Google Inc. on Friday will join the crowded field of services registering Web site addresses in a move aimed at encouraging more usage of the online search leader's free software products.
The Mountain View-based company is offering its latest service in a partnership with GoDaddy.com and eNom, two of the many administrators that help Web sites officially register their names under domains like ".com" and "net."
Google's service will charge a $10 annual fee and only handle addresses ending in four suffixes _ ".com," ".net," ".biz" and ".info." There are more than 250 other suffixes in the Internet's master directories.
Web sites that register their domains through Google will be automatically set up to work with several other company products, including e-mail, calendaring and instant messaging. The configuration won't prevent the Web sites from using services offered by Google rivals like Yahoo Inc., Microsoft Corp. and Time Warner Inc.'s AOL. (MSNBC.com is a joint venture between Microsoft and NBC Universal.)