[Kunal Dudwadkar]

So on WP 8.1 we could easily long press the search button or the headphone button to invoke TellMe. It was very handy while travelling to simply say, play FM radio, or call dad and so on. But now on Windows 10, when Cortana is off, the search button does nothing, neither does a long press of the headphone button invoke TellMe. Did MS just remove such a useful feature?

[Maurizio Troso]

So on WP 8.1 we could easily long press the search button or the headphone button to invoke TellMe. It was very handy while travelling to simply say, play FM radio, or call dad and so on. But now on Windows 10, when Cortana is off, the search button does nothing, neither does a long press of the headphone button invoke TellMe. Did MS just remove such a useful feature?

It was in Win10 release news, no more vocal functions build in phones (they varied model by model).
Now everything is going server-central with Cortana. Full hands-free could be next Redstone step, it works fine on desktops

[Kunal Dudwadkar]

Thats so disappointing. Its so right, MS takes one step forward and 10 steps backward. So basically the search button was stripped of all its features and now its just a search button thats it.

[Maurizio Troso]

Thats so disappointing. Its so right, MS takes one step forward and 10 steps backward. So basically the search button was stripped of all its features and now its just a search button thats it.

No, holding search button (or mic earphone button) starts Cortana listening to you.
You can make calls, messages, make reminders and so on.
Works better than in-built nokia voice system

[Kunal Dudwadkar]

Yes, but I'm talking when location and Cortana are switched off. Then the button is absolutely useless.

[a5cent]

No, holding search button (or mic earphone button) starts Cortana listening to you.

Only if you live in one of the few countries where MS enables Cortana. If you live anywhere else, then you went from having TellMe (which worked in any language based on your phone's speech setting) to having nothing at all.

[Pastrami1]

I wish I had seen this thread before I downloaded windows 10 on my 830. I use TellMe all the time because Cortana requires location services to be enabled. Cortana shouldn't need my location to do it's job.

[xandros9]

I wish I had seen this thread before I downloaded windows 10 on my 830. I use TellMe all the time because Cortana requires location services to be enabled. Cortana shouldn't need my location to do it's job.

It's helpful for a lot of features, but yea, I remember hearing somewhere that Cortana and location services may get a divorce, but nothing yet.