AskJeeves is now just Ask

Well, the moment we've all been waiting for (see my previous post titled Goodbye, Jeeves - Ask Jeeves Butler Gets A Pink Slip) - the public face of Ask Jeeves has been dutifully retired in high style with a goodbye video and everything.

The folks behind Ask, as they would now prefer to be called, have made some major changes in the decor, and much for the better, in my opinion. First, there's a nice looking toolbar on the far right of the front page of Ask with all sorts of goodies including Maps, Weather, Local, etc., and a few that I've not seen before, including an Encyclopedia Search, a Mobile Content Search, and something called MyStuff which at the time of this writing was "undergoing maintenance."

By the way, this is what Ask Jeeves for Kids has to say about where the Butler has gone:

" After ten years of dutifully helping kids answer questions for their homework, learn more about their world, or to just be able help them answer the eternal "Why?" Jeeves decided his work was done.

Why? Kids are smart, and they catch on fast -- especially about how to use technology. The need for an "at-your-service" butler wasn't as important as kids came to the site to do more than just ask questions. They wanted a search engine that would allow them to to search and experience as much of the Web as possible. It's their learning and entertainment hub!

So, Ask for Kids focused on modernizing its search engine technology, and giving kids tools that would make their searches experience better and more satisfying. Today, our mission is to help kids find what they need through an exciting, ever-changing web. No matter what a kid's imagination can dream up, Ask for Kids is committed to meeting their challenge, and making it the best search engine for them."

Let's take a vote: Poll:What do you think of Ask's new look?

• I like it!
• Meh. It's okay.
• I miss Jeeves and don't plan on using Ask!
• I've never used Ask Jeeves and I don't plan to start now.

Learn more about Ask Jeeves...I mean, Ask: While the public face of Ask has changed, I would say that their dedication to a good search experience has not. Read about Ask, find out more about AskforKids, or use Ask to find game cheats.

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