Cortana only starting in the US

[Morpheus Phreak]

It's not harsh. It's honest. Why should anyone feel forced to buy something they don't want?

I know I don't. To me it is common sense that if someone doesn't like what they see in a product or like how a company operates that they would probably be best served looking elsewhere.

I'm confused why honesty is such a dirty thing these days. Would you prefer I lie to people?

Do you also shout at Sony for their exclusive contests and releases in Japan as well? Do you also get angry with Samsung if they hold a contest that is local to Korea?

Do you get angry when the BBC doesn't offer content to users on their website even though they have channels in other countries as well?

 

[rculver9056]

It's not harsh. It's honest. Why should anyone feel forced to buy something they don't want?

I know I don't. To me it is common sense that if someone doesn't like what they see in a product or like how a company operates that they would probably be best served looking elsewhere.

I'm confused why honesty is such a dirty thing these days. Would you prefer I lie to people?

Saying they don't like a product, or venting frustration at having to wait (again) if you are outside of the USA...?
And the example of having to wait for a long time isn't that extreme either - how long has the USA had Bing rewards and all this other stuff?
And the comment about Bing not being a lot of cop outside of the USA isn't that far-fetched either.
Many of the commenters are saying that this is a global company, but doesn't feel like it sometimes.

 

[Morpheus Phreak]

So again how often do you see hate aimed at the BBC for not allowing iPlayer to be used outside of the UK even those who subscribe to things like BBC America?

How often do you see hate aimed at Sony or Samsung for region specific contests and features?

The answer is that you don't. Why? Because it's a BS double-standard and hopping on the MS hate train is fashionable.

I'm done here since further discussion will obviously not be productive in the presence of that double-standard.

 

[rculver9056]

Double standard?! lol
I said in my first post that I am a huge Microsoft fan. I love the company and loads of their stuff.

Perhaps it is simply a case of taking stuff for granted. I am in the U.K. and I don't really give alot of thought to the iPlayer outside of the U.K.

 

[Morpheus Phreak]

Double standard?! lol
I said in my first post that I am a huge Microsoft fan. I love the company and loads of their stuff.

Perhaps it is simply a case of taking stuff for granted. I am in the U.K. and I don't really give alot of thought to the iPlayer outside of the U.K.

I didn't say you had one. I said it is a double-standard in general for people to be mad at MS for things that are common practice amongst most corporations that they don't get angry about when it is not MS.

For instance I was a BBC America subscriber, yet I was not allowed to access BBC content on the site.

Companies offer local features and contests all the time. Restaurant franchises do as well, or even large grocery chains.

Small scale example. I have 3 locations for a US grocer named Safeway within walking distance of my apartment. They each have items that the other 2 do not carry. So sometimes I have to shop at one location as opposed to another. Do I get angry? No.

I have two locations for a restaurant chain called Taco Time within a 1-mile radius of my apartment. Do I curse them for having different prices and one of them having a Coca-Cola Freetime machine that let's me customize my soda of choice with hundreds of possible flavor combinations? No.

See what I'm getting at? Companies of all scales have features/products that will launch in some places, but not others. I can't get the same items that I can get in England or Japan at a McDonald's in the US as much as I would like to.

I don't get angry and accuse them of racism as has happened in this thread. I don't say that it is obvious that they are giving their customers the bird. I don't assume malice or incompetence.

That's what I'm talking about here. Hate aimed at MS that is never (or almost never) aimed at others. It is a double-standard no matter how you look at it.

 

[rculver9056]

Ok lol.
Just for the record, I DO hate Apple with a passion

 

[Sonsebelhamasun]

I've seen many people complaining about the start of mmorpgs. When it starts a week earlier in Europe than the USA, or the other way round. At least they say when it will start in the other region.

I don't hate Microsoft. I love my WP. But I am missing so many features of it. Everytime I see a video with a WP from the USA I think how cool it would be to have those features. And they have been available in the US for a long time.
For me, many of those people are shouting: "Hey Microsoft, wake up. Don't forget the rest of the world."
Of course, there are always people going to far. As Microsoft didn't say anything, I don't know if I will ever get those features in my country. And that's sad.

It's like, you bought a new car, 2 months ago, and now there is a software update that this car can fly. Like in those sci-fi movies. But only in Europe. USA, what's that?
And you're answer sounds like: You don't like your car? Don't buy it (wait? you already bought it...). If you want something that flies, go buy a helicopter...
It's like you're not interested what people want, because you have it, so you close your eyes.

USA first. Ok, no problem. It is a beta, as they said. But please don't forget other big markets.

 

[Morpheus Phreak]

I don't. I don't use their products because they don't fit my needs, but my fiancee used to have a MacBook until it started to die on her after several years of use. It was replaced with a PC, but only because that's what she asked for. She still has an iPod in addition to her Lumia and I've had various android based devices here because they were the right device for what I needed.

That's why I say I wasn't being harsh earlier, just honest. I don't want anyone using a device that doesn't suit their needs. If they have the need for some reason to feel robbed and angry then in all honesty they should move on to a different device that more fully suits their needs. Why spend life angry and lobbing hate grenades at a company when you yourself can just choose to use something else?

Make sense?

 

[Morpheus Phreak]

Snipped

I would say that you are partially correct, but not entirely.

Let's say I bought that car and another region got an upgrade to let it fly, but the US model didn't. I would question why and determine the reason why we didn't get it. Perhaps the FAA said no to allowing the model to fly in the US due to air traffic regulations, perhaps not.

I have bought a few things in my life that didn't suit my needs as I had thought they would. I didn't call the company or its employees racist, nor assumed malice or incompetence. I merely waited until I could procure a device that better suited my needs.

I guess my priorities are different from a ton of people evidently. I have things in my life far more important going on than to randomly accuse corporations of things that would be against their own best interests.

 

[Juha A]

OK, let's try another simple example about MS US only policy.

Please give me an explanation why MS won't allow me to use voice speed dialing in Finland even when I am using my phone in English? I can use voice dialing by saying "call 'Name'", but not by saying "call speed dial one", so the reason cannot be that my English pronunciation is not accepted. I simply cannot think of any reason why the so-called advanced speech commands are not available for me.

Another good example is the already mentioned bing calculator.

Can you give some justification for these?

 

[ram7489]

OK, fine, so MS doesn't wanna make its customers angry by giving them something that doesn't yet work very well in the concerned markets; valid.
But when we guys are ready to try out stuff and help them find kinks to smoothen out, I think they can give it to us - just those who understand what beta software is - it'll help them a lot.

For example, if the problem is with different accents of English in different countries, give the product to people who understand the differences and are willing to help smoothen things out. I think that approach would be a win-win.

For instance, I'm patient enough to work with a beta and help identify issues and provide feedback to correct them. I'll not get angry when it doesn't work the way it should, instead, I'll report it.

I really feel the beta version can be released to people who are willing to contribute to the improvement; Facebook beta for WP, for example. I'd continue helping MS improve the app than give it a 2 star rating and switch to the public version of the app.

 

[Morpheus Phreak]

OK, let's try another simple example about MS US only policy.

Please give me an explanation why MS won't allow me to use voice speed dialing in Finland even when I am using my phone in English? I can use voice dialing by saying "call 'Name'", but not by saying "call speed dial one", so the reason cannot be that my English pronunciation is not accepted. I simply cannot think of any reason why the so-called advanced speech commands are not available for me.

Another good example is the already mentioned bing calculator.

Can you give some justification for these?

It's not my job to justify anything. I'm just telling folks the truth.

 

[Hoss98]

Just wanted to share my disappointment (with many of you I'm sure) at the news Cortana will go into beta only in the US to begin with. Here's hoping she'll make her way to the rest of us really soon!

but will I get it if I changed the region to the us? I speak American English well no problem about the language

 

[TruPlaya187]

OK, fine, so MS doesn't wanna make its customers angry by giving them something that doesn't yet work very well in the concerned markets; valid.
But when we guys are ready to try out stuff and help them find kinks to smoothen out, I think they can give it to us - just those who understand what beta software is - it'll help them a lot.

For example, if the problem is with different accents of English in different countries, give the product to people who understand the differences and are willing to help smoothen things out. I think that approach would be a win-win.

For instance, I'm patient enough to work with a beta and help identify issues and provide feedback to correct them. I'll not get angry when it doesn't work the way it should, instead, I'll report it.

I really feel the beta version can be released to people who are willing to contribute to the improvement; Facebook beta for WP, for example. I'd continue helping MS improve the app than give it a 2 star rating and switch to the public version of the app.

I'm right there with you on that one!!!!! Push it to the dev preview install so we can actually report some bugs...suggest improvements...etc

 

[Juha A]

It's not my job to justify anything. I'm just telling folks the truth.

OK. You say that there is a good reason for the US only/first policy, but it does not need to be told to the customers. How is that telling the truth?

 

[Morpheus Phreak]

OK. You say that there is a good reason for the US only/first policy, but it does not need to be told to the customers. How is that telling the truth?

I already made my points in multiple posts. It is also not my job to spoon-feed you data I have already provided.

 

[Panathas]

Morph, I rly wish you were in our position and it wouldn't be released in the US. Then I would love to read your "point"....

 

[Morpheus Phreak]

I am in your position on many things. I cannot access BBC content online even as a subscriber to BBC America due to UK geofencing.

I cannot have specific food items at chain restaurants that are served in other countries.

I cannot buy certain games unless I buy a different region console.

I cannot enter specific contests that are held in other counties by large multi-national corporations.

Should I whine like a small child over it?

Please grow up.

 

[hopmedic]

I am in your position on many things. I cannot access BBC content online even as a subscriber to BBC America due to UK geofencing.

I cannot have specific food items at chain restaurants that are served in other countries.

I cannot buy certain games unless I buy a different region console.

I cannot enter specific contests that are held in other counties by large multi-national corporations.

Should I whine like a small child over it?

Please grow up.

While I would happily move to your proposed nation of Texas, I can definitely agree with you on this post. :wink:

 

[elyl]

Terrible case of "I'm all right, Jack" from one particular poster on this thread.