X

Images: Can Ask.com replace Google?

Ask.com could be an adequate search replacement for those willing to swear off Google.
By Larry Dignan, Contributor
68503.png
1 of 8 Larry Dignan/ZDNET

Ask.com rolled out a revamp of its search engine with a few key features. "Skins" that can customize the search page, recommendations and new ways to relate results. The big question is whether Ask.com can steal some share from Google. To find out Larry Dignan embarked on a search engine world tour and swore off Google for a few weeks. Ask was the first stop in trying to picture life without Google.

68504.png
2 of 8 Larry Dignan/ZDNET
When searching for Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernacke's latest speech I typed in "bernanke federal reserve statement" into Ask.
I didn't quite get what I was looking for--ideally the latest text or news story
68505.png
3 of 8 Larry Dignan/ZDNET

The capability to save the Web page in a search is a nice touch.

68506.png
4 of 8 Larry Dignan/ZDNET

One of the big issues with Ask is that it seems a bit too religious when classifying content types. For instance, I'd rather have an integrated view from the beginning. To find Bernanke's speech I tabbed to news. Even then I didn't see the result I was looking for until the fourth result.

68507.png
5 of 8 Larry Dignan/ZDNET

Oddly enough making the search broader got me news results I was looking for. Pane on the left is a nice touch for background.

68508.png
6 of 8 Larry Dignan/ZDNET

Now this is annoying. With Google I had gotten in the habit of using it like a phone book. Here I'm just trying to find my eye doctor. No luck.

68509.png
7 of 8 Larry Dignan/ZDNET

Here I'm looking for Macbook images and get a few suggestions.

68510.png
8 of 8 Larry Dignan/ZDNET

Moving up to the whole Web and Ask gives you more suggestions. The search recommendations expand the universe and will probably surface a few things you'll click on--even if you weren't looking.

Related Galleries

Holiday wallpaper for your phone: Christmas, Hanukkah, New Year's, and winter scenes
Holiday lights in Central Park background

Related Galleries

Holiday wallpaper for your phone: Christmas, Hanukkah, New Year's, and winter scenes

21 Photos
Winter backgrounds for your next virtual meeting
Wooden lodge in pine forest with heavy snow reflection on Lake O'hara at Yoho national park

Related Galleries

Winter backgrounds for your next virtual meeting

21 Photos
Holiday backgrounds for Zoom: Christmas cheer, New Year's Eve, Hanukkah and winter scenes
3D Rendering Christmas interior

Related Galleries

Holiday backgrounds for Zoom: Christmas cheer, New Year's Eve, Hanukkah and winter scenes

21 Photos
Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Kia EV6: Electric vehicle extravaganza
img-8825

Related Galleries

Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Kia EV6: Electric vehicle extravaganza

26 Photos
A weekend with Google's Chrome OS Flex
img-9792-2

Related Galleries

A weekend with Google's Chrome OS Flex

22 Photos
Cybersecurity flaws, customer experiences, smartphone losses, and more: ZDNet's research roundup
shutterstock-1024665187.jpg

Related Galleries

Cybersecurity flaws, customer experiences, smartphone losses, and more: ZDNet's research roundup

8 Photos
Inside a fake $20 '16TB external M.2 SSD'
Full of promises!

Related Galleries

Inside a fake $20 '16TB external M.2 SSD'

8 Photos