Only for those that call WP home: Pimp out Cortana? Let us discuss this.

[Silviu Bogusevschi]

I don't know much about MS history, but last days I realised there is not enough feedback from them, as people get a ton a ton of thoughts, only not the correct ones.

 

[Jazmac]

I'm sure you probably believe that, but I'm pretty sure you haven't used Google Now. Sure, Cortana is capable of doing things that Google Now can't, but the same is true in vice versa. It's like Daniel even told you guys, Cortana is not disruptive, and Android/iOS users aren't clambering to get their hands on it really.

I've used both Siri and Now. Neither are Cortana, nor is that the focus of the thread. What phone is your daily driver?

 

[Jazmac]

I don't know much about MS history, but last days I realised there is not enough feedback from them, as people get a ton a ton of thoughts, only not the correct ones.

That's ok. They have a rich history on paper but it was a real experience to be "living" it and watching it grow. I suspect much is being discussed behind the scenes for MS to broach this concept. It may not work but again, it could.

 

[MDMcAtee]

I'm sure you probably believe that, but I'm pretty sure you haven't used Google Now. Sure, Cortana is capable of doing things that Google Now can't, but the same is true in vice versa. It's like Daniel even told you guys, Cortana is not disruptive, and Android/iOS users aren't clambering to get their hands on it really.

What's strange is from the various forums I visit,there seems to be a lot of interest in it,more positive than negative. Those that are negative,are more so against Microsoft in general,not WP and certainly not 8.1..

I'm sure that the fan boys of the other platforms will always be the loudest critics,just as they are here

 

[N_LaRUE]

The people who will benefit from this are those who have an Xbox or Windows PC and an iOS or Android smartphone. AFAIK this move has nothing to do with WP. I also fail to see how WP would benefit from it. This move is good for Cortana, but irrelevant for WP. If Cortana becomes a strong and widely recognized and appreciated feature, I suspect this move will be counterproductive for WP.

I wholeheartedly agree with this.

If MS just wants to spit out software than so be it. Why bother with a sub par restrictive OS and devices?

 

[bijak_riyandi]

I don't mind Microsoft release Cortana for iOS or Android as long as she's less functional there than in Windows Phone

 

[Visa Declined]

Does Cortana automatically track your packages, and notify you when they're sitting on your porch? I thought I read somewhere that she had this capability.

 

[Silviu Bogusevschi]

Does Cortana automatically track your packages, and notify you when they're sitting on your porch? I thought I read somewhere that she had this capability.

She's tracking all the information from the e-mail, so if you receive email notifications - then Cortana should tell you. Probably the same about SMS notification.
Cortana cannot track the package through online account or somewhere else.

 

[anony_mouse]

Ohh Brother

Netscape lost the browser war because of 2 reasons

1.. It cost for it,and wasn't cheap.
2..Microsoft bundling IE and locked into the os as the default browser

But what did Microsoft gain from 'winning' the browser war? IE was and is free to all Windows users. Once other decent browsers were available, we didn't see a rush of people to alternative platforms. In reality, at best it was a reason not to leave Windows (*) for a couple of years - but there were plenty of other reasons. Perhaps in the long run, Microsoft lost the browser wars by getting stuck with developing and maintaining a browser that offers nothing they and their users can't get free elsewhere.

(*) and the non-Windows platforms that Microsoft ported IE to.

 

[anony_mouse]

She's tracking all the information from the e-mail, so if you receive email notifications - then Cortana should tell you. Probably the same about SMS notification.
Cortana cannot track the package through online account or somewhere else.

That sounds really really really creepy. And it's why I disabled Google Now on my phone. How many people actually use or care about these so called 'personal assistants'?

 

[a5cent]

But what did Microsoft gain from 'winning' the browser war?

Control over internet standards, which they had for a few years. Obviously nobody invests millions into software and gives it away for free for no reason. The consequences of not having that control are now apparent on the mobile web. They now are forced to plead and beg with web sites to please abide by official standards, often to no avail.

Unfortunately for MS, other browsers innovated while desktop IE stood still, so they aren't as powerful on the desktop anymore either. Just being the default choice, because IE is pre-installed on the OS most people use, wasn't enough.

 

[anony_mouse]

Control over internet standards, which they had for a few years. Obviously nobody invests millions into software and gives it away for free for no reason. The consequences of not having that control are now apparent on the mobile web. They now are forced to plead and beg with web sites to please abide by official standards, often to no avail.

Ah, this old chestnut. Check out the compliance scores for mobile browsers here: https://html5test.com/results/mobile.html
Sadly, mobile IE is quite a long way behind.

 

[a5cent]

Ah, this old chestnut. Check out the compliance scores for mobile browsers here: https://html5test.com/results/mobile.html
Sadly, mobile IE is quite a long way behind.

How about testing everything, and not just HTML5, and how about limiting the HTML5 test to what is actually part of the ratified standard. Agree, old chestnut. Lets not get into this for the millionth time.

 

[anony_mouse]

How about testing everything, and not just HTML5, and how about limiting the HTML5 test to what is actually part of the ratified standard. Agree, old chestnut. Lets not get into this for the millionth time.

I'm sure you can find a test page for more stuff somewhere. But anyway, I see two solutions for Microsoft (assuming they can't be bothered to bring their browser up to date):

1. Try to educate websites about what IE does implement, and persuade them to avoid features it doesn't. Probably not easy in the mobile space, given IE's market share. So, better might be...

2. Allow other browsers with (more importantly) other rendering and scripting engines on WP. Let people use Firefox, Chrome, Opera, etc. This would solve the problem at no cost to Microsoft, assuming other browser makers actually did port their browsers, of course. I really can't think of a single reason not to allow this. Even Apple will allow alternative browsers on iOS8, and I don't consider the fact that I can install other browsers on desktop Windows to be a problem. In fact, I consider it to be a big advantage and I probably won't use Windows if I couldn't.

 

[Silviu Bogusevschi]

That sounds really really really creepy. And it's why I disabled Google Now on my phone. How many people actually use or care about these so called 'personal assistants'?

You can disable it if you want.

 

[anony_mouse]

You can disable it if you want.

Yes, I know. Or better still, not install it in the first place. That way it doesn't waste space on my phone.

 

[a5cent]

But anyway, I see two solutions for Microsoft (assuming they can't be bothered to bring their browser up to date):
<snipped>.

In the consumer space your first suggestion is obviously a lost cause. That approach works great for the enterprise space however. The features and standards IE supports are largely driven by the needs of their enterprise customers, and that is one of the main reasons IE doesn't jump on the latest fads. What IE implements must stay implemented, unchanged for ever and always, lest MS wants their enterprise customers standing at their doorstep with pitchforks. That is the exact opposite of the approach taken by Safari and Chrome.

Your second suggestion would work for consumers, but neither for the enterprise nor for MS. They might as well trash IE too while they are at it, since that would mean they can't provide their paying enterprise customers with a single solution that is guaranteed to work the same way on both desktop and mobile.

To understand IE you need to throw your consumer mindset out the window. Obviously that won't go over well on a consumer website like WPC, but that's life. There are conflicts of interest between what the enterprise and what consumers want, and navigating those waters is surely a difficult task.

Anyway, let's get back on topic. I don't think this has much to do with pimping out cortana.

 

[AG VK]

That sounds really really really creepy. And it's why I disabled Google Now on my phone. How many people actually use or care about these so called 'personal assistants'?

Me? And lots of other people.

How is it 'creepy'? I'd expect that kind of talk from random rednecks, but I'd like to think that WPcentral has a better user base.

 

[anony_mouse]

Quick reply before abandoning the subject as off topic... I'm not suggesting that Microsoft throw away IE (at least, I'm not suggesting that today). Just that they allow alternative browsers on WP. Then corporates, if any of them actually use WP, can use IE all they like, and their employees can also use other browsers for non-corporate sites. That's how it works for Windows on PC and while users complain about having to use IE for some services, at least everything will work.

Curiously, I haven't come across a corporate app (and I see a lot of them, including Sharepoint, etc) that doesn't work on Firefox (haven't tried Chrome) for a couple of years. My impression is that this is becoming less of a problem, but I'm sure it hasn't completely gone away yet.

 

[anony_mouse]

Me? And lots of other people.

How is it 'creepy'? I'd expect that kind of talk from random rednecks, but I'd like to think that WPcentral has a better user base.

Seriously?! You should read what people here say about Google! I'd say people here to have a *better* understanding of privacy issues than average, and therefore are more concerned about the use of their personal information.