and hyphens to
Complainant’s marks in the disputed domain names render the domain names
confusingly similar to Complainant’s PENTIUM, CENTRINO and CORE INSIDE marks
pursuant to Policy ¶ 4(a)(i). See Innomed
Techs., Inc. v. DRP Servs., FA 221171 (Nat. Arb. Forum Feb. 18, 2004)
(finding that hyphens and top-level domains are irrelevant for purposes of the
Policy); see also Am. Online Inc. v. Chinese ICQ Network, D2000-0808
(WIPO Aug. 31, 2000) (finding that the addition of the numeral 4 in the domain
name <4icq.com> does nothing to deflect the impact on the viewer of the
mark ICQ and is therefore confusingly similar); see also Brown &
Bigelow, Inc. v. Rodela, FA 96466 (Nat. Arb. Forum Mar. 5, 2001) (finding
that the <hoylecasino.net> domain name is confusingly similar to the
complainant’s HOYLE mark, and that the addition of “casino,” a generic word
describing the type of business in which the complainant is engaged, does not
take the disputed domain name out of the realm of confusing similarity).
The Panel finds that Policy ¶ 4(a)(i) has been satisfied.
Complainant must first make a prima facie case that Respondent lacks rights and legitimate interests in the disputed domain names under Policy ¶ 4(a)(ii), and then the burden shifts to Respondent to show it does have rights or legitimate interests. See Do The Hustle, LLC v. Tropic Web, D2000-0624 (WIPO Aug. 21, 2000) (holding that, where the complainant has asserted that the respondent has no rights or legitimate interests with respect to the domain name, it is incumbent on the respondent to come forward with concrete evidence rebutting this assertion because this information is “uniquely within the knowledge and control of the respondent”); see also Clerical Med. Inv. Group Ltd. v. Clericalmedical.com, D2000-1228 (WIPO Nov. 28, 2000) (finding that, under certain circumstances, the mere assertion by the complainant that the respondent has no right or legitimate interest is sufficient to shift the burden of proof to the respondent to demonstrate that such a right or legitimate interest does exist).
Complainant argues that Respondent is not commonly known by
the disputed domain names, because the WHOIS information lists the registrant
of the domain names as “M. Macare,” and there is no other evidence in the
record indicating that Respondent is commonly known by the disputed domain
names. Complainant also asserts that it
has not authorized or licensed Respondent to register or use a domain name
incorporating Complainant’s PENTIUM, CENTRINO or CORE INSIDE marks. The Panel
agrees that Respondent is not commonly known by the disputed domain names, and,
therefore, finds that Respondent does not have rights or legitimate interests
in the domain names pursuant to Policy ¶ 4(c)(ii). See Broadcom Corp.
v. Intellifone Corp., FA 96356 (Nat. Arb. Forum Feb. 5, 2001) (finding no
rights or legitimate interests because the respondent is not commonly known by
the disputed domain name or using the domain name in connection with a
legitimate or fair use); see also Wells Fargo
& Co. v. Onlyne Corp. Services11, Inc.,
FA 198969 (Nat. Arb. Forum Nov. 17, 2003) (“Given the WHOIS contact information
for the disputed domain [name], one can infer that Respondent, Onlyne Corporate
Services11, is not commonly known by the name ‘welsfargo’ in any derivation.”).
Furthermore, Complainant argues that Respondent is not using the
disputed domain names in connection with a bona fide offering of
goods or services pursuant to Policy ¶ 4(c)(i), or a legitimate noncommercial
or fair use pursuant to Policy ¶ 4(c)(iii), because the disputed domain names
all resolve to the same web directory displaying links to various third-party
websites. The Panel finds that
Respondent is misdirecting Internet users seeking Complainant’s computer
processing products to its own website for commercial gain in the form of
click-through fees, which does not constitute a bona fide offering of
goods or services pursuant to Policy ¶ 4(c)(i) or a legitimate noncommercial or
fair use pursuant to ¶ 4(c)(iii). See Seiko Kabushiki Kaisha v. CS into Tech, FA 198795 (Nat. Arb. Forum Dec. 6, 2003) (“Diverting
customers, who are looking for products relating to the famous SEIKO mark, to a
website unrelated to the mark is not a bona fide offering of goods or services
under Policy ¶ 4(c)(i), nor does it represent a noncommercial or fair use under
Policy ¶ 4(c)(iii).”); see also Disney Enters., Inc. v. Dot
Stop, FA 145227 (Nat. Arb. Forum Mar. 17, 2003) (finding that the
respondent’s diversionary use of the complainant’s mark to attract Internet
users to its own website, which contained a series of hyperlinks to unrelated
websites, was neither a bona fide offering of goods or services nor a
legitimate noncommercial or fair use of the disputed domain names).
Complainant also asserts that Respondent’s web directory contains a
link indicating that the domain name is for sale. Upon clicking on this link, Internet users reach a webpage
purporting to offer all fifty-four of the disputed domain name registrations
for sale at $2,000 each, or at a lesser price as part of a package deal. The Panel concludes that Respondent’s
conduct purporting to sell the disputed domain name registrations provides
further evidence that Respondent lacks rights or legitimate interests in the
domain name pursuant to Policy ¶ 4(a)(ii).
See Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
v. Stork, D2000-0628 (WIPO Aug. 11, 2000) (finding the respondent’s conduct
purporting to sell the domain name suggests it has no legitimate use); see
also Hewlett-Packard Co. v. High
Performance Networks, Inc., FA 95083 (Nat. Arb. Forum July 31, 2000)
(finding no rights or legitimate interests where the respondent registered the
domain name with the intention of selling its rights).
The Panel finds that Policy ¶ 4(a)(ii) has been satisfied.
Complainant claims that Respondent has registered the
disputed domain names in order to offer them for sale in excess of Respondent’s
out-of-pocket costs. Complainant
provides evidence that Respondent’s web directory at the disputed domain name
registrations contains a link that resolves to a web page offering all
fifty-four disputed domain names for sale at $2,000 each, or at a lesser price
if bought as part of a package deal.
The Panel finds that Respondent’s offer to sell the disputed domain name
registrations is indicative of bad faith registration and use pursuant to
Policy ¶ 4(a)(i). See Neiman
Marcus Group, Inc. v. AchievementTec, Inc., FA 192316 (Nat. Arb. Forum
Oct. 15, 2003) (finding the respondent’s offer to sell the domain name
registration for $2,000 sufficient evidence of bad faith registration and use
under Policy ¶ 4(b)(i)); see also Bank of Am. Corp. v. Nw. Free Cmty. Access,
FA 180704 (Nat. Arb. Forum Sept. 30, 2003) (“Respondent's general offer of the
disputed domain name registration for sale establishes that the domain name was
registered in bad faith under Policy ¶ 4(b)(i).”)
In addition, Complainant alleges that Respondent engaged in
opportunistic bad faith by registering all fifty-four disputed domain name
registrations on November 14, 2005, three days after Complainant’s announcement
that it would be using the generic terms “solo,” “duo” and “extreme” in
connection with its PENTIUM, CENTRINO and CORE INSIDE marks. Complainant claims that the text on
Respondent’s web page purporting to sell the disputed domain names states that
Respondent had knowledge of Complainant’s intent to use these terms with its
marks and that consumers are guaranteed to generate profits by buying the
domain names. The Panel finds that
Respondent’s conduct constitutes opportunistic bad faith registration and use
pursuant to Policy ¶ 4(a)(iii). Cf. Tech.
Props., Inc. v. Hussain, FA 95411 (Nat. Arb. Forum Sept. 14, 2000) (“The
Respondent took advantage of the public announcement that Tandy Corporation was
changing its name to RadioShack by registering the domain names on the same day
as a public announcement of a company’s name change. This is also evidence of bad faith.”); 3M Co. v. Jeong, FA
505494 (Nat. Arb. Forum Aug. 11, 2005) (“Respondent’s registration of the
disputed domain name the same day that Complainant issued a press release
regarding the acquisition constitutes opportunistic bad faith.”).
Complainant also alleges that Respondent has registered and
is using the disputed domain names in bad faith pursuant to Policy ¶ 4(b)(iv),
because Respondent’s domain names resolve to a web directory featuring links to
various third-party websites unrelated to Complainant. From this the Panel infers that Respondent
receives click-through fees for each consumer it diverts to these other
websites. The Panel finds that
Respondent is taking advantage of the confusing similarity between the domain
names and Complainant’s marks in order to profit from the goodwill associated
with the marks, and holds that Respondent’s registration and diversionary use
of the disputed domain names constitutes bad faith under Policy ¶
4(b)(iv). See Am. Online, Inc. v. Tencent Commc’ns Corp.,
FA 93668 (Nat. Arb. Forum Mar. 21, 2000) (finding bad faith where the
respondent registered and used a domain name confusingly similar to the
complainant’s mark to attract users to a website sponsored by the respondent); see
also Am. Univ. v. Cook, FA 208629 (Nat. Arb. Forum Dec. 22, 2003) (“Registration
and use of a domain name that incorporates another's mark with the intent to
deceive Internet users in regard to the source or affiliation of the domain
name is evidence of bad faith.”).
The Panel finds that Policy ¶ 4(a)(iii) has been satisfied.
Complainant having established all three elements required under the ICANN Policy, the Panel concludes that relief should be GRANTED.
Accordingly, it is Ordered that the <pentium-extreme.com>,
<pentium-extreme.info>, <pentium-extreme.net>, <pentium-extreme.org>,
<pentium4extreme.biz>, <pentium4extreme.com>, <pentium4extreme.info>,
<pentium4extreme.net>, <centrino-duo.biz>, <centrino-duo.com>,
<centrino-duo.info>, <centrino-duo.net>, <centrino-duo.org>,
<centrinoduo.biz>, <centrinoduo.com>, <centrinoduo.info>,
<centrinoduo.net>, <centrinoduo.org>, <centrino-solo.biz>,
<centrino-solo.com>,
<centrino-solo.info>, <centrino-solo.net>, <centrino-solo.org>, <centrinosolo.biz>, <centrinosolo.com>, <centrinosolo.info>, <centrinosolo.net>, <centrinosolo.org>, <core-inside.biz>, <core-inside.com>, <core-inside.info>, <core-inside.net>, <core-inside.org>, <coreinside.biz>, <coreinside.com>, <coreinside.info>, <coreinside.net>, <coreinside.org>, <core-duo.biz>, <core-duo.info>, <core-duo.net>, <core-duo.org>, <coreduo.biz>, <coreduo.info>, <coreduo.net>, <coreduo.org>, <core-solo.biz>, <core-solo.info>, <core-solo.net>, <core-solo.org>, <coresolo.biz>, <coresolo.info>, <coresolo.net> and <coresolo.org> domain names be TRANSFERRED from Respondent to Complainant.
Louis E. Condon, Panelist
Dated: April 26, 2006
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