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MQVibe has a launch date, October 13

MQVibe Launch

I’ve been writing about AOL’s MQVibe since September when I first reported about the trademark filings and domain registrations having to do with NVibe and MQVibe.  

I wrote an article earlier this week where I revealed never-before-known details about the project, after I was able to glean more information from the website by sleuthing various web pages and source code that is no longer available, because AOL has since blocked access to the pages.

For starters, MQVibe appears to be a Google Places-like service using MapQuest that lets you rate and review neighborhood businesses/hotspots and will be integrated with Facebook.  Each place in MQVibe will be described by its vibe score and its underlying factors, which according to code that I took a screenshot of before it was taken down, are based on crowd-sourced user behavior and physical characteristics of the place, such as the category and location of local businesses, density, features of the urban geography, and demographics.

Now, according to an “advance look” invitation (pictured above) that was posted online by TechKnow Bytes, select tech writers and news sites have been invited to get a preview of MQVibe today and the official unveiling will take place Thursday, October 13, at 8am EST.

Expect a lot more coverage tomorrow, when writers who attend today’s web event are no longer “embargoed” from writing about the product.

If you can’t wait to get a look at the upcoming MQVibe, you’ll be able to learn more details here.

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News

AOL launching more than just NVibe; MapQuest network ‘MQVibe’ added to mix

MapQuest Vibe

Last week I wrote about AOL’s rumored plans to launch a neighborhood social networking site called NVibe, after I found that AOL had filed a number of related trademarks and domains around the terms ‘NVibe’ and ‘Neighborhood Vibe’.   

Now, it looks like AOL may have bigger plans for its so-called Vibe network, this time with a MapQuest service called: MQVibe.

Not only has AOL owned the domain names MQVibe.com  and MapQuestVibe.com since July 2011 (both of which re-direct to mapquest.com), this week AOL Inc. filed four  trademarks applications for MQVibe with the United States Patent and Trademark Office.

Here’s a quick look at each of the trademarks, which are similar to the NVibe filings.

Serial Number: 85424935
Providing information and news in the field of local business

Serial Number: 85424931
Providing geographic information, destination information, interactive maps, and driving directions via computer and communications networks; Providing information, news, and commentary in the field of travel via computer and communications networks

Serial Number: 85424926
Providing a website that enables users to connect with people in a particular neighborhood or city; Providing user-defined content and content of others selected and customized based on the known or estimated geographical location of users

Serial Number: 85424918
Online social networking services; online local and community social networking services