Cnet is reporting that Ask Jeeves is being purchased by Interactive Corp. Ask Jeeves runs ask.com, excite.com, and iwon.com along with it’s own search engine website. Interactive Corp owns Expedia.com, ticketmaster.com, match.com, and citysearch. Interactive Corp is run by Barry Diller. Cnet says ..
Ask Jeeves differs from other search engines in that it responds to plain English questions such as “What is March Madness?” rather than simple keyword searches. That was one of the elements of the company that made it most appealing as an acquisition target, Diller said.
“We believe that in the future (Ask Jeeves) has the potential to become one of the great brands on the Internet and beyond,” Diller said in a statement. “And by beyond we mean in wireless, (and) in the search for anything on any device.”
The search company, known for the butler figure that serves as its emblem, will operate as an independent business unit with operations headquartered in Oakland, Calif., following completion of the acquisition. If the deal passes regulatory scrutiny and gains approval of Ask Jeeves’ shareholders, IAC said it expects to close the transaction late in the second quarter or early in the third quarter.