Ask.com Undergoes Another Overhaul

Ask.com (formerly Ask Jeeves) just doesn't want to quit. They have relaunched yet again, this time going back to their roots. Once again, the aim for Ask is to provide answers to questions, not just another way to display search results. Type in a question and, if it's easy enough, get an answer right there without the need to navigate to another page.

In a few limited tests, it works fairly well. There are, of course, a slew of sponsored results at the top of most pages, limiting the number of results you get. But the immediate answer feature is nice. Curiously, the source of the answer is hidden - you have to click-through to find out, if you want to make sure you're getting a reliable answer. Other results are of the SERP variety, and the source is clearly displayed.

There is also a Q&A tab (see image below), where Ask will return results from various sites like Yahoo! Answers and WikiAnswers. Unfortunately, this feature leaves plenty to be desired, although it is still in beta. There are some other nice search features under the "More" tab, including maps, recipes, TV listings and blogs. The Ask search bar also has a suggestion feature, which I found helpful. At any rate, Ask isn't dead yet and presents an interesting alternative to standard search results and could save a click or two when you have a specific question.