As some of you may know, I left my job of 9 1/2 years (today was my last day) to focus on my conference management software ( http://confs.mobi/ ) and embedded development endeavors full time. After discussing with a few people on private threads, the goal of my embedded business is to encourage open hardware and software design. I aim to make profit by the sale of custom designed components such as modules, mounting boards, cases, etc. as well as kits and assembled packages for specific projects / rovers using micro-controller based technologies centering around .NETMF and Gadgeteer.
I’ve registered an LLC in Virginia for the conference company, but am having a tough time coming up with a suitable (and available) domain name (.com is a must, will probably also buy .net if it is available) that also is not already a registered business entity in Virginia. For instance, Embedded Technologies, LLC is available as a VA business name, but the .com and .net are already taken… you get the idea.
Here’s where I need your help! I’m out of domain/business name ideas, so the person who helps me come up with the best name will win your choice of prizes consisting of:
a) $100US worth of custom designed wood, acrylic or HDPE mounting boards (I pay for raw materials and CNC/3D printer time) and/or up to 5 hours combined (rated at $20US/hour) of component design/CNC milling / 3D printing time (you pay for raw materials and shipping to me and I’ll pay up to $20US shipping back to you in addition to the $100 credit)
[em]or[/em]
b) a $100US GHI gift certificate (paid for by me)
The name should be something related to embedded, microcontroller, connected, etc technologies, solutions, development - for instance, along the lines of “Embedded Solutions”, “Embedded Systems”, “Connected Systems”, etc.
Rules: [em](you know there had to be some legal-ease involved, right?)[/em]
1 ) The business name must be one or two words, no more than 20 characters long including the space in between and be related to the embedded programming paradigm as mentioned above.
2 ) The .com [em](not .CO)[/em] of the name must be available for immediate purchase as follows:
a ) no dashes in the middle
b ) The only abbreviation allowed is “Dev” as a suffix (i.e. “EmbeddedDev”), otherwise abbreviations (like"IniTech" for “Innovative Technologies”) will not be considered.
c ) The .net version of the name available IN ADDITION to the .com name is also preferable, but not a deal breaker
d ) if you use a number in the name, both the numeric and spelled out versions must be available - i.e. Nuts4NETMF.com and NutsForNETMF.com - both of these are
available and don’t count as anyone’s suggestion! 
e ) the name cannot be parked or purchased already and be up for sale or auction for more than $100 US. You must not register the name and then try to sell it to me, if you do ALL of your submissions will be considered void and all are then up for grabs by other people who submitted the name after you. Should I determine any of your voided solutions to be the winner, you are entitled to no prizes whatsoever and I will split the prizes between other people’s submissions as I see fit.
3 ) There cannot already be registered distinguished business name in Virginia (search using the link below [1]) for your submission.
4 ) Email me the suggestions to steve at stevepresley dot net with the subject “Company Contest” or through the contact link on my website (Contact Me – stevepresley.net)
a ) The order in which my mail server receives the names determines the winner of duplicate suggestions - Earliest time stamp wins.
b ) You may submit more than one suggestion per email. Each suggested name counts as 1 submission, whether via one or more emails.
c ) I’d prefer you not post your submissions to this thread, but if you do, you better have had emailed it to me first, otherwise it’s fair game as to who can email it to me first.
5 ) The contest will end at 11:59:59 PM EST on 8/31/2012.
6 ) I will be the sole decision maker of the award, and may elect to award consolation prizes if other names are of interest and I reserve them for future endeavors as well.
7 ) Winner will be announced here once I make a decision, contact my attorney to have the LLC reserved and purchase the .com/.net names
8 ) Any custom designs for mounting boards that I create for you are my property and I can resell without any royalty to you. If you send me your own design, I will not resell it without your permission and without working out a commission going forward.
9 ) You are responsible for paying any gift or customs taxes, where applicable for any of the awarded prizes above.
10 ) In no way does this contest construe an employment arrangement by my company (to be named) for any of the submissions or the winner. The awards above are marketing prizes and are not payment for employment or imply any vested share interest in the LLC once formed.
11 ) The name(s) chosen are my property once registered and you have no legal interest in the names once they are filed for.
Good luck and thanks for helping out!
