According to Trevor Shonfeld, CEO of Roundpoint, a company that helps take websites mobile, the .mobi emulator will help his firm take the guesswork out of tailoring websites to the mobile market because it allows users to mimic how their websites look on a mobile device.
The tool also allows users to compare their sites with sample .mobi sites, which have been designed specifically for mobile viewing.
"The .mobi emulator is a great tool for trademark holders. It gives them an instant glimpse of how their important brand looks to millions of mobile phone users," Shonfeld said. "With the exponential growth in the number of mobile users worldwide, it's paramount for companies to understand how they are represented over the pervasive mobile channel and why appropriate optimization is a prudent step."
According to a spokesman for dotMobi, most websites are oriented for computer users, with little attention paid to mobile viewing. Mobile Internet use is expected to reach more than 1 billion users worldwide by 2008, the spokesman said.
ICANN licensed dotMobi to administer the TLD in May. The company will allow trademark and intellectual property holders to register .mobi domains until Sept. 22. Beginning Sept. 26, members of the general public can register domains for a premium price until Oct. 11, when registration will be open to all for the regular price.