Ask.com adds mobile apps to its search results

You're apt to discover more useful apps for your smartphone or tablet computer at Ask.com beginning Tuesday.

At least that's the thinking behind a licensing agreement that Ask's search engine has forged with Silicon Valley startup Quixey.

The deal allows Ask to rely on Quixey technology that analyzes the services offered through millions of applications designed for iPhones, iPads, Android devices, Windows devices and BlackBerrys.

Quixey's database will now appear among the answers that Ask delivers to questions posed on its search engine. The apps results will primarily be featured in a new section of Ask scheduled to debut this evening.

Ask is hoping the new feature will help lure some traffic away from much larger search engine rivals such as Google Inc., Microsoft Corp. and Yahoo Inc.