[weedog1889]

Does anyone know ir have any reasonable idea on how versatile our new assistant is going to be and what he/she will be capable of doing e.g. Would it be able to read out aloud what text is on a web page ? .. Just 1 example im curious to know the full shabang of what we have soon to be available from cortana

[N_LaRUE]

I don't think anyone has an idea. There was nothing in the SDK to indicate what it does. Just assume something along the same lines as Siri or the Google version.

[weedog1889]

Lol, i never really tried them

[Jonas_H]

It will be the best out of GNow and Siri. The 'human side' of Siri combined with the functionality of Google Now + many more features.

It will blow away every other personal assistant at every aspect.

[wpmartjr]

It should, but the question is, will it blow every other pa away

[N_LaRUE]

Here's a link to a video. First look at Cortana in action on Windows Phone 8.1 (Video) | Windows Phone Central

Is there any truth to the rumours of it being released to the US only until 2015-16?

[Jonas_H]

It should, but the question is, will it blow every other pa away

Even if not, the will improve it and expand it to other Windows Systems, like Windows for Desktop and the XB1.
It will be the connection to everything in the cloud and every device - on any of your devices! But that's just what will happen in the future.

Microsoft has the best opportunities to make one PA that beats every other. Let's hope they'll make it as revolutionary as I hope.. :)

[errole]

Even if not, the will improve it and expand it to other Windows Systems, like Windows for Desktop and the XB1.
It will be the connection to everything in the cloud and every device - on any of your devices! But that's just what will happen in the future.

Microsoft has the best opportunities to make one PA that beats every other. Let's hope they'll make it as revolutionary as I hope.. :)

But if they push it to IOS n Android in the Bing app then what? Only thing is less integrated into phone but everything else.

[Jonas_H]

But if they push it to IOS n Android in the Bing app then what? Only thing is less integrated into phone but everything else.

Cortana on iOS or Android could NEVER be the same thing as on WP. Cortana is something that not only searches in the web for you (what would be the case with an Bing App).
It knows your calendar, reminds you on upcoming dates, changes settings for you, can phone somebody for you, can write SMS, etc etc. This all would never be possible in an app.

[Ankit Nawlakha]

Here's a link to a video. First look at Cortana in action on Windows Phone 8.1 (Video) | Windows Phone Central

Is there any truth to the rumours of it being released to the US only until 2015-16?

If u ask me.. i dnt think so that its true..!!
If it were true then why will cortana have 15 language packs..?? hmmm..??

[N_LaRUE]

If u ask me.. i dnt think so that its true..!!
If it were true then why will cortana have 15 language packs..?? hmmm..??

I haven't really looked into it because I'm not that interested in the PA anyway.

[Markham Ranja]

Cortana on iOS or Android could NEVER be the same thing as on WP. Cortana is something that not only searches in the web for you (what would be the case with an Bing App).
It knows your calendar, reminds you on upcoming dates, changes settings for you, can phone somebody for you, can write SMS, etc etc. This all would never be possible in an app.

Of course it is. On Android, at least. There are apps that can be a new dialer, new SMS app, new calendar, etc, so getting access to all that information would be easy.

In fact, Google Now is actually an app and not part of the core OS. It is updated via the Play Store, not with OS updates.

[Markham Ranja]

It will be the best out of GNow and Siri. The 'human side' of Siri combined with the functionality of Google Now + many more features.

It will blow away every other personal assistant at every aspect.

And you are obviously the lead architect on the team that wrote Cortana? Since you seem to know so much about it, I mean...

[tgp]

This all would never be possible in an app.

"This all would never be possible in a Windows Phone app." There, FTFY. You must realize that on Android at least an app can be very deeply integrated, unlike WP & even iOS. Like Markham Ranja said, Google Now is actually an app, not part of the OS.

In theory, Cortana on Android could do all that. Whether or not it ever will is a different story.

[Jonas_H]

And you are obviously the lead architect on the team that wrote Cortana?

:0 How did you find out...?? XD
Seriously, no I'm not. In this post I just said the same thing like some tech-blogs do. Nothing says that this will be the case, but that's how people *expect* Cortana to be.

[N_LaRUE]

I still find it funny how people go on about this thing. I see many people with iPhones and Androids about. I've never seen anyone use the PA on them. So unless it's a private at home thing the PA is be about as useful as the other two in existence. In other words I don't see it being used by many people in the streets as most people simply find it pointless.

[tgp]

I see many people with iPhones and Androids about. I've never seen anyone use the PA on them.

What you mean is that you've never seen anyone use the voice part of it. I don't use that very much either, but I sure use the PA (meaning for example the part where Google Now tells me when it's time to leave for an appointment). AI is much more than being able to speak to your device.

[Jonas_H]

In fact, Google Now is actually an app and not part of the core OS. It is updated via the Play Store, not with OS updates.

"This all would never be possible in a Windows Phone app." There, FTFY. You must realize that on Android at least an app can be very deeply integrated, unlike WP & even iOS. Like Markham Ranja said, Google Now is actually an app, not part of the OS.

In theory, Cortana on Android could do all that. Whether or not it ever will is a different story.

Exactly. I know about the Android apps and their integration in the OS. Yes an Android app would be able to do those things. Sorry for that... :(

Yes, they can do that but I think it is an odd idea to port one of the biggest features of the new update to other platforms. It's like they would bring Office to iOS! ;D

I think they will use Cortana first to promote WP. But nobody knows what will happen.

[tgp]

Yes, they can do that but I think it is an odd idea to port one of the biggest features of the new update to other platforms.

I agree. Cortana is likely to be much more than Siri, but it's not possible to integrate it into iOS. Google Now is on iOS, but because of OS restrictions its functionality is only a fraction of what it is on Android.

Cortana on Android would be theoretically possible, but it would have to be miles ahead of Google Now for Android users to have a compelling reason to use it. One reason could be Bing > Google, but most Android users aren't going to have that opinion.

It's like they would bring Office to iOS! ;D

Yeah, imagine that!

[anon(7901790)]

Lol, i never really tried them

Before jumping on the WP wagon, I had a Galaxy Note II. The Google Now feature was nice. It works better than Sir. Hopefully MSFT learned lesson from Apple and Google and make Cortana better. Oh, and here is a bit of trivia for you. Siri uses Bing as it's search engine. Apple licensed it from MSFT. I've been playing with the current search function and found that I can do things on my Icon that my wife can't do on her GS3.

[Markham Ranja]

Exactly. I know about the Android apps and their integration in the OS. Yes an Android app would be able to do those things. Sorry for that... :(

Yes, they can do that but I think it is an odd idea to port one of the biggest features of the new update to other platforms. It's like they would bring Office to iOS! ;D

I think they will use Cortana first to promote WP. But nobody knows what will happen.

No worries. But I do think it's actually likely that Cortana will, at some point, show up on other platforms, at least Android. MS is actually supposed to release Office for iPad very soon!

[Ankit Nawlakha]

Oh, and here is a bit of trivia for you. Siri uses Bing as it's search engine. Apple licensed it from MSFT.

Yeahh..!! I read this on one of the articles of WPCentral..!!
And dude even facebook uses bing..!!

[jojoe42]

I just hope we don't have to use voice all the time....I did quite like the contextual updates/cards in Google Now when I had it on my iOS device...because voice can be so unreliable and tbh contextual information at the right time is much better than having to ask for it.

[psgenious]

i want to know will it be enabled by voice , or the only way is to hold the search buttun.??

[bayanii]

I still find it funny how people go on about this thing. I see many people with iPhones and Androids about. I've never seen anyone use the PA on them. So unless it's a private at home thing the PA is be about as useful as the other two in existence. In other words I don't see it being used by many people in the streets as most people simply find it pointless.

Not completely. I use Indigo and Speech in public. Its just silenced. Its easier to set up appointments or text on the go. I don't need to be constantly looking at my phone. In and out. I'm used to people on their Bluetooth. I don't see no difference.