Jeeves is now officially no more, and Ask.com is officially here - with a new main page, a new logo, a simplified interface (see adjacent pic) and new tools, including enhanced maps and driving directions, encyclopedia search and web-based desktop search - CNET reports. Ask.com offers a new customizable "toolbox" with shortcuts to 10 default search tools, including maps, images, weather, dictionary and local search.

The site will differentiate itself from competitors with fewer ads and editorial results displayed above advertisements.

Its encyclopedia search displays direct answers from Wikipedia and other online encyclopedias at the top of the results page. It has also added walking directions to maps, location pins that can be dragged to recalculate directions, the ability add a spot on map route, aerial photography that can be combined with regular street views, and - for a fee - the ability to print aerial shots.