Ask.com

Now that Oakland-based Ask.com is ostensibly on the trading block, speculation has Microsoft being the best bet to purchase it.

Speculation started when CEO Barry Diller mentioned to Wall Street analysts Tuesday that the search business is "challenging" and its future is "speculative. He also confirmed that he's considering consolidation, with the caveat that "it is unlikely that we would be the consolidator."

Ask is the fourth-ranked search engine, which sounds impressive until one sees just how far Google (64.9 percent share), Yahoo (18.8) and Microsoft (9.4) are ahead of its 4 percent share. In fact, reports Reuters, most of the site's revenue comes from Google ads served up on Ask search queries.

Microsoft, whose Bing is picking up market share, should see its partnership deal with Yahoo finalized next year, and wants to add users wherever and however it can.

"Right now, Microsoft wants share so they could pick up those points from Ask," said Colin Gillis, an analyst at Brigantine Advisors in the Reuters report. "Plus it has a double impact since Google powers Ask's paid search."

It's long been a question about how to make money in the search-engine game. You can spend your time coming up with complex formulas for directed advertising . . . or you can do what Oakland's Ask.com does, and sell your entire homepage.

Those looking to ask a question at the site have recently found Ben Stiller in what used to be Jeeves' spot, the poster for the movie "Night at the Museum" wrapped around the search box.

As reported in Peter Kafka's Media Memo, this isn't the first time Ask has done this. Ask is actually at the forefront of search engine skin customization, offering dozens of options with which users can customize the page. The latest Bond flick received similar treatment, as have some charitable causes. In exchange for the movie promos, the company receives product placement within the films themselves.