Brits are only just realising sad reason why 'Ask Jeeves' disappeared
Ask Jeeves was a popular question-answering service that was launched in 1996, and quickly became a household name, but the "Jeeves" name was phased out in 2006
If you're a '90s kid, then you're bound to remember the days of Ask Jeeves before Google took over our screens. Launched in 1996 by entrepreneurs Garrett Gruener and David Warthen in Berkeley, California, the question-answering platform fast became a household name.
It was Gary Chevsky who brought the software to life, although the actual development of the early website AskJeeves.com was the brainchild of Warthen, alongside Chevsky, Justin Grant and other key players. Who could forget that avuncular virtual butler Jeeves, who helped us trawl through the web for answers?
Jeeves might even be considered a sort of trailblazer before Google stepped in. Despite being an internet staple for the better part of a decade, his departure from the limelight was notably understated.
A Reddit post recently reignited the discussion, prompting users to reminisce. It read: "What ever happened to just Ask Jeeves? I used just Ask Jeeves all the time. Is that what Siri took the place of?"
Curiosity among the online community soared with the Reddit query, leading to a flurry of theories about what happened to the iconic search buddy. Responses flooded in, with a mix of nostalgia and speculation.
One person quipped: "Nobody thought to ask how is Jeeves." Another added: "They rebranded to Ask.com."
There were those who looked back fondly, as one user said: "I always thought that 'Jeeves' was such an easy thing to remember when I was learning about computers."
The "Jeeves" moniker was dropped in 2006 as the brand pivoted to focus on its search engine, which boasted a unique algorithm. However, by late 2010, it found itself struggling against more popular search engines like Google.
This led to the company outsourcing its web search technology and returning to its roots as a question-and-answer site. In its prime, "Jeeves" was the name of a "gentleman's personal gentleman", or valet, who could provide answers to any query posed.
The character's name was inspired by Jeeves, the valet of Bertie Wooster in P. G. Wodehouse's fictional works. The initial concept was to allow users to get answers to everyday questions using natural language and traditional keyword searching.
In 2006, the brand decided to drop the "Jeeves" name and rebrand the search engine simply as "Ask." However, this didn't last long before it was discontinued.
In 2010, Ask.com scrapped its search function, unable to compete with more popular search engines like Google. Ultimately, it seems Jeeves couldn't keep pace with the competition.
A summary by EN Gadget reads: "Ask Jeeves was a character-driven search engine, if ever there was one. Founded in 1996, Ask Jeeves featured a well-dressed valet who supposedly fetched search results and was able to understand questions posed in everyday phrasing.
"Natural language processing is still tricky for developers today - just ask Siri anything - so this was a daunting pre-Y2K goal. Ask Jeeves lasted until roughly 2005, when it was rebranded as Ask.com.
"The company attempted to invade Yahoo Answers' territory by focusing on a real-person QandA site, but Ask.com ended its foray into search engineering in 2010. Ask.com is ranked No. 128 in the world, according to Alexa."
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Scottish Sun
11 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
Secret signs a snooper is reading your text messages or even posing as YOU – & clues to show it's happening as you sleep
Watch out for incorrect 'secret codes', a mysterious 'night spike', and a bizarre text with jumbled letters CHAT'S TERRIFYING Secret signs a snooper is reading your text messages or even posing as YOU – & clues to show it's happening as you sleep Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) IMAGINE if every text you've ever sent or received was being watched by a mystery stranger – or even someone you know. Well, that might be true. There are loads of ways that sinister spies can have a nose around your private text conversations, so knowing the signs is essential. 9 Special feature shows you every device where your account is signed in Credit: The Sun / Google We reveal the hidden and forgotten settings you need to check. 1 – CHECK YOUR ACCOUNT If you're worried about your texts being spied on, your first port of call should be checking settings in your main messaging accounts. After all, if someone has access to your Apple or Google account, or WhatsApp, then they have unrestricted access to your texts too. That's because they can simply log in as you and read everything you're up to. They can send texts as you, and trawl through your old chats if they want. It's about as nightmarish as it gets. Thankfully, most major tech services will let you see who is logged in on your account and kick them out. And once you do kick the person out, make sure to change your password and add a second layer of verification (like a code sent over text or an authenticator app) in your app settings. For Apple users, you can see a list of the devices where your Apple Account is logged in. Just go to Settings > [Your Name] on your Apple device, then scroll down to see the device. If you don't recognise one, just tap it and then choose Remove From Account. You can also do this on the website. For Google (and Android) users, go to your Google account, then choose Security > Your Devices > Manage All Devices. Once you're there, you can then easily sign out of any unrecognised devices. Deepfakes more 'sophisticated' and dangerous than ever as AI expert warns of six upgrades that let them trick your eyes You'll find other major apps like Facebook and Netflix all have similar settings – so it's worth checking them all every so often. 2 – MYSTERY NIGHT SPIKE You also need to watch out for someone close to you reading your texts in the middle of the night. Maybe you don't have a phone passcode, or it's someone you've shared your code with, or perhaps a nosy partner or family member who has seen you tap it in. First, go into Settings > General > iPhone Storage on your iPhone, and scroll down to the apps. 9 Take a look at the order of your last-used apps – notice anything strange? Credit: The Sun / Apple Change the filter from Size to Last Used Date, which shows apps by when they were most recently used. If you see a chat app there that you know you didn't use recently (or in that order), then someone has been having a peek. Next, go to Settings > Screen Time and turn it on. It's a handy feature to track how much you're using your iPhone – but has a hidden spy-busting benefit too. Head into Settings > Screen Time > See All App & Website Activity, then scroll to Pickups. Now look for First Pickup. This shows when your iPhone was first picked up and opened on a given day, so you can see if someone unlocked it before you'd woken up. And third, go to Settings > Screen Time > See All App & Website Activity, then look for Most Used for today. Now look for an app you're worried is being accessed – like WhatsApp. You can see the exact hour slots for when that app was used, as well as the amount of time spent on it. 9 Go to the Screen Time feature here - it has a hidden spy-busting benefit Credit: The Sun / Apple So if someone opened your WhatsApp at 3am for five minutes, you'll know about it. If you have an Android phone, you can use a similar trick. But instead of Screen Time, you'll be looking for a Google Feature called Digital Wellbeing. You can tap on individual apps in Digital Wellbeing, and then check their Hourly usage – showing you when an app has been active. 3 – UNENCRYPTED CHAT APPS Lots of popular chat apps are totally encrypted. That's true of apps like WhatsApp, Signal, Facebook Messenger, and Apple's iMessage. That means when you send a text, it gets all jumbled up into an unreadable mess. And as it flies across the internet, it'll stay jumbled. 9 Look for apps that have "end-to-end encryption" for the best protection Credit: The Sun / WhatsApp / Apple Then, when it reaches your recipient, they have a special key to unlock it. No one else has that key. This key will turn it back into the original text. The idea is that no one can see the message as it's sent over the internet. You ideally want your stored messages encrypted too (this is called end-to-end encryption). For instance, WhatsApp can't read the texts you send in the app, because they're jumbled up. And your internet provider can't read those messages either, because it's just seeing garbled data. This also means if the Government, police, or spies want to snoop on your texts, they can't. They could get a warrant and demand that WhatsApp hand over your messages, but they wouldn't be able to read a thing. The other benefit is that without a backdoor into these texts, hackers can't read them while they're in transit either. They'd have to break into your phone instead, which is difficult. So if you're using non-encrypted chat apps, it puts you in greater danger. DON'T LET ENCRYPTION PUZZLE YOU Here's some advice from The Sun's tech editor Sean Keach... Encryption is easy to forget about. You can't really see it, it's hardly exciting to think about, and if it works properly, then you never have to. But it's important because it prevents some of the most effective hack attacks. Not having your data encrypted is a bit like removing all the curtains and doors from your house. You (probably) wouldn't choose to live in a glass house where every wall was a window without blinds – so don't use apps that are much the same. Not for anything important, anyway. Think about all of the texts you've ever sent. Most of them are probably boring. But some of them will be personal and sensitive: private conversations with loved ones, chats about finances or medical issues, and even login details you've shared with family. Don't leave these in an unlocked box just waiting to be scooped up by a savvy hacker. Using encrypted apps is one of the best defences against cybercrime, and it costs nothing. Picture Credit: Sean Keach For a start, texts sent via old-school SMS aren't encrypted. Popular chat app Discord doesn't encrypt text chats – they're just stored on servers. Most video games won't encrypt text conversations you have either. Make sure you're not having any sensitive conversations unless you're sure that the app you're using is end-to-end encrypted. 4 – SECRET CONTACT CODE This one is a dead giveaway that you're not texting who you think you are. It relates to encryption. Remember: encryption scrambles your texts, and only the recipient with the correct key can unscramble them. Well, hackers have ways of getting around this, so tech giants have come up with a key-verifying system to put your mind at ease. How does it work? Move to here Let's start with iPhone owners, who can use Contact Key Verification in the Messages app. Turn it on by going into Settings > Name > Contact Key Verification > Verification in iMessage. 9 This allows you to check who you're talking to is who they say they are Credit: The Sun / Apple This makes sure that you are speaking to the person with a matching key – and not an impostor intercepting your texts. Once the setting is on, it'll automatically verify the Contact Key when you chat with another person. You'll get an alert if there's an error, which Apple says helps "make sure that even a very sophisticated attacker can't impersonate anyone in the conversation". You can also manually do this by tapping Conversation Details, and then generating a code at the same time to share and compare. WhatsApp has a similar feature called Security Code. Just open a chat with a pal, then tap the contact's name. Now tap on Encryption to view a QR code and a 60-digit number. Next time you're with your pal, you can scan the other person's QR code or just visually compare the 60-digit number. If they match, it's a guarantee that no one is intercepting your texts (or calls!). 9 Your WhatsApp has a special key verification feature to help you make sure that your texts aren't being intercepted Credit: The Sun / WhatsApp 5 – MYSTERIOUS SPY APPS Every so often, take a look at your recently installed apps. Notice anything strange? Anything that shouldn't be there? Any apps that you don't recognise? That's a major red flag. Unexpected apps that you don't recognise are a serious sign that someone is meddling with you. It might have been installed by someone close to you (maybe they grabbed your phone while you slept) or installed on your device as part of a hack attack (perhaps you clicked a dodgy link or opened a rogue email). 9 Make sure to check your phone for any strange apps Credit: Apple 9 Scroll to the far-right on your iPhone to find the App Library – apps may appear here that don't show up on your Home Screen Credit: Apple Either way, once a "spyware" app is on your phone, hackers can run riot with their surveillance. And don't be fooled by how the app appears: it might pretend to be a regular app with a normal function, but it is actually spying on you. So even if it looks like a calculator and works like a calculator, it might still be spying. The only warning sign is that you didn't install it. That's never right. If you ever find any app that you don't recall installing, delete it right away. It could be tracking every single text you send – and potentially much more. 6 – UNEXPLAINED TEXTS This sign can come in two forms. The first is when you receive texts from family members that don't seem to make sense or flow from your previous conversation. Maybe they're having a mad day. But more likely, someone has broken into your text conversations. What this usually means is that someone is texting your friends and family as you – and then deleting the evidence. 9 Watch out for texts with strange letters and symbols Credit: The Sun / Apple So when you look at your phone, there's nothing there. But you're catching it out because your friend or family member has replied to a text – and you've seen it before the snooper has deleted it. Check in with that person immediately (and not over text!) to ask them about what conversations you've had recently. Chances are, they've received texts from you offering them a lucrative money-making deal, asking for a bit of quick cash, or requesting some security info (like a log-in code for an app). It's best to do this over the phone, or better yet in person – so you can make sure your conversation isn't being meddled with. The second sign to watch for is when a text contains strange strings of letters, numbers, and symbols. This might be a symptom of some spyware installed on your phone. Spyware – software built to watch what you're doing – isn't meant to be there, and can result in bugs. KEEP YOUR PHONE UPDATED Here's another tip from The Sun's tech expert Sean Keach... If you want another easy way to protect yourself from dangerous attacks, just update your phone. It sounds simple, but plenty of people forget about it. Tech giants spend loads of money uncovering dangerous loopholes that hackers can exploit to break into your phone. And they release these as security fixes via updates for your phone and apps. If you don't download them, you're leaving your gadgets wide open to snooping. What to watch: If you've got a very old phone, it might no longer be supported by the creator. That means it's no longer getting software updates. So if you're finding yourself unable to update your phone, you may have been cut off. That means you won't get the latest software updates to fix security bugs, leaving you in serious cyber-danger. If that's the case, you'll want to upgrade to a newer model as soon as possible. It's not worth the risk. Picture Credit: Apple / The Sun This can sometimes manifest as strange strings of text (including coded instructions meant for a computer) that don't make sense to your human eyes. It's not a guarantee that you're being spied on, but it's definitely a sign that something is amiss. Just like before, look for and delete any mysterious apps on your device that you don't remember installing, update your phone's software, and reboot it completely (to wipe any 'active' hacks that live in your phone's short-term memory).
The Sun
11 hours ago
- The Sun
Secret signs a snooper is reading your text messages or even posing as YOU – & clues to show it's happening as you sleep
IMAGINE if every text you've ever sent or received was being watched by a mystery stranger – or even someone you know. Well, that might be true. There are loads of ways that sinister spies can have a nose around your private text conversations, so knowing the signs is essential. We reveal the hidden and forgotten settings you need to check. 1 – CHECK YOUR ACCOUNT If you're worried about your texts being spied on, your first port of call should be checking settings in your main messaging accounts. After all, if someone has access to your Apple or Google account, or WhatsApp, then they have unrestricted access to your texts too. That's because they can simply log in as you and read everything you're up to. They can send texts as you, and trawl through your old chats if they want. It's about as nightmarish as it gets. Thankfully, most major tech services will let you see who is logged in on your account and kick them out. And once you do kick the person out, make sure to change your password and add a second layer of verification (like a code sent over text or an authenticator app) in your app settings. For Apple users, you can see a list of the devices where your Apple Account is logged in. Just go to Settings > [Your Name] on your Apple device, then scroll down to see the device. If you don't recognise one, just tap it and then choose Remove From Account. You can also do this on the website. For Google (and Android) users, go to your Google account, then choose Security > Your Devices > Manage All Devices. Once you're there, you can then easily sign out of any unrecognised devices. You'll find other major apps like Facebook and Netflix all have similar settings – so it's worth checking them all every so often. 2 – MYSTERY NIGHT SPIKE You also need to watch out for someone close to you reading your texts in the middle of the night. Maybe you don't have a phone passcode, or it's someone you've shared your code with, or perhaps a nosy partner or family member who has seen you tap it in. First, go into Settings > General > iPhone Storage on your iPhone, and scroll down to the apps. 9 Change the filter from Size to Last Used Date, which shows apps by when they were most recently used. If you see a chat app there that you know you didn't use recently (or in that order), then someone has been having a peek. Next, go to Settings > Screen Time and turn it on. It's a handy feature to track how much you're using your iPhone – but has a hidden spy-busting benefit too. Head into Settings > Screen Time > See All App & Website Activity, then scroll to Pickups. Now look for First Pickup. This shows when your iPhone was first picked up and opened on a given day, so you can see if someone unlocked it before you'd woken up. And third, go to Settings > Screen Time > See All App & Website Activity, then look for Most Used for today. Now look for an app you're worried is being accessed – like WhatsApp. You can see the exact hour slots for when that app was used, as well as the amount of time spent on it. 9 So if someone opened your WhatsApp at 3am for five minutes, you'll know about it. If you have an Android phone, you can use a similar trick. But instead of Screen Time, you'll be looking for a Google Feature called Digital Wellbeing. You can tap on individual apps in Digital Wellbeing, and then check their Hourly usage – showing you when an app has been active. 3 – UNENCRYPTED CHAT APPS Lots of popular chat apps are totally encrypted. That's true of apps like WhatsApp, Signal, Facebook Messenger, and Apple's iMessage. That means when you send a text, it gets all jumbled up into an unreadable mess. And as it flies across the internet, it'll stay jumbled. 9 Then, when it reaches your recipient, they have a special key to unlock it. No one else has that key. This key will turn it back into the original text. The idea is that no one can see the message as it's sent over the internet. You ideally want your stored messages encrypted too (this is called end-to-end encryption). For instance, WhatsApp can't read the texts you send in the app, because they're jumbled up. And your internet provider can't read those messages either, because it's just seeing garbled data. This also means if the Government, police, or spies want to snoop on your texts, they can't. They could get a warrant and demand that WhatsApp hand over your messages, but they wouldn't be able to read a thing. The other benefit is that without a backdoor into these texts, hackers can't read them while they're in transit either. They'd have to break into your phone instead, which is difficult. So if you're using non-encrypted chat apps, it puts you in greater danger. DON'T LET ENCRYPTION PUZZLE YOU Here's some advice from The Sun's tech editor Sean Keach... Encryption is easy to forget about. You can't really see it, it's hardly exciting to think about, and if it works properly, then you never have to. But it's important because it prevents some of the most effective hack attacks. Not having your data encrypted is a bit like removing all the curtains and doors from your house. You (probably) wouldn't choose to live in a glass house where every wall was a window without blinds – so don't use apps that are much the same. Not for anything important, anyway. Think about all of the texts you've ever sent. Most of them are probably boring. But some of them will be personal and sensitive: private conversations with loved ones, chats about finances or medical issues, and even login details you've shared with family. Don't leave these in an unlocked box just waiting to be scooped up by a savvy hacker. Using encrypted apps is one of the best defences against cybercrime, and it costs nothing. Picture Credit: Sean Keach For a start, texts sent via old-school SMS aren't encrypted. Popular chat app Discord doesn't encrypt text chats – they're just stored on servers. Most video games won't encrypt text conversations you have either. Make sure you're not having any sensitive conversations unless you're sure that the app you're using is end-to-end encrypted. 4 – SECRET CONTACT CODE This one is a dead giveaway that you're not texting who you think you are. It relates to encryption. Remember: encryption scrambles your texts, and only the recipient with the correct key can unscramble them. Well, hackers have ways of getting around this, so tech giants have come up with a key-verifying system to put your mind at ease. How does it work? Move to here Let's start with iPhone owners, who can use Contact Key Verification in the Messages app. Turn it on by going into Settings > Name > Contact Key Verification > Verification in iMessage. 9 This makes sure that you are speaking to the person with a matching key – and not an impostor intercepting your texts. Once the setting is on, it'll automatically verify the Contact Key when you chat with another person. You'll get an alert if there's an error, which Apple says helps "make sure that even a very sophisticated attacker can't impersonate anyone in the conversation". You can also manually do this by tapping Conversation Details, and then generating a code at the same time to share and compare. WhatsApp has a similar feature called Security Code. Just open a chat with a pal, then tap the contact's name. Now tap on Encryption to view a QR code and a 60-digit number. Next time you're with your pal, you can scan the other person's QR code or just visually compare the 60-digit number. If they match, it's a guarantee that no one is intercepting your texts (or calls!). 5 – MYSTERIOUS SPY APPS Every so often, take a look at your recently installed apps. Notice anything strange? Anything that shouldn't be there? Any apps that you don't recognise? That's a major red flag. Unexpected apps that you don't recognise are a serious sign that someone is meddling with you. It might have been installed by someone close to you (maybe they grabbed your phone while you slept) or installed on your device as part of a hack attack (perhaps you clicked a dodgy link or opened a rogue email). 9 Either way, once a "spyware" app is on your phone, hackers can run riot with their surveillance. And don't be fooled by how the app appears: it might pretend to be a regular app with a normal function, but it is actually spying on you. So even if it looks like a calculator and works like a calculator, it might still be spying. The only warning sign is that you didn't install it. That's never right. If you ever find any app that you don't recall installing, delete it right away. It could be tracking every single text you send – and potentially much more. 6 – UNEXPLAINED TEXTS This sign can come in two forms. The first is when you receive texts from family members that don't seem to make sense or flow from your previous conversation. Maybe they're having a mad day. But more likely, someone has broken into your text conversations. What this usually means is that someone is texting your friends and family as you – and then deleting the evidence. 9 So when you look at your phone, there's nothing there. But you're catching it out because your friend or family member has replied to a text – and you've seen it before the snooper has deleted it. Check in with that person immediately (and not over text!) to ask them about what conversations you've had recently. Chances are, they've received texts from you offering them a lucrative money-making deal, asking for a bit of quick cash, or requesting some security info (like a log-in code for an app). It's best to do this over the phone, or better yet in person – so you can make sure your conversation isn't being meddled with. The second sign to watch for is when a text contains strange strings of letters, numbers, and symbols. This might be a symptom of some spyware installed on your phone. Spyware – software built to watch what you're doing – isn't meant to be there, and can result in bugs. KEEP YOUR PHONE UPDATED Here's another tip from The Sun's tech expert Sean Keach... If you want another easy way to protect yourself from dangerous attacks, just update your phone. It sounds simple, but plenty of people forget about it. Tech giants spend loads of money uncovering dangerous loopholes that hackers can exploit to break into your phone. And they release these as security fixes via updates for your phone and apps. If you don't download them, you're leaving your gadgets wide open to snooping. What to watch: If you've got a very old phone, it might no longer be supported by the creator. That means it's no longer getting software updates. So if you're finding yourself unable to update your phone, you may have been cut off. That means you won't get the latest software updates to fix security bugs, leaving you in serious cyber-danger. If that's the case, you'll want to upgrade to a newer model as soon as possible. It's not worth the risk. Picture Credit: Apple / The Sun This can sometimes manifest as strange strings of text (including coded instructions meant for a computer) that don't make sense to your human eyes. It's not a guarantee that you're being spied on, but it's definitely a sign that something is amiss. Just like before, look for and delete any mysterious apps on your device that you don't remember installing, update your phone's software, and reboot it completely (to wipe any 'active' hacks that live in your phone's short-term memory).
Daily Mirror
11 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
Samsung is dishing out free smartwatches worth £289 in limited offer
Samsung's free watch offer is only available for a few weeks Consumers on the market for a new phone can get a free Galaxy Watch7 when they purchase a Galaxy A56 device. The phone is built with a handful of features designed to make life easier and save customers time, all while coming with a budget price compared to other handsets. The Galaxy A56 costs £499 and has 256GB of storage space. Its top features include a 'Circle to Search with Google ' function, which allows users to circle, highlight, or tap an object or text onscreen to get Google Search results. There's also an 'Auto Trim' feature, where owners can create their own filter or add a retro film effect to photos and videos. It also has a long battery life with the ability to go for up to 29 hours without a recharge. Meanwhile, the 'object eraser' feature improves pictures by removing unwanted distractions in the background. The Galaxy A56 is available in four colours, including light grey, dark grey, pink or green. When shoppers buy the Galaxy A56, they will be offered the chance to get a Galaxy Watch7 free of charge. Worth £289, it is powered by Galaxy AI and tracks a wearer's heart rate, workouts, and sleep. Samsung's free smartwatch offer ends on Tuesday, June 24. It's also available to buy outright on Currys, where there are a number of customer reviews. A buyer described it as 'comfortable and (a) light fit' but noted a drawback with the charger: "I'm disappointed that the charger isn't USB but USB-C, so I had to buy an adapter, but this wouldn't put me off buying again." For customers on a budget, alternatives are on sale for less than £100, including the Fitbit Inspire 3 Fitness Tracker for £69.99 at Argos. It tracks workouts, running, hiking, cycling, swimming, heart rate, sleep cycles and daily steps. Elsewhere, Amazon offers a Huawei Watch Fit 4 for £149. It tracks a variety of different workouts, including outdoor activities such as mountain climbing, hiking, skiing and trail running. It also has a 10-day battery life, and a GPS feature for runners. Back to Curry's Galaxy Watch7 reviews, another praised the watch's 'good battery life', describing the device as a 'great product'. A third customer had problems with the battery life and sent it for a repair, explaining: "I had to send it back as battery discharge was ridiculous. I got it back and had a software update. It's a bit better but not as good as the Watch 5." An additional shopper said: "My first ever Samsung watch, such a really good watch as I can't really say anything bad about it. But I wish it had longer battery life. Such a good product though." There are also reviews for the watch on Samsung's website, with one buyer commenting: "Battery life lasts 3 days. The display is good. I would recommend it to anyone, I love it." Another said: "I'm very pleased with the watch but the strap could be a bit bigger as it is to small for me."
