Google runs their own Domain Name Service(DNS), this was made apparent in the recent Turkish protests, which saw people graffiti the DNS addresses (8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4), to subvert blocks put in place by their government. But Google isn’t just civic minded, they’re a commercial enterprise, so as they’re a big name on the internet, they’ve announced today that they’re moving into Domain Registration.
The service is in Beta/Invite Only mode at this stage, so you’ll have to head across to the Google Domains site and request an invite to one of your email accounts. The service looks to be pretty comprehensive according to their ‘About‘ page. With a full list of features :
No additional cost for private registration
When you purchase or transfer a domain name, private registration is almost always an option (some domain endings do not support this feature). If private registration is selected, we cover the cost of keeping your details private (e.g. your name, address and other contact information)
Branded emails
Create up to 100 email aliases with your domain, such as help@your_company.com or sales@your_company.com, and have them forwarded to existing email accounts, like [email protected]. This way, your email is a professional reflection of your business.
Easy domain forwarding
Point your domain name to an existing domain and website. This feature can be used to drive users to one location. An example would be forwarding www.example.net to www.example.com.
Customizable sub-domains
Customize your domain with up to 100 sub-domains, such as blog.example.com and shop.example.com. This will allow you to create unique pages within your website.
Fast, secure and reliable Internet infrastructure with Google
Every time you visit a website, your computer performs what’s called a “DNS lookup”. When you manage a domain with us, you get to use the same DNS servers as Google. This means your domain will connect quickly and reliably to your website. We include 10 million resolutions per year for each domain you register with Google Domains.
Simple domain management tools
A full set of simple-to-use, robust domain management tools are at your disposal:
- Add and manage resource records: A, AAAA, CNAME, MX, NS, PTR, SOA, SPF, SRV, TXT
- Use Google Synthetic Records for integration with Google App
- Engine, subdomain forwarding and Google Apps setup
- Add and manage name servers
- Configure TTL
- Domain locking
Easy integration with top website builders
As soon as you purchase or transfer a domain to Google Domains, you can immediately start creating your website with one of our website builders (additional cost associated). Features include secure and reliable hosting, customizable templates and powerful features like drag & drop creation and mobile site-management.
New domain endings
Over the next few years, hundreds of new domain endings like .guru and .photography will become available. We will be working to provide you with as many options as possible so you can find the most relevant and meaningful names as you get started online.
Support
With Google Domains, you get phone and email support (M-F, 9am to 9pm EST).
The support section, really looks to be a sign that the service will be US focused initially. But it could be made available to Australia and the rest of the world. They’re offering registration only at this stage, no hosting. But that could change quite quickly, Google does have massive data resources available. It’s an interesting tidbit, but not really Android related, we just thought it was interesting. We’ve signed up for an invite to the service, to check it out. See what you think.
