Cortana Coming To iOS, For 2000 Beta Testers (informationweek.com) 39
TechCrunch, InformationWeek, PC World, and other sources report that Microsoft's voice-recognition based personal assistant app Cortana is coming to iOS for a small group of beta testers.
From TechCrunch: According to the description that accompanies the test build of Cortana for iOS, Microsoft explains how the assistant can help Windows users with iPhones connect the two platforms. For example, Microsoft suggests how you can set reminders on your PC – like a reminder to pick up milk on the way home – then be notified via your iPhone when you’re on the road. ... Testers report that the beta build is being distributed by Apple’s TestFlight. As one blogger and earlier tester points out that could mean only a small number of testers will be brought on initially, given TestFlight’s limitation of 2,000 testers per application. That may also explain why a good many who signed up for Cortana’s beta are saying that have still yet to receive their invite at this time. (A staged rollout is another possibility.)
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... linux for everyone right?
Nope. I am just very disappointed in Microsoft's recent behavior regarding data harvesting. Very Disappointed.
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troll on, linux for everyone right?
As if OK Google in Android, Google's Linux-based mobile operating system, is any better.
Paying to look at ads has precedent (Score:2)
we didn't expect to be both the client AND the product
Before Windows, it was cable TV, and before that, newspapers. Subscriptions alone often aren't enough to pay the full cost, nor are ads alone.
Silly Cortana, Moos Are For Cows!! (Score:2)
The more serious Microsoft gets [windowsphone.com], the sillier I become.
Meet Cortana!! What's new in Cortana!! Where's Cortana?? Start using Cortana!! What can I say to Cortana?? What can Cortana help me with?? Cortana's Notebook!! Cortana's settings!! Favorite places and Cortana!! Find music with Cortana!! My inner circle and Cortana!! Quiet hours and Cortana!! My interests and Cortana!! Add interests in Cortana's Notebook!! Remind me, Cortana!! Play music with Cortana!! Use Cortana in my car!! Solutions to Cortana issues!!
Say what?! (Score:2)
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Sounds like when Apple had a version of Safari for Windows, and finally realized that it was worthless and canned it. Similarly for having Cortana for iOS. Why bother, when anybody who needs it can use Siri?
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because Siri sucks?
The Big difference between Siri and Cortana, is you can manually enter information for Cortana to watch for and keep you updated on. Siri only can add new reminders, not even calendar entries.
That said i won't use either. maybe if i lived out of my car but in the real world talking to someone takes twice as long as writing an email.
Great but first? (Score:1)
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> Might it not help if Microsoft had Cortana working correctly on windows 10 first?
One of my theories for why Microsoft collects data so aggressively with Cortana (this is separate from all their crappy bullshit spying you can't turn off- Cortana is trivial to disable) is that they need a ludicrous sum of data to improve Cortana.
So I don't think that they need to improve Cortana before rolling it out to more devices- I think everyone they can get on Cortana will result in a vastly improved Cortana, so t
Oh good. Ignore your real customers (Score:4, Insightful)
I find it funny that they're starting a beta testing of Cortana on iOS, a competitor's platform with direct competition from an embedded and highly integrated alternative ....
But Cortana itself is only available in 13 countries.
Way to go targeting people who likely don't want to use your product while ignoring those that do.
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Who said anything about a new language? My computer is configured for English, I live in a country now where 93% of the population speak English. I just emigrated from Australia which only saw Cortana released with the Fall update despite 100% of the population speaking English it wasn't available there either.
If language is the only barrier then block Cortana based on the system language settings not based on the country.
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I've worked with several Windows sysadmins who happened to own iPhones. So while Cortana is not particularly interesting to me as a Mac and Linux user, it would not surprise me there might be a market for this - lots of folks choose not to live in a homogeneous computing environment.
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I'm sure there will eventually be a market for it, but currently Cortana is still a baby. It produces quite sub par results compared to Google Now or Siri which is no surprise given that it's new. I don't think anyone with a Siri capable phone would seriously consider Cortana in its current form.
In the meantime I still can't get it on my Microsoft Surface which doesn't have Siri, and that despite Cortana being one of the most advertised and hyped features of Windows 10.
Halo 5 (Score:2)
After what happened to Cortana in Halo 5 there is no way in Hells I would want her to have access to any of my systems.
She has become Evil in the worst way.
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Well, but what Cortana followed which one? Think about it: Which one came first, the one in H5 or in W10?
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Well, I would have to think that it all started when 343 had Cortana go Rampant in Halo 4 (2012) and enter the Domain (Forerunner MEGA super computer in slipspace) at the end of the game.
From there I suspect she hacked back into Microsoft (not hard, their running Windows after all) and took over the place. Since "Microsoft's Cortana" debuted in 2014 she had plenty of time to subtly manipulate the executives at MS into her puppets (didn't work with Balmer, he just went coo koo) but by that time she
Initial thoughts? (Score:2)
Room enough (Score:1)