Microsoft reveals Windows Phone 8.1 with Siri-like 'Cortana' personal assistant

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  • Reply 81 of 113
    tallest skiltallest skil Posts: 43,388member
    Originally Posted by PScooter63 View Post

    'Cortana' sounds like a type of pasta to me.

     

    Cortana in a white wine alfredo with a reduction of balsamic vinaigrette.

     

    Or maybe a type of dance.


     

    *Latin ensemble* ?? When you’re feeling blue (screen) and there’s no one to help, take her by the hand… Cortana~… ??

     

    (If you named your daughter Cortana, what would her nickname be?  How would you shorten/familiarize it?)


     

    Corty. Corts. Ortan.

     

    Originally Posted by LarryA View Post

    Hopefully Cortana won't have millions of people looking for the premiere of Terra Nova.

     

    Nah, the Covenant will just glass Redmond for heresy.

  • Reply 82 of 113
    emesemes Posts: 239member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by PScooter63 View Post

     

    (If you named your daughter Cortana, what would her nickname be?  How would you shorten/familiarize it?)


    Tana?

  • Reply 83 of 113
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Andysol View Post

     

    Is it weird that I'm rooting for Microsoft to overtake Android?

    What has this world come to :???:  :wow:




    No kidding.  I used to cheer for Google as the Microsoft killer.  But now Google is in the driver's seat and frankly is scarier than I ever thought Microsoft was.  :(

     

    Is it too much to ask for 3 separate platforms with equal market share, where no one has a dominant (thus anti-consumer) position?

  • Reply 84 of 113

    So let me get this straight: Microsoft makes money from certain manufacturers that ship devices with Android.  Yet Microsoft won't make money from manufacturers that ship devices with Windows Phone.

     

    This is a screwed up world.

  • Reply 85 of 113
    crowleycrowley Posts: 10,453member
    Where exactly will Microsoft make money, is it from advertising linked to Bing search? Or are they just going for market share for now?

    I suppose the Nokia division might help pick up some $, but if that shuts out other OEMs it could end up damaging both of those income streams.
  • Reply 86 of 113
    bigpicsbigpics Posts: 1,397member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by EricTheHalfBee View Post



    AI, you missed the biggest news of mobile for the last few years.



    MS has made Windows Phone FREE for all devices under 9" in size. Huge shot across Google's bow.

     

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Gatorguy View Post



    I think they'll be happy to grab a little share from Apple too by mimicking Google's successful free software distribution efforts. It's a shot across every other mobile manufacturers bow.

     

    You have to wonder about the biz model, though.  You know what Google gets out of its "free" OS with all the ad data (and increasingly the Google Play store). 



    I guess MS is (copying Apple again, but hey, steal from the best) the store model and betting they'll recoup OS dev costs and make a profit from growing the online MS stores... ...as otherwise, where's the revenue??

     

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by addicted44 View Post

     

    Microsoft is finally realizing that Android is the REAL threat to their business. Apple isn't.

     

    Apple will continue making premium devices for people who are willing to pay for quality, just like in the desktop world. It will never really threaten MS, and in fact, usually benefits them by giving them ideas for next updates to their OS. Android, OTOH, is trying to be the next Windows.


     

    MS realized this years ago.  Its some of the Apple faithful that are finally starting to get a clue they've been fighting the last war for quite awhile.  Google is the biggest challenger to both MS and Apple. 



    (And Amazon and Samsung are challengers to Google, but that's another story.)

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Andysol View Post

     

    Is it weird that I'm rooting for Microsoft to overtake Android?

    What has this world come to :???:  :wow:


     

    MS and Apple have actually had a fairly amicable relationship for years now - compared to either's with Google - and are in position to be co-opetitioners for the next few as well.  Also, MS has gradually become a "better corporate citizen" even as Google was mostly forgetting whatever part of "do no evil" it ever embraced. 

     

    Tho' international events may eventually lead all three to circle their wagons a little against matters like Asian competition, especially from the companies that have grown up as suppliers to American companies, restrictions on the free flow of info, goods and services (e.g., net censorship and barriers to products), etc.

  • Reply 87 of 113
    georgeip5georgeip5 Posts: 225member
    Cortana sound a like Siri from iOS 5. She's slow. She's ugly for UI and she doesn't do anything that Siri can't. It makes me laugh when they announced these as being new features, meanwhile Apple Siri already has these features and more.
  • Reply 88 of 113
    crowleycrowley Posts: 10,453member
    georgeip5 wrote: »
    she doesn't do anything that Siri can't
    Incorrect. Siri doesn't accept a text query, nor does she have any third party API, beyond "open AppleInsider app".
  • Reply 89 of 113
    philboogiephilboogie Posts: 7,675member
    crowley wrote: »
    georgeip5 wrote: »
    she doesn't do anything that Siri can't
    Incorrect. Siri doesn't accept a text query, nor does she have any third party API, beyond "open AppleInsider app".

    After I mumbled something into the mic and Siri doesn't understand it in get an edit button, top right, on my iPad and I can type my question...
  • Reply 90 of 113
    georgeip5georgeip5 Posts: 225member
    I
    crowley wrote: »
    Incorrect. Siri doesn't accept a text query, nor does she have any third party API, beyond "open AppleInsider app".
    I didn't finish with my post, I had switched to desktop and hit he post button. There are some small deference a such as the remind me when I call x to talk about x and such but from what I've heard nothing impressive or anything to beat Siri
  • Reply 91 of 113
    emesemes Posts: 239member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by PhilBoogie View Post





    After I mumbled something into the mic and Siri doesn't understand it in get an edit button, top right, on my iPad and I can type my question...



    Why would you mumble, then wait, then type rather than just typing right off the bat?

    Quote:
    Originally Posted by GeorgeiP5 View Post



    Cortana sound a like Siri from iOS 5. She's slow. She's ugly for UI and she doesn't do anything that Siri can't. It makes me laugh when they announced these as being new features, meanwhile Apple Siri already has these features and more.



    Cortana has the ability to sort commands by people, i.e. "When my wife calls remind me etc." and this even extends to third-party apps i.e. "Facebook, what's up with Kristen?".

     

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by GeorgeiP5 View Post


     It makes me laugh when they announced these as being new features, meanwhile Apple Siri already has these features and more.

    Just change "Apple Siri" to "Google Android" and you could've been talking about iOS 7

  • Reply 92 of 113
    georgeip5georgeip5 Posts: 225member
    emes wrote: »

    Why would you mumble, then wait, then type rather than just typing right off the bat?


    Cortana has the ability to sort commands by people, i.e. "When my wife calls remind me etc." and this even extends to third-party apps i.e. "Facebook, what's up with Kristen?".

    Just change "Apple Siri" to "Google Android" and you could've been talking about iOS 7
    I know it has that feature which I'll admit is a nice feature bit it's not much. And what? What's you change to google android? And how to iOS 7?
  • Reply 93 of 113
    crowleycrowley Posts: 10,453member
    Sure, because mumbling incoherently is a good solution to bringing up a desired UI.

    Cortana offers text entry without any need for mumbling.
  • Reply 94 of 113
    emesemes Posts: 239member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by GeorgeiP5 View Post





    I know it has that feature which I'll admit is a nice feature bit it's not much. And what? What's you change to google android? And how to iOS 7?

     

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by GeorgeiP5 View Post



    It makes me laugh when Apple announced these as being new features, meanwhile Google Android already has these features and more.

     

     

    Get it now?

  • Reply 95 of 113
    crowleycrowley Posts: 10,453member
    georgeip5 wrote: »
    I

    I didn't finish with my post, I had switched to desktop and hit he post button. There are some small deference a such as the remind me when I call x to talk about x and such but from what I've heard nothing impressive or anything to beat Siri
    Ok, so there are some "small differences" and "nice features" but "nothing to beat Siri".

    What does Siri have that you think Cortana doesn't? You have to outweigh those "small differences" and "nice features" with plus points for Siri if you're going to justify this indifference.
  • Reply 96 of 113
    georgeip5georgeip5 Posts: 225member
    crowley wrote: »
    Sure, because mumbling incoherently is a good solution to bringing up a desired UI.

    Cortana offers text entry without any need for mumbling.
    400
    So? You don't have to speak with a virtual assistant? It should just be used for things that aren't recognized such as Avicii
  • Reply 97 of 113
    d4njvrzfd4njvrzf Posts: 797member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by bigpics View Post

     

     

    You have to wonder about the biz model, though.  You know what Google gets out of its "free" OS with all the ad data (and increasingly the Google Play store). 



    I guess MS is (copying Apple again, but hey, steal from the best) the store model and betting they'll recoup OS dev costs and make a profit from growing the online MS stores... ...as otherwise, where's the revenue??

     


    Apple has long relied on hardware sales for the vast majority of its profits (see http://www.macrumors.com/2013/07/23/apple-reports-q3-2013-quarterly-results-6-9-billion-profit-on-35-3-billion-in-revenue/).  MS does not have that option if it plans to work with any hardware partners to sell Windows Phone devices. Maybe MS is hoping that Windows Phone users will love Office so much that they'll sign up for Office 365?

  • Reply 98 of 113
    crowleycrowley Posts: 10,453member
    georgeip5 wrote: »

    400
    So?
    Got to that without activating the microphone and hearing the Siri chime did you?
  • Reply 99 of 113
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Crowley View Post



    Where exactly will Microsoft make money, is it from advertising linked to Bing search? Or are they just going for market share for now?



    I suppose the Nokia division might help pick up some $, but if that shuts out other OEMs it could end up damaging both of those income streams.

    App stores, dev tooling, back-end services, advertising, their own apps e.g. Office, cloud services (One Drive), Xbox Music etc. Basically getting people on your OS opens the possibility of revenue from other sources. In the early days of Windows they were basically giving that away for free compared to work manufacturers would otherwise be paying and that worked out well. 

     

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by GeorgeiP5 View Post

    I didn't finish with my post, I had switched to desktop and hit he post button. There are some small deference a such as the remind me when I call x to talk about x and such but from what I've heard nothing impressive or anything to beat Siri

    Cortana also learns things you like  and alerts you about events e.g. Your favourite sports teams scores a goes. It's also easier to see what Cortana know removing a bit of the creepy factor.

     

    I wouldn't say it's a Siri killer (not that anyone actually uses Siri) just a little more refined.

  • Reply 100 of 113
    georgeip5georgeip5 Posts: 225member
    crowley wrote: »
    Got to that without activating the microphone and hearing the Siri chime did you?
    My comment on that was it doesn't but there's isn't much if deference is my point. Siri uses it for words that she can't pick up I don't see cortana has that at start. Any ways
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