But despite its early popularity, Ask.com spent most of its life in Google’s shadow.

IAC acquired Ask Jeeves in 2005, later dropping the “Jeeves” name and repositioning the company away from pure search. By 2010, IAC had already scaled back the search side of the business and shifted Ask.com more toward Q&A.

Now the end has officially arrived.

A message on Ask.com says IAC has decided to discontinue its search business as part of a sharper company focus. Ask.com closed on May 1, 2026, ending roughly 30 years of internet history.

It’s a small but symbolic moment.

Ask Jeeves was never the biggest search engine. But it was one of the first to imagine that people wanted to ask the internet questions in a human way — something that feels very familiar in the AI era.

Jeeves may be gone, but the idea he represented is more alive than ever.

The agreement calls for Grab to pay for a 50.1% stake in Stash at closing, with the remainder of the company’s equity to be acquired over the next three years at fair market value.

Stash, a fintech platform that offers mobile investing and financial tools, will continue to operate under its existing brand in the U.S. after the transaction closes — expected in the third quarter of 2026, subject to regulatory approval and customary closing conditions.

Grab says the acquisition fits into its broader push into financial services, helping it add subscription revenue and financial technology capabilities as it expands beyond its core ride-hailing and delivery businesses.

In plain English:

• Claude can remember things across chats (like preferences, projects, your name, etc.)

• But it’s not always on by default

• And it’s not as “sticky” or automatic as ChatGPT’s memory feature tends to be

The key difference vs ChatGPT:

• ChatGPT memory is more “profile-style” (it saves little facts and uses them later)

• Claude memory is more “project / conversation continuity” focused (especially inside the same workspace)

If you want, I can tell you:

• what Claude remembers well

• what it doesn’t remember

• and whether it’s good enough for serious “assistant over months” use

This isn’t just an upgrade. It’s the start of a shift in how we’ll use software entirely.

What’s Actually New

The big idea: developers can now build apps inside ChatGPT.

Through OpenAI’s new Apps SDK, companies like Spotify, Canva, Expedia, Coursera, Figma, Zillow, and Booking.com have already integrated their services. You can now tell ChatGPT things like:

“Make me a road-trip playlist in Spotify.”
“Find me a 3-bedroom house in Cornwall on Zillow.”
“Design a travel poster in Canva.”

ChatGPT then pulls up interactive results inside the chat, not on a new website or app. It’s powered by an open standard called the Model Context Protocol (MCP) — essentially a framework that lets different apps safely plug into ChatGPT’s ecosystem.

There’s also something called the Agentic Commerce Protocol — meaning you’ll soon be able to make purchases and complete bookings without ever leaving ChatGPT.

In short: it’s no longer just a chat tool. It’s a super app — or maybe more accurately, an AI operating system.

Why It Matters

This move has the potential to completely redefine how people use digital services. Here’s why it’s such a big deal:

1. The AI Becomes the Interface

Until now, we’ve used operating systems (iOS, Android, Windows) to open apps.
With this change, ChatGPT becomes the layer above all of that — the interface that talks to every other app for you.

You won’t open Spotify, Expedia, or Canva — you’ll just ask ChatGPT to handle it. That’s a profound shift in where the user experience lives.

2. No More App-Hopping

Think about how fragmented your workflow is today.
You research a trip in one app, book in another, design an itinerary in a third, and pay through a fourth. ChatGPT’s apps tie all that together — one seamless, conversational flow from idea to action.

The barrier between thinking and doing is disappearing.

3. Powerful Tools for Everyone

Tools like Figma, Coursera, or Canva can be complex for new users. Embedding them directly inside ChatGPT makes them instantly accessible.
You don’t need to know how to use design software — you just ask the AI to do it for you.

That could make powerful creative and analytical tools available to anyone, anywhere.

4. A New Kind of App Store

OpenAI isn’t just creating integrations — it’s creating an ecosystem.
With in-chat payments and transactions coming soon, this could evolve into a new type of app store — but driven by conversation, not icons.

That puts OpenAI in direct competition with Apple and Google’s traditional app store models. It could reshape how software is distributed, monetized, and discovered.

5. Early Challenges

Of course, not everything is smooth sailing:

• Europe is excluded from the initial rollout (thanks to regulatory complexity).

• Developers will demand transparency on how apps are ranked, accessed, and monetized.

• Data privacy and liability questions will grow — who’s responsible if something goes wrong?

• And users may need time to trust AI with purchases, personal data, and decision-making.

Still, every major platform shift starts with friction. What matters is the direction — and this one is huge.

The Big Picture: Why This Could Change Everything

If OpenAI executes this vision, ChatGPT won’t just be another app — it’ll be the layer that connects all other apps together.

Here’s where this could lead:

• Software gets rearchitected — instead of standalone tools, we’ll have composable chat-based modules.

• Workflows collapse — the distance between idea and execution shrinks dramatically.

• Access expands — the gap between “power user” and “casual user” disappears.

• Commerce evolves — buying, booking, creating all happen in one universal interface.

• Platform dominance shifts — we could see the first real challenge to Apple’s and Google’s control of digital ecosystems.

In short: ChatGPT could become the new browser, the new OS, and maybe even the new internet interface — all rolled into one.

The Bottom Line

OpenAI’s new ChatGPT apps aren’t just a cool update — they mark the start of a new era in computing.
An era where we stop opening apps, and start talking to them.

For now, we’re seeing the first wave — Spotify, Canva, Expedia, and friends. But imagine what happens when every SaaS, every tool, and every business plugs into this ecosystem.

ChatGPT isn’t just changing how we chat. It’s quietly changing how the entire digital world works.

Obsidian.md is a powerful knowledge base that works on top of a local folder of plain text Markdown files. It is a free, open-source application that offers a unique approach to note-taking. It allows you to work with your notes in a non-linear fashion, connecting ideas and concepts through a network of related notes. This makes Obsidian particularly useful for researchers, students, writers, and anyone who wants to make sense of a large body of information. Obsidian's main features include linking between notes, graph view for visualizing note connections, and extensive customization options.

There are also great options to sync and publish to the web.

Obsidian provides a decent option to Notion and other note taking apps.

Take a look and let us know what you think.

iJustine was in the first batch of YouTube tech reviewers to get their hands on the new Rabbit R1.

Here is her review.

It feels like the R1 has a lot of opportunities for use in the real world and digital worlds. It will be interesting to see how it evolves over the coming years.

I’ve already purchased a Rabbit R1 - just waiting for my batch to be sent ;)

While Google does not disclose specific numbers, Hassabis indicated that the company's investment will exceed the $100 billion that Microsoft and OpenAI plan to put into their "Stargate" AI supercomputer in the coming years.

"We are investing more than that over time, which is one of the reasons we partnered with Google," said Hassabis. "We knew that in order to achieve AGI, we would need a significant amount of computing power, and Google had, and still has, the most computers."

Despite this seeming like a perfect setup for an artificial intelligence arms race, which could risk "rolling the dice" on aspects like reinforcement learning and AI safety, Hassabis stressed that such a scenario must be avoided.

Flow is a $1 billion real estate company, and its going to be really interesting to see how this grows over the coming years!

A lot of people are starting to state that if you go public under $400 million in valuation you simply won’t be able to get the liquidity needed for your IPO to be a success and your stock price will naturally drop if you are below this amount.

I’m sure there is a lot of research being done on this at present, but I have yet to see anything conclusive.

However, there seems to be some interesting trends just purely around the number of IPOs on each market around the world and here are the facts.

London Stock Exchange:

NYSE:

There are a lot of issues to unpack on why there is a continual drop in listed companies both in the US and the UK, but the facts remain.

Is this also related to the rise of Private Equity? Are the largest companies making more and more acquisitions?

Time will tell on whether these trends continue, but I think at the heart of capitalism is a strong equity market!

However, for the past few months, he has been working on buying the now-bankrupt business with the assistance of hedge fund mogul Dan Loeb, as reported by DealBook.

According to a letter sent by Neumann's lawyers to WeWork's advisors on Monday, his new real estate company, Flow Global, is urging WeWork to consider its takeover proposal. The letter also revealed that Flow has already secured $350 million from venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz and that Loeb's Third Point would help finance the transaction. (Read the letter.)

Flow has expressed interest in acquiring WeWork or its assets and offering bankruptcy financing to keep it operational.

However, Flow's legal team has accused WeWork of stalling for months. In a letter led by Alex Spiro of Quinn Emanuel, who also represents Elon Musk and Jay-Z, the lawyers wrote, "We write to express our dismay with WeWork’s lack of engagement even to provide information to my clients in what is intended to be a value-maximizing transaction for all stakeholders."

This is the latest twist for WeWork, which, over its 14-year history, became a symbol of excessive venture capital. The company experienced rapid growth, becoming the largest tenant in many major cities and achieving a paper valuation of $47 billion. Backed by billions from the Japanese tech giant SoftBank, Neumann increasingly presented WeWork as a means to "elevate the world's consciousness."

However, Neumann stepped down as CEO in 2019 after WeWork failed to go public, largely due to investor concerns about its business model and corporate governance. The company began to face difficulties and repeatedly sought to renegotiate leases and reduce costs. (It remains uncertain whether WeWork's stakeholders would be willing to sell the company back to the man viewed by some as contributing to its troubles.)

WeWork filed for bankruptcy in November. In a restructuring plan submitted to the bankruptcy court on Sunday, the company disclosed over $4 billion in secured debt, with SoftBank among its major creditors. During a court hearing on Monday, lawyers representing landlords and others expressed concerns about WeWork's ability to pay rent. (Read more)

Some experts have suggested that WeWork could be sold for a fraction of its outstanding debt, potentially as little as $500 million.

Twilio’s ownership structure features a mix of institutional and individual investors, with several holding sizeable stakes. Here are the top shareholders as of January 8, 2024:

Institutional Shareholders:

• The Vanguard Group: With 9.595% ownership, Vanguard holds the largest institutional stake in Twilio. This translates to over 17.3 million shares.

• BlackRock, Inc.: BlackRock comes in second with approximately 5% ownership, holding around 9 million shares.

• Nikko Asset Management Co., Ltd.: This Japanese asset management firm owns around 3.5% of Twilio, which translates to roughly 6.3 million shares.

• Baillie Gifford & Co.: This Scottish investment firm holds around 3% of Twilio, amounting to 5.4 million shares.

• State Street Global Advisors, Inc.: This institutional investor owns around 2.5% of Twilio, representing 4.5 million shares.

Individual Shareholders:

• Jeff Lawson (CEO): As co-founder and CEO, Jeff Lawson holds a significant individual stake, estimated to be around 10% of Twilio’s total shares. This translates to roughly 18 million shares.

• Other individual investors: While not disclosed individually, other executives and early investors likely hold smaller stakes in Twilio.

The story of Baillie Gifford’s origins starts in Edinburgh, Scotland, in 1908, when two ambitious lawyers, Colonel Augustus Baillie and T.J. Carlyle Gifford, saw an opportunity in the burgeoning rubber industry.

The Founding Moment:

• Baillie, a veteran of the Boer War, and Gifford, a brilliant young lawyer, combined their expertise to establish a law firm, Baillie & Gifford WS.

• They quickly recognized the potential of the rubber industry and decided to create an investment trust focused on this promising sector.

• In 1909, The Straits Mortgage and Trust Company was launched, with Baillie & Gifford managing its assets. This marked the official start of Baillie Gifford, laying the foundation for their journey as successful investment managers.

Early Years and Growth:

• The initial years were challenging, with the rubber industry facing fluctuations. However, Baillie Gifford’s astute investment decisions and long-term perspective helped the trust navigate these difficulties.

• They gradually diversified their portfolio beyond rubber, venturing into other sectors like shipping, textiles, and utilities.

• Throughout the 20th century, Baillie Gifford continued to grow, weathering various economic storms and building a reputation for prudent management and a focus on long-term investment horizons.

Evolution and Modern Form:

• In the late 20th century, Baillie Gifford embraced new investment strategies and technologies, adapting to the changing financial landscape.

• They became pioneers in growth investing, focusing on identifying and backing companies with high growth potential.

• Their commitment to research and analysis, coupled with their distinctive partnership structure, which emphasizes collective decision-making and long-term thinking, further set them apart.

Today:

• Baillie Gifford stands as a global investment management powerhouse, managing over £216 billion (US$ 264 billion) in assets for a diverse clientele.

• They are known for their innovative approach to investing, dedication to sustainability, and commitment to supporting the companies they invest in.

The decision to cut contractors was driven by Duolingo’s desire to leverage AI technology to enhance its language learning experience. By utilizing AI algorithms, Duolingo aims to provide personalized and adaptive language instruction to its users.

While the reduction in contractor workforce may lead to some short-term challenges, Duolingo believes that the long-term benefits of AI integration will outweigh the initial impact. The company anticipates that AI-powered features will enable users to learn languages more efficiently and effectively.

Great chart that outlines $O Realty Income’s dividend history.

Uninterrupted Dividend Streak of 54 years.

I came across this amazing graph that outlines different countries and their income distributions.

I have always thought I wasn't doing very well compared with my peers, but turns out that is completely wrong!

Affirm vs. Afterpay revenue, Q1 2022 - Q3 2023

Affirm is trading at 6.2x Price/NTM Sales multiple and has a market cap of $12.98 billion. So Afterpay would be valued at something like $5-7 billion as a stand-alone company?

Gymshark has now had to restate their 2022 financial figures and now there is a 20% loss of revenues for 2022.

Take a look at the full accounts here.

Here's how Notion Q&A works:

1. Ask a Question: Simply type your question into the Q&A sidebar or the search bar at the top of your Notion workspace.

2. Understand Your Intent: Notion AI analyzes your question to grasp the underlying intent and identify relevant information sources within your workspace.

3. Gather Information: Notion Q&A scans your Notion pages, databases, and other content to gather relevant information related to your query.

4. Synthesize and Respond: Notion AI synthesizes the gathered information and generates a comprehensive and informative answer to your question.

5. Continuous Improvement: Notion AI continuously learns and improves its ability to answer questions based on user feedback and interactions.

Notion Q&A offers several benefits, including:

1. Instant Answers: Gain immediate insights and answers to your questions without having to manually search through your Notion workspace.

2. Contextual Understanding: Notion AI understands the context of your questions and provides answers tailored to the specific information in your workspace.

3. Comprehensive Responses: Receive detailed and informative answers that go beyond simple keyword matches.

4. Uncover Hidden Insights: Discover connections and relationships within your data that you might not have noticed otherwise.

5. Empower Knowledge Management: Facilitate effective knowledge management and organization within your Notion workspace.

Notion Q&A is currently in beta testing and is gradually rolling out to Notion users. It is expected to become a widely adopted feature due to its potential to enhance productivity and knowledge discovery within Notion workspaces.

Amazing Peter Lynch interview on Charlie Rose in 2013.

Peter Lynch is a legendary investor - who makes investing seem very ease with simple and affect methods.

Since 2012, when Apple's share count peaked, the company have repurchased more than $580 billion in stock.

That's ~38% of the outstanding share count in ten years.

Even if the revenues remained flat the share price would increase and you would be far better off purely for holding.

Warren Buffett and Berkshire Hathaway hold a huge number of Apple stock - they must be laughing!