Ordered an Invoke today. Anyone else?

[Scienceguy Labs]

I picked it up today. The kids like it and it sounds great. There are a couple of things I wish it would do.

1. I have multiple calendars on my outlook account including a shared family calendar (outlook.com). The invoke will not see shared family calendar and we depend on it.
2. I wish Cortana on the Invoke could do reminders, for example, every morning at 7:30am to tell the kids it is time to get ready for the school bus.

I'm not sure I'll keep it. I've got time to use it before I can return it to the Microsoft store. We'll see. Right now it is a novelty. the hardware makes it worth it, however. I'm torn.

Wait a minute....it can't do reminders or announce reminders???

 

[Mark Kaplan]

Wait a minute....it can't do reminders or announce reminders??? ������

I'm not sure where this info came from but according to this blog post, its not true. I will try this when my unit arrives. Has anyone who has one been able to test this?

https://blogs.windows.com/windowsex...-voice-activated-speaker-available-october-22

 

[Mark Kaplan]

All these comments about the Invoke failing and Microsoft discontinuing support are funny, perhaps; but largely naïve. I get it that Microsoft has done a lousy job in consumer space, but people looking at this device as a potential failure miss the point.

1. This isn't about a smart speaker, it's about Cortana. And that's not about another consumer item competing with the other stuff out there. Cortana, is the ultimate interface with the cloud, providing natural language processing and an assistant leveraging machine learning and artificial intelligence. If Cortana fails, Microsoft ultimately will fail.
2. The goal for Microsoft is to have Cortana on EVERYTHING: computers, mobile devices, speakers, thermostats, appliances, etc. Again, their future depends on it.
3. Microsoft's partnership with Amazon to integrate Alexa with Cortana helps their case with consumers.
4. Technically, it is possible that the Invoke itself will fail, but even if Harmon Kardon decides not to make others, Cortana itself isn't going anywhere. And, we will see more Cortana/Alexa devices, of which the Invoke will be remembered as the first one.
5. This is not like Zune, Kin, Groove, Windows Phone, etc., and it's not about hardware. This is not a side venture, but ultimately core to Microsoft's business. Yes, Microsoft could misstep, but if they do with Cortana, the whole ship will go down. And, just because they did in the past, doesn't mean the future will be the same way. They seem to have learned some hard lessons, and are much more focused than ever before.
6. Yes, there is competition is out there, but in this field the winners of the past may not be winners of the future. Apple makes beautiful hardware, but increasingly their lack of cloud strength will come back to bite them on services like Siri. Amazon has done some amazing things in the cloud and with Alexa, but they recognize too, that they need a partner like Microsoft for their agenda to work in a crowded marketplace. Google is probably the only real competition, at least on the consumer side, but their weaker enterprise position could be a handicap in the longer term.
7. These are not the comments of a ******. I am frustrated with many of Microsoft's craziness of the past, but this is about the future, and if anyone is seeing where computational technology is headed, it is obvious that despite the knee-jerk reactions of the Microsoft bashers, the company is still in the game, and that with Microsoft's cloud-prowess has lots going for it.

Well said!

 

[Scienceguy Labs]

I'm not sure where this info came from but according to this blog post, its not true. I will try this when my unit arrives. Has anyone who has one been able to test this?

https://blogs.windows.com/windowsex...-voice-activated-speaker-available-october-22

Thanks for posting the info. Glad you cleared the up.

 

[Adrian Gell]

Nope. When it was announced, def wanted one. Got some Philips hue lights since then, really the only "Home automation" thing i have, but expecting to add a thermostat in the next year.
But reality is a letdown. I've already given Cortana access to Hue, and have only figured out how to turn lights on and off. Can't find any hints what other command are accepted. So waiting for that to improve. For the moment, my L950 still supports Hey Cortana, and they never figured out how to prevent that answering from my pocket if I'm talking to the Invoke, so its on hold there until I finally give up the L950. Also, not loving Spotify enough to pay for it. Will continue to use it free, plus Pandora, plus my own music, which I guess I'm migrating from OneDrive to Google Music maybe, when the free storage option expires. So the Invoke supports none of that without streaming from another device. So besides speaker quality, I'm not missing any new experience I wouldn't already have on my $15 BT speaker.
Also, because of that, I'm guessing they won't sell enough to justify HK investing in any upgrades down the road. My pessimism, regardless of the reality, will likely mean i won't buy one later, either.

 

[techiez]

All these comments about the Invoke failing and Microsoft discontinuing support are funny, perhaps; but largely naïve. I get it that Microsoft has done a lousy job in consumer space, but people looking at this device as a potential failure miss the point.

1. This isn't about a smart speaker, it's about Cortana. And that's not about another consumer item competing with the other stuff out there. Cortana, is the ultimate interface with the cloud, providing natural language processing and an assistant leveraging machine learning and artificial intelligence. If Cortana fails, Microsoft ultimately will fail.
2. The goal for Microsoft is to have Cortana on EVERYTHING: computers, mobile devices, speakers, thermostats, appliances, etc. Again, their future depends on it.
3. Microsoft's partnership with Amazon to integrate Alexa with Cortana helps their case with consumers.
4. Technically, it is possible that the Invoke itself will fail, but even if Harmon Kardon decides not to make others, Cortana itself isn't going anywhere. And, we will see more Cortana/Alexa devices, of which the Invoke will be remembered as the first one.
5. This is not like Zune, Kin, Groove, Windows Phone, etc., and it's not about hardware. This is not a side venture, but ultimately core to Microsoft's business. Yes, Microsoft could misstep, but if they do with Cortana, the whole ship will go down. And, just because they did in the past, doesn't mean the future will be the same way. They seem to have learned some hard lessons, and are much more focused than ever before.
6. Yes, there is competition is out there, but in this field the winners of the past may not be winners of the future. Apple makes beautiful hardware, but increasingly their lack of cloud strength will come back to bite them on services like Siri. Amazon has done some amazing things in the cloud and with Alexa, but they recognize too, that they need a partner like Microsoft for their agenda to work in a crowded marketplace. Google is probably the only real competition, at least on the consumer side, but their weaker enterprise position could be a handicap in the longer term.
7. These are not the comments of a ******. I am frustrated with many of Microsoft's craziness of the past, but this is about the future, and if anyone is seeing where computational technology is headed, it is obvious that despite the knee-jerk reactions of the Microsoft bashers, the company is still in the game, and that with Microsoft's cloud-prowess has lots going for it.

Havent seen Cortana grow steadily since it was introduced, Ms is still struggling to make it available to many countries. Other AI assistants have now caught up and even surpassed cortana. You may call it treading carefully but I would call it losing ground.

 

[bellyer]

Not sure where this came from. Reminders seem to work just fine for the most part. I just told Cortana - "Remind me every morning at 7:30 to get the kids ready for the school bus." The reminder worked without a problem. I was also able to do recurring day reminders, *but* it seems like she does not like being asked to remind me of this on just weekdays. When I tried to specify to only remind me on weekdays, she thought I was asking for every Monday, which obviously is not all weekdays. Aside from that, it seems that reminders work just fine through the Invoke. I also set another reminder just now to test the notification of reminders and those work, too!

 

[newEDB]

really tempted. I plan to buy it around the end of the year for two reasons: by that time I will have more Microsoft Rewards points to off set the cost; I want to see the trend of support provided by MS or HK. Hopefully they will bring more features, such as multi-user support, streaming from OneDrive.

I do believe that MS has multi-user support in mind. The Skype user terms for invoke mentioned that the free calling feature is limited to two subscription.

 

[b52hbuff]

I picked mine up on Sunday. I am a cross platform user. I like the convenience of Siri, but understand and live with the limitations because of the convenience of the default digital assistant.

I really like Cortana on my Surface Pro2. I don't use voice, preferring to click and read through my information. I really love the way Cortana keeps track of my flights and my packages.

Even though I carry my iPhone practically everywhere, even in my home. I find it much more convenient to say "Hey Cortana" and get immediate access to a digital assistant. I have "Hey Siri" enabled/trained on my iPhone 6S, but the wall powered hardware (e.g. seven microphones, and no need for low power modes) seems to be more responsive to my voice. I ave had to yell "Hey siri" multiple times before I can get my iPhone to invoke Siri.

Invoke is great for getting fleeting concerns and thoughts out of my mind and "written down" somewhere. We put in in the family room/kitchen area. Very convenient to say "Hey Cortana, add <item> to <list>".


My biggest wishlist items:
Multiple user accounts with voice recognition.
Ability to stream WMA from NAS
More jokes.

I encourage everyone to ask...
"Tell me a science joke"
"Tell me sci fi trivia"

Very pleased for a first generation product.

 

[Mark Kaplan]

I picked mine up on Sunday. I am a cross platform user. I like the convenience of Siri, but understand and live with the limitations because of the convenience of the default digital assistant.

I really like Cortana on my Surface Pro2. I don't use voice, preferring to click and read through my information. I really love the way Cortana keeps track of my flights and my packages.

Even though I carry my iPhone practically everywhere, even in my home. I find it much more convenient to say "Hey Cortana" and get immediate access to a digital assistant. I have "Hey Siri" enabled/trained on my iPhone 6S, but the wall powered hardware (e.g. seven microphones, and no need for low power modes) seems to be more responsive to my voice. I ave had to yell "Hey siri" multiple times before I can get my iPhone to invoke Siri.

Invoke is great for getting fleeting concerns and thoughts out of my mind and "written down" somewhere. We put in in the family room/kitchen area. Very convenient to say "Hey Cortana, add <item> to <list>".


My biggest wishlist items:
Multiple user accounts with voice recognition.
Ability to stream WMA from NAS
More jokes.

I encourage everyone to ask...
"Tell me a science joke"
"Tell me sci fi trivia"

Very pleased for a first generation product.

That's how the Echo was when she first came out. Now she's quite advanced. I think the partnership between the two is a great idea and am looking forward to its release as a skill. Each one can focus on their core competencies which are different. Together you get the whole package. Mine has arrived and I need to set it up. One of my Echo's will need to go.

 

[Mark Kaplan]

Got mine set up. I like the sound quality a lot. Cortana can do most of the basic functions but is still lacking when compared to the Echo. The biggest drawback for me is the lack of the ability to play music from my own library. That, along with other features could be easily compensated for once integration with Echo is complete. I will write up a full review soon.

 

[TechFreak1]

I know several people who want to do so buuuut it's US only soooo yeah... there isn't much you can say about that other than throw in insanitary expletatives.

 

[b52hbuff]

Invoke is my first smart speaker. It made me curious about abilities of others. I know that Amazon Alexa is further ahead in development, particularly in home automation.

One question, how does the cross platform experience compare for Alexa vs. Cortana for non-home automation? I like the ability to set reminders on Invoke and then have them show up on every connected PC and iOS device. I also have a stick PC connected to living room TV, so I can see and manipulate data input into the Invoke.

Does Alexa provide similar experience?

 

[Mark Kaplan]

Invoke is my first smart speaker. It made me curious about abilities of others. I know that Amazon Alexa is further ahead in development, particularly in home automation.

One question, how does the cross platform experience compare for Alexa vs. Cortana for non-home automation? I like the ability to set reminders on Invoke and then have them show up on every connected PC and iOS device. I also have a stick PC connected to living room TV, so I can see and manipulate data input into the Invoke.

Does Alexa provide similar experience?

Alexa does have this ability but its a bit more difficult to set up. Right now I have both and am working on a comparative review. They each excel in their own areas I'm finding. From a pure voice perspective, I really prefer Cortana's.

 

[b52hbuff]

I think Alexa has an iOS app. How do you pick up reminders and view calendar entries on PC and iOS?

 

[Mark Kaplan]

I think Alexa has an iOS app. How do you pick up reminders and view calendar entries on PC and iOS?

I don't use anything Apple but I would assume you would sync your calendar to the iPhone calendar and the same for Android syncing to the Google calendar for Echo. On the Invoke, you would sync to whatever account you set it up with. I am using my works O365 account. Currently it is limited to one account. That is supposed to change.

 

[KrutikaJoshi]

I am so looking forward to buying cortana ! But I guess, it will take a couple of years for it to develop completely.

 

[b52hbuff]

A couple of years to develop what? The Invoke is very useful today. Just like anything else, it depends on what you want to use it for.

 

[mtf1380]

Ordered one today, on sale for $99... looking forward to trying it out :smile:

 

[Scienceguy Labs]

I just bought one. Any tips any of you might have, please post.