[Jules W]

I was really expecting Cortana to be a bug deal. But having finally got Cortana UK she seems a bit dim. Just a news and media feed with most question answered by bing web results. She does not ask where live or work, my wife's name in her notebook. The notebook is just basic, US centric interests sites and sports. Nothing to really profile my interests and priorities.
A huge disappointment for UK users unless she really improves to learn my personal situation, interests and priorities.

[Pete]

She's working fine for me here in the UK, she has the chit-chat feature and learns things over time. I entered my work place manually yesterday, and this morning she prompted me to declare my home location (based on the fact that my phone was there overnight for two nights.

Yesterday, I was comparing her location based reminders with my friend's Android phone. Cortana won in terms of speed and accuracy (the Android put a reminder on for the nearest Tesco superstore where Cortana correctly identified a Tesco metro closer). When I showed him the people based reminder feature, he had nothing to compare.

Yes, there are a few aspects that are US centric, but we expect that content/interests will build over time - don't forget that Cortana is still in Beta phase and new stuff is being added over time.

[hotphil]

...It's an Alpha, for Developer Preview...?

[mmacleodbrown]

So far, she isn't too bad. Id like to be able to add my interests such as computer games I follow, or photography and camera gear, but hopefully that will come in time

[Pete]

...It's an Alpha, for Developer Preview...?

Beta for US and UK, Alpha for India, Australia, Canada right now.

[Jules W]

Well its reassuring to think she will learn or prompt me for my home and work locations. Since Places settings seem focused on only suggesting nearest curry houses.
I was expecting a much more Interest notepad, to help her learn faster

[PabsTheGeek]

Tested out Cortana last night and Driving Mode. Sending a SMS and reading incoming SMS with replying was niffty!

Although I wish she would tell me a joke instead of Bing search....plus I can't add any new interests..

[mikeycl]

Tested out Cortana last night and Driving Mode. Sending a SMS and reading incoming SMS with replying was niffty!

Although I wish she would tell me a joke instead of Bing search....plus I can't add any new interests..

Check out this and follow the steps. it should sort her out for you.

http://forums.windowscentral.com/cor...interests.html

[Noel Danso]

So far, she isn't too bad. Id like to be able to add my interests such as computer games I follow, or photography and camera gear, but hopefully that will come in time

You can do that. Do a search for the topic of your choice. In the results there will be a news sub-section. Underneath the words 'update me on this news topic' will be displayed. Simply click and away you go.

[D M C]

I agreed with OP.

Uk Cortana isn't as good as USA.
To be honest it isn't even as good as when Cortana launched in USA.

It isn't surprising.
MS is USA company so obviously their first priority is USA.
MS make sure that other countries don't get quality services as good as USA.
Bing to Cortana very thing is same.

USA get first and better quality services and no matter how many updates Cortana will get but it will never be as good as USA Cortana.

So their is no point of bringing why UK or other country Cortana isn't s as good as USA Cortana.

[Jules W]

OK I am still stumped.
How do I add my own Home to Places. Under Places all I get is a search, 'Home base' 'Pets for Home'
How do I add where I actually live and work? I get no map options.

She cannot sing either. Just reads out first line of Old langs Lyne.

How is this supposed to be used my the average user if She cannot even be set up to recognise the basic stuff ?

[Rallicat]

When adding a location, you first search for the location, once you've selected it then you get to name it - Obviously you want to go ahead and enter 'Work' and 'Home' as appropriate.

[QuentinJ]

Unfortunately I have the Dev Preview on my HTC 8X so I haven't been able to try Cortana... I also cannot seem to find any videos to hear what UK Cortana sounds like. Would anyone be able to make a video of one or two of Cortana UK's voice or point me in the direction of an existing video? thank you

[mikeycl]

Unfortunately I have the Dev Preview on my HTC 8X so I haven't been able to try Cortana... I also cannot seem to find any videos to hear what UK Cortana sounds like. Would anyone be able to make a video of one or two of Cortana UK's voice or point me in the direction of an existing video? thank you

Try this
Instagram

[Pete]

Its the same voice that's in settings->speech from what I can tell.

English and robotic, but not in the sexy English robot voice that we were hoping for.

[Great deal]

Hi ppl, I just got the official update from 8 to 8.1 in UK and have 1020 on Vodafone. I cant however find Cortana anywhere!

The region is UK
Language is set to English UK

Please help!

[Jules W]

So I had to go to my PC and add Favourites, Home and Work in the Bing maps on the PC, and wait for these to be synced into my phone maps. As still not obvious how to create favourites places on phone maps directly. Hopefully Cortana will pick up on these.

[Jules W]

I also had to download the English (UK) speech language to get Cortana to work, despite my languages being consistent. This is not all obvious I had hoped Cortana be more obvious to need to download language packs.

[grantpwarren]

Hi ppl, I just got the official update from 8 to 8.1 in UK and have 1020 on Vodafone. I cant however find Cortana anywhere!

The region is UK
Language is set to English UK

Please help!

GDR1 Developer Preview currently, for official release later this year as an update to 8.1.

[pabloestevez]

I was really expecting Cortana to be a bug deal. But having finally got Cortana UK she seems a bit dim. Just a news and media feed with most question answered by bing web results. She does not ask where live or work, my wife's name in her notebook. The notebook is just basic, US centric interests sites and sports. Nothing to really profile my interests and priorities.
A huge disappointment for UK users unless she really improves to learn my personal situation, interests and priorities.

I agree, Cortana is total crap.

She just sits around doing bugger all.

I have everything switched on: Location, commute...

All she does is tell me what coffee shop is nearby.

She never gives me commute news.

Just a glorified Bing front end.

News? MSN does that already.
Weather? MSN does that already.
Finance? MSN does that already.
Sport? MSN does...

Try to set reminders and she says I need Battery Saver turned off! Try turning it off and she thinks its still bloody in! So to use Her, I need Location turned on, sapping power, and I cant have Battery saving enabled either. Crap.

Totally fed up as I too was quite excited.

[EBUK]

I was really expecting Cortana to be a bug deal. But having finally got Cortana UK she seems a bit dim. Just a news and media feed with most question answered by bing web results. She does not ask where live or work, my wife's name in her notebook. The notebook is just basic, US centric interests sites and sports. Nothing to really profile my interests and priorities.
A huge disappointment for UK users unless she really improves to learn my personal situation, interests and priorities.

Couldn't have put it better myself. Cortana UK is a very big disappointment. It's as if MS doesn't realise there is a world outside of the US. Shame, because the World market is 4.5 BILLION people compared to a hundred million in the US.

[Senrir]

At least you have Cortana. The other parts of Europe have Nada. :p

[Scienceguy Labs]

Cornada

[Bobvfr]

It must be me, maybe I am just too easy going, I think it is great, but you do need to put some stuff in, for example places, I tested this twice I set up my home and work as places and then asked Cortana to remind me XXX when I got to work and home.

Spot on results.

I have tested it playing music, reminders, sending texts, working with OneNote, love it to bits and I am still learning.

And I am in the UK.

Also you can set up news items specific to you for example I have put the company I work for as a news item and any articles that mention that company are shown.

Go into the settings and play with it, she is only dumb if you are.


Bob

[neo158]

It must be me, maybe I am just too easy going, I think it is great, but you do need to put some stuff in, for example places, I tested this twice I set up my home and work as places and then asked Cortana to remind me XXX when I got to work and home.

Spot on results.

I have tested it playing music, reminders, sending texts, working with OneNote, love it to bits and I am still learning.

And I am in the UK.

Also you can set up news items specific to you for example I have put the company I work for as a news item and any articles that mention that company are shown.

Go into the settings and play with it, she is only dumb if you are.


Bob

Exactly how I feel, especially the last part. I would guess that most people haven't actually been through the initial setup for Cortana which is why they think it's "crap" and a "disappointment" in the UK.