WP 8.1 = YES, Cortana = NO

[allos autos]

Cortana is a named sword from several French epic poems; the most famous is probably "Le Chanson de Roland" aka "The Song of Roland". Cortana was one of three related named swords in that poem -- Joyeuse, the sword of Charlemagne; Durandal, the sword of Roland; and Cortana, the sword of Holger Danske, so presumably the word Cortana is some mashup of medieval Frankish, Latin, and Danish, or at least what some medieval bard thought might be an appropriate mashup. Cortana was the least famous of the three swords - according to legend it was inscribed "My name is Cortana, of the same steel and temper as Joyeuse and Durendal", so clearly a johnny-come-lately trying to acquire some of the glow of it's other siblings' fame.

AOI.

(by the way, your post made my week)

 

[jleebiker]

The reminder options are fantastic, especially being location based. The organization capabilities are staggering. It keeps me from double booking appointments and other activities I track on my calendar.

Can Cortana do this?
Me: Cortana, remind me to follow up with Bob's action items about installing those servers for Bill.
If so, will it set an appointment or will it be an alarm?

Can you change Cortana's name she responds to? What if I want to change Cortana to say "Tron" or "Darth" or "K9"? ;-)

Do I have to push a button to activate or will she constantly be listening?

 

[cckgz4]

Um, Cortana can sing

Nuff said

 

[Jan Tomsic]

Do I have to push a button to activate or will she constantly be listening?

From the videos and handsons it looks like you have to push a button everytime you want to talk.

 

[Michael Alan Goff]

Can somebody explain to me how this is complicated?

 

[Jazmac]

Can somebody explain to me how this is complicated?

Maybe from the prospective of the developers in the creation of Cortana, it would be complicated. To reach the search button to launch Cortana, there is no answer to give you.

 

[Michael Alan Goff]

Maybe from the prospective of the developers in the creation of Cortana, it would be complicated. To reach the search button to launch Cortana, there is no answer to give you.

Well, yes, I can understand it would be complicated from a "developers who created it" standpoint. That hardly affects the end user, though.

 

[Fade_z]

I, personally, use Cortana every single day. There is not a day that does not go by that I don't use it in one way or another. The reminder options are fantastic, especially being location based. The organization capabilities are staggering. It keeps me from double booking appointments and other activities I track on my calendar. Reading my text messages as they arrive. Totally awesome for driving. Letting me ask her "Where is the closest grocery store?" and have her reply with the name and address. I can tell her to "Navigate There" and she opens my GPS app and navigation is going. Once I told her to "call the store" and she asked me if I wanted to call the store or the pharmacy. I actually wanted to call the pharmacy so she connected me. I told her to remind me about something when I got to work. 3 days later, after I had forgotten, I got a reminder as soon as I walked into my building reminding me to do the task I requested.

It is a LOT easier to use that it looks like. There are some initial setup steps to get her tuned, but it's well worth it.

I know you can't please everyone, but know that you CAN turn her off.

You got an early dev build or are you BS'ing us?

 

[Fade_z]

I believe that was a reference to the HAL-9000, from Kubrick's '2001: A Space Odyssey".

The generation gap sure shows with the name of this assistant thing. Since I don't play video games, and I have no idea what 'Halo' is like, I'm going to join the camp that says Cortana really doesn't make much sense as a name here. Now I know everyone with an Xbox is lining up to write awful, nasty things about me and how stupid I am, so don't waste your time. You won't change my opinion on the name. That said, it does sound like a functional and useful personal assistant, so I could see myself using it. I just don't like the name is all.

Well that's fine, but the 2 syllable 'rule' is just plain nonsense

 

[jswantek]

Well that's fine, but the 2 syllable 'rule' is just plain nonsense

Not necessarily. It actually makes a lot of sense, when you think about it. Two syllable words are easier to remember, easier to pronounce, easier to understand when spoken with an accent, and easier for people of all ages (and some with disabilities) to say. There's a few places that actually recommend it for pet names, such as:

4 Rules for Naming a Pet | Parenting

That said, did Microsoft screw this one up? No, I don't think so. I see the logic of linking the phone to the world of xbox players out there that they're trying to attract. As for the rest of us, we'll either get used to the name, find a way to change it, or just not use it - which we're just as likely to do if it was named Bob, but couldn't function worth a d**n.

Personally, I think it's a bit long of a name, and it really doesn't have much of a meaning to me other than what's on the phone, and I don't care much for it. If there's a way I can change the name of it, yes, that would be the first thing I would do. Am I going to not buy a phone because of it? No, I like all the other features too much.

As for the anger flowing from some people, and the hostility against them for it, that seems excessive - from both sides. Calm down, relax, enjoy the phone.

PS - Have to throw this in.....if I had to give the assistant a three-syllable name, there's only one that comes to mind......."Miranda". Anyone follow?

 

[yehuda92]

First rule of naming, like pets, is keep the name to TWO syllables.

My dog will be so disappointed to hear that. ( Juicifer Beelseblub, for the record )

 

[smoledman]

MS better advertise the hell out of this including the fact that you have to push the SEARCH Button to access Cortana. The beginning of every Cortana ad has to start with pressing the Search button. Without fail. Microsoft, you better NOT blow this one. MS labs have given you a crown jewel - don't waste it. I'm serious. Really, I am. Don't blow. You better not blow this once in a lifetime chance. I mean really, don't blow it. Don't blow it. Don't. Blow. It.

 

[anon(8657436)]

1. As of the name, YOU can chose what she calls you and you DON'T NEED HER NAME to use her.
2. In the present early builds, you have to tap the search button and it takes you to Cortana's homepage.
3. The tasks that you ask it to do are set as reminders, alarms depending on context.
For example, asking her to REMIND you of something sets a reminder. Telling her that you have an APPOINTMENT sets an appointment (after asking for the extra details about the venue, timings etc.) and so on, so forth.
4. Currently Cortana isn't on an always listening mode due to battery and resource issues, but MSFT may allow an option for it to be always listening (or wake up when called by name) in the final release build.

PS: Stop ******** and wait till it rolls out and use it if it suits you else just ditch it. YOU can turn it OFF!

 

[anony_mouse]

1. As of the name, YOU can chose what she calls you and you DON'T NEED HER NAME to use her.

'It', not 'her'.

 

[monedetoune]

o-k-google is four syllable. you're welcome.

 

[mcrozanski1958]

Next thing someone will tell me is that Jobs and Wozniak invented the GUI!

 

[jleebiker]

MS better advertise the hell out of this including the fact that you have to push the SEARCH Button to access Cortana. The beginning of every Cortana ad has to start with pressing the Search button. Without fail. Microsoft, you better NOT blow this one. MS labs have given you a crown jewel - don't waste it. I'm serious. Really, I am. Don't blow. You better not blow this once in a lifetime chance. I mean really, don't blow it. Don't blow it. Don't. Blow. It.

Really? You don't think consumers are capable of learning that it takes the push of a button first? Is it really THAT big a deal? I don't think people are wound THAT tightly that they can't cope with that. Maybe some people are, but I have a feeling most people will get it when they are told they have to push a button first. I don't think this is going to make or break it for them. You're talking about ONE aspect. Relax a little. It's Friday. It's beer o'clock somewhere...

 

[MDboyz]

Her name is not followed that rule, 'cuz she is not your pet ... Complaining about the name Cortana is like someone could also say who came up with the name, lancorp? ... Also, how hard is just to press the button and talk? ...

While I am very excited about the upcoming features of 8.1, I have practically ZERO excitement about Cortana.

First, who came up with that name? First rule of naming, like pets, is keep the name to TWO syllables. COR-TA-NA. Three syllables. Is that Spanish for something? Maybe Cortana can tell me what it means when I get 8.1. i-Pad was bad enough with all the jokes about that name. Can't wait to hear what the iSheep will come up with for Cortana.

Second, it looks very complicated. I want easy. As much as I like my 1520, my iPhone is my work phone that I use all day, and I never even use Siri (unless I press the home button too long by mistake).

Personally, I don't see many people, day-to-day, using Siri. Maybe they do, but I never see it. Maybe it's because they don't want everyone around them knowing their business? Maybe I'm just too old.

I think we should have a Poll on who expects to be using Cortana and how often. I'm curious.

 

[jeffro02]

There's no way to pick a name everyone will like.

There's always going to be some old guy complaining too. No way around it when introducing new tech.

I like the name, its super easy to remember. I also hate the name Siri, it sounds like half of a word - but that's just me.

 

[Nimdock]

I have never played Halo and I love the name.

I also think it is cool Microsoft actually stuck with that name. I expected them to change it.