Cortana vs Google Now

[AG VK]

I think what you are asking for. Always able to use voice even when the phone is off is something that's part of the hardware. I was told this by a friend who works for Sony Erricsson. it's something to do with the phone going into a psuedo 'sleep state' but still having certain functions in the hardware work and not drain the battery as it would if the phone was on. He did admit that having that on a MS phone with Cortana would be pretty awesome, but Microsoft would need to implement it inside the hardware like specific droid phones do.

hope that helps you out

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Not necessarily. What you describe was implemented in the Moto X and that remains the only mainstream phone to have true always-listening capabilities. The OP here has a different phone which can do active listening only when plugged in (so that the battery doesn't get drained). The Moto X however is always listening whether it's plugged in or not, and it has a special low-power voice recognition chip to do this.

 

[PanWorks]

The GN location-based product reminders discussed in the TechRadar link really aren't the same as Cortana's "Remind me to _________ at __________." As an example, let's say you need to remember to buy cat food at Walmart. Here's how the reminders would be activated on both platforms:

Cortana: "Remind me to buy cat food at Walmart." Done
GN: Perform a web search for your preferred cat food brand. Hope that GN links this web search to Walmart's stock and reminds you to purchase cat food at Walmart. Hope this reminder occurs before your cat dies of starvation.

 

[D M C]

us htc m8

Your phone have some problem.dude

Because you are the only one who is facing this problem.

Everywhere GN talk

 

[PanWorks]

I use GN on my Moto X and Cortana on my Lumia Icon. For daily use, I find Cortana to be much more helpful, primarily because of its excellent location-based and person-based reminders. For me, GN too often simply replicates information that I have in my email or calendar. For example, if I have an email letting me know my Amazon package has shipped, I don't need a card in GN saying the same thing.

Of course, GN does have some quality features. I haven't needed it yet, but I can definitely see value in a reminder of where you parked the car.

 

[PanWorks]

You're incorrect, this function is in the GN reminders.

"Remind me to buy milk at Walmart" Done. I just did it as soon as I read your response to confirm it.

My comment specifically addressed the types of reminders discussed in your linked article. Those reminders are intended to remind consumers about searched-for items when the consumer is in a physical location that sells the item.

That said, I'm glad you can get the location-based reminders to work for you. I tried the Walmart/milk example with GN last week with no success. GN did give me the option to save a reminder that read "Remind me to buy milk at Walmart" and manually type "Walmart" into the "Where" field, but GN didn't automatically enter Walmart into the location field.

 

[z33dev33l]

I'll still not consider a "voice assistant."that can't even touch my music collection.

 

[chezm]

Man, i just started using Cortana yesterday as it became available to me (locally, Canada). I gotta say, so far not much is happening but i expect overtime for this "personal assistant" to show me what it can really do. I've set some reminders and fav places to see how it reacts, or does things.

With that said, if both assistants (GN, Cortana) are as intelligent as you guys speak ill be super impressed. But im still skeptical because of my ignorance, i just dont believe this stuff is possible with data collection (excluding pre-loaded scenarios such as we'd see in presentations)...but im sure it is and excited to see AI move in this direction.

Sorry Apple fans but Siri is crap, I had a 5S and found 'her' to only work sometimes, even with full data connection constantly complaining "i cant do that now"...my wife now has the phone and experiences the same thing.

 

[astondg]

Man, i just started using Cortana yesterday as it became available to me (locally, Canada). I gotta say, so far not much is happening but i expect overtime for this "personal assistant" to show me what it can really do.

I wouldn't judge Cortana's usefulness on the Alpha. I'm in Australia and was using the Beta, by changing my region to the US, and that was ok (but still limited with local data things like events, food recommendations, etc.). I have now switched to the 'official' Alpha for Australia and I'm noticing it is much more limited. I think Microsoft is still rolling out the service but so far all Cortana can do for me is weather and world news headlines. It even stopped telling me to leave for work.

 

[colinkiama]

Despite the 'power' of Google (The Brain of the Internet), Cortana shows how good Bing is but I'm afraid Google Now is better due to one feature. 'OK Google' Even if your phone can't support it everywhere, an app can enable it. Even when the screen is off. The only think Cortana is missing now is a way to activate her with your voice while the phone is charging.

 

[tgp]

Despite the 'power' of Google (The Brain of the Internet), Cortana shows how good Bing is but I'm afraid Google Now is better due to one feature. 'OK Google'

What I'd like to see is Cortana's features using Google at the back end. I think that would be the best of both worlds. I've never been impressed with Bing's search results.

 

[RumoredNow]

Despite the 'power' of Google (The Brain of the Internet), Cortana shows how good Bing is but I'm afraid Google Now is better due to one feature. 'OK Google' Even if your phone can't support it everywhere, an app can enable it. Even when the screen is off. The only think Cortana is missing now is a way to activate her with your voice while the phone is charging.

That active listening comes up (quite a bit) in the video I have shot and edited... And am in the (rather slow per my internet connection) process of uploading to YouTube. I should have it ready sometime tonight or first thing in the AM to embed here.

Cortana (on a Lumia 925 running 8.1 GDR1) vs Google Now (on a Samsung Galaxy Tab S 10.5 running Android 4.4.2 w/ Touchwiz): I asked each assistant the same 20 questions. Each had been "primed" before hand by having been set up with user interests. The questions cover web searches, shopping, knowledge, navigation, odd requests and more...

I think the results will entertain and elucidate.

 

[chezm]

I wouldn't judge Cortana's usefulness on the Alpha. I'm in Australia and was using the Beta, by changing my region to the US, and that was ok (but still limited with local data things like events, food recommendations, etc.). I have now switched to the 'official' Alpha for Australia and I'm noticing it is much more limited. I think Microsoft is still rolling out the service but so far all Cortana can do for me is weather and world news headlines. It even stopped telling me to leave for work.

Ok thanks for the feedback, cause this Cortana for Canada is offering same limited options (and no voice, as in she doesn't speak other than testing now she will say my name)...i was wondering what all the fuss was about lol. Hence why I'm still skeptical the learning thing truly works

 

[colinkiama]

That active listening comes up (quite a bit) in the video I have shot and edited... And am in the (rather slow per my internet connection) process of uploading to YouTube. I should have it ready sometime tonight or first thing in the AM to embed here.

Cortana (on a Lumia 925 running 8.1 GDR1) vs Google Now (on a Samsung Galaxy Tab S 10.5 running Android 4.4.2 w/ Touchwiz): I asked each assistant the same 20 questions. Each had been "primed" before hand by having been set up with user interests. The questions cover web searches, shopping, knowledge, navigation, odd requests and more...

I think the results will entertain and elucidate.

Nice I will be looking forward to watching the video.

 

[colinkiama]

What I'd like to see is Cortana's features using Google at the back end. I think that would be the best of both worlds. I've never been impressed with Bing's search results.

Hahaha! Keep dreaming kid. Keep dreaming.

 

[misfitpierce]

What I'd like to see is Cortana's features using Google at the back end. I think that would be the best of both worlds. I've never been impressed with Bing's search results.

Opposite for me... Hate Google's unrelated crap and ADs everywhere. Bing always gets it right and Cortana does better than google now using google so... Enough said there.

 

[spaulagain]

Development already in progress.

http://www.androidpolice.com/2014/0...etc-unfinished-version-already-live-for-some/





Sorry it's not working on yours. Also introduced are parking location tracking as well as alerts for your next stop if you're using transit

Already have parking tracking on WP/Here Maps.

 

[FinancialP]

But you are missing the point, the famous "Google Brain" is still under development and likely wouldn't be any helpful this year. Google Now has a very few basic problems that Google needs to improve upon.

First of all, it only recognizes only two important places 1) Work, and 2) Home. Lol it never looks like they expect us to have "Favorite places", which Cortana does.

Second, I am fed up with the assumptions Google Now makes. Recently, I was doing some work around apple and was looking for the recent trends and share values of AAPL. I did that just once, and now GN thinks that it is the only most important thing that I care about. And now they have a customized card place almost upfront on me!

Thirdly, Google Now is not learning contextually. And it is quite understandable. I mean it might be seamless with integration, but it is nothing like Cortana when it comes to personalization. Try asking Google Now "How is the weather at New York?" It will give you a result, then in succession ask GN "How about Salt Lake?" . I am sure that Google Will not even realize the connection between the two questions. Whereas Cortana can do it.

There are a multitude of things that I like about both of them, but the thing being when it comes to being personal Google Now fails to beat Cortana. :smile:

It only recognizes two important places?

Sure

Neither of those places are my work or home btw.

 

[smoledman]

Despite the 'power' of Google (The Brain of the Internet), Cortana shows how good Bing is but I'm afraid Google Now is better due to one feature. 'OK Google' Even if your phone can't support it everywhere, an app can enable it. Even when the screen is off. The only think Cortana is missing now is a way to activate her with your voice while the phone is charging.

I also thought "OK Google" was the bees knees and disabled it after a week. I just don't like the idea of always listening.

 

[RumoredNow]

Got the video up, thought it needed it's own thread so as not to hijack this one...

http://forums.windowscentral.com/cortana/301838-video-cortana-vs-google-now.html

 

[Maitrikkataria]

It only recognizes two important places?
http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/08/06/y9y5yvet.jpg

Sure

Neither of those places are my work or home btw.

Sure Google does recommend, but is there a place to add this manually?
Read this properly and then reply: https://support.google.com/websearch/answer/3061271?hl=en

Can you set something as your favorite restaurant? If yes, then please share your screenshots.

As far as I know "Places. Set your home and work locations in order to receive travel information in Google Now." this is the only input that you can add. Try adding other places as in your interest, I am quite sure that it will change either you home settings or your office settings. And even if it didn't do that, it is quite useless till it doesn't adds the manual entry feature.

This is just a plainly bad UX where they are not providing this small feature.