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What to expect at Microsoft's Build 2017 conference
Microsoft's Build conference is not only about giving developers the tools they need to write apps or create Windows-friendly hardware but also Microsoft's chance to outline its vision of the future. What software and devices will matter in the months (or even years) ahead? And this time around, there's no shortage of new developments to discuss: Windows updates, the Cortana AI assistant, HoloLens, partner hardware and even a chance at new Surface gear. It's not necessarily clear what's likely to show up, but don't worry: That's what we're here to sort out. We've rounded up some of the most promising leaks, rumors and logical predictions to give you a sense of what to expect when Build 2017 kicks off May 10th.
Harman Kardon's Cortana-powered Echo rival makes Skype calls
If last year was all about the rise of Alexa and Google Assistant, 2017 might be when Cortana and Siri have time to shine. Apple is reportedly due to launch its oft-rumored connected speaker at its WWDC conference next month, but Microsoft has been quite open about its plan to expand its AI assistant beyond mobile and the desktop. In December, it teamed up with audio specialist Harman Kardon to begin building the first in a wider line of connected speakers. However, details have been scarce. Now, thanks to a (now pulled) landing page on the Samsung-owned company's website, we have a name -- Invoke -- and a better understanding of what it will offer.
You can wake up Microsoft's Surface Studio by talking to it
Waking up your PC from sleep is as easy as tapping the touchscreen, moving the mouse or pressing a button on the keyboard -- but if you have a Microsoft Surface Studio, it just got even easier. Thanks to a new audio driver update, Studio owners can now wake their machine by simply calling out for Microsoft's digital assistant. As long as you have the Windows 10 Creator Update and the latest patch, all you have to do is say the assistant's keywords: "Hey Cortana."
Windows 10 can set up a PC using your voice
Windows installations have come a long way over a few decades. It used to be that you had to hand-hold the system, but it's increasingly automatic -- you can even nuke an existing install with relative ease. And now, you don't even need to touch the keyboard for certain manually-guided steps. As The Verge has noticed, the Windows 10 Creators Update brings Microsoft's Cortana assistant into the setup process. You can tell Windows to connect to your WiFi network, choose keyboard options and sign into your Microsoft Account with little to no typing.
Microsoft has its own version of the Samsung Galaxy S8 (updated)
Samsung has been bundling Microsoft apps like Skype, OneDrive, OneNote and more on its phones and tablets for a while now. However, when it comes to the Galaxy S8, the two companies are taking their partnership a step further. Microsoft is selling a Samsung Galaxy S8 Microsoft Edition and it's accepting pre-orders starting today at its retail stores in the US ahead of the April 21st launch.
Talk to Cortana even when your Android phone is locked
Windows Phone is basically dead, but that hasn't kept Microsoft's excellent voice assistant Cortana from finding a home on mobile. Cortana has been available on iOS and Android for a while now, and users of Google's mobile OS will find that the app has gotten a helpful new upgrade today. Android users can now talk to Cortana directly from their phone's lock screen. Previously, you could swipe to pull up some info stored in Cortana from the lock screen, but you couldn't actually interact with it or ask it questions.
Cortana scans your emails to remind you about commitments
If you've ever said you'd do something in an email then whiffed on adding it to your calendar, Cortana can now help. As it previewed last year, Microsoft's assistant will check your emails and, using machine learning tech, pick out things you say you'll do. It'll then remind you later with no effort on your part. For instance, if you tell you're boss "I'll send this report," it'll save that as a suggested reminder. If you specified a date and time, it'll automatically ping you and add it to Microsoft's Action Center.
Xbox One gets its first taste of Creators Update features
You don't have to wait long to try some of the big Xbox One upgrades that Microsoft has been promising lately. The company is trotting out an Xbox Insider preview update that includes a few of the bigger improvements that will come alongside the Creators Update. Most notably, you'll get a faster and decidedly more intuitive interface. The new home screen is both speedier and will promote the "most valuable content" in your games. You'll have quicker access to the game hub, groups and achievements, too. A refreshed Guide, meanwhile, includes a new home page based on common tasks (such as recent games and pinned apps) and fast access to background music controls.
Microsoft privacy dashboard gives you control over your data
Microsoft has been accused of overstepping privacy boundaries with Windows 10, but it's ready to try and regain some of that broken trust. It's launching a web-based account privacy dashboard that lets you monitor and control the information Microsoft services use. You can view and wipe your Bing search history, Edge browsing history and your location activity. And if you're worried about what Cortana Notebook and Microsoft Health are doing, you can edit your data for those services.
AI 'friends' will help you pass the time on autonomous drives
Even more so than last year, CES 2017 was the unofficial auto show for the tech world. Automakers filled the North Hall and the Gold Lot of the Las Vegas Convention Center with self-driving prototypes and concept cars. But instead of talking about the power of Lidar or number-crunching processors, many started focusing on what the hell their passengers will do once they take their hands off the wheel.
Volvo's high-end cars will come with Skype built in
Many people depend on Skype to chat with family, colleagues and clients throughout their working day. To help them stay connected while they're outside the office, Volvo has announced plans to integrate Skype for Business into its high-end 90 Series cars. Accessible through a large touchscreen dashboard, drivers will see a list of scheduled meetings and a shortcut to their complete contact list. Tapping once will reveal a meeting summary, including the organiser, participants and the ways in which they can join the call. A "Join Meeting" shortcut will reside at the bottom so users can quickly dial in -- no pesky pin codes required (hopefully).
Microsoft will give Skype chatbots a voice next year
Not content with just stuffing Cortana into your home appliances, Microsoft now wants you to have real conversations with needy Skype bots. In a bid to make those awkward chatbot encounters feel more natural, next year will see the company granting third parties access to its Skype calling API. With this, Microsoft partners like StubHub and Expedia will be able to give their bots a voice, offering users an alternative to text chat.
Microsoft's Cortana bot can schedule meetings on your behalf
Microsoft is trying to turn Cortana into the digital assistant of your dreams with a new AI bot called Calendar.help. The beta service requires an invitation, but once signed up, you link it to your Outlook, Google or Office 365 calendar apps. Then, when it's time to schedule a meeting, send an email to attendees and Cc: Cortana. The message can include natural language like "sometime next week" or "make this a Skype meeting." From there, it'll look at your calendar and contact other attendees by itself to find the best time for everyone.
Microsoft's Amazon Echo competitor will launch next year
Microsoft is partnering with the (soon-to-be Samsung-owned) audio company Harman Kardon to launch a speaker with its Cortana personal assistant built in. Described as "a voice-activated speaker," a short teaser video shows glimpses of a (rendered) cylindrical design not too dissimilar to Amazon's Echo. It also takes cues from Google Home, with a display atop fashioned after Cortana's familiar blue circle that shows when the assistant is thinking.
Microsoft will put Cortana in your smart home
Microsoft doesn't just want its Cortana in your phone or on your desk -- it wants the voice assistant to be a mainstay in your smart home. As part of a WinHEC presentation, the company's May Ji has revealed that Windows 10 Creator Update will bring Cortana to Windows 10 IoT Core devices with screens. Combined with longer-ranged voice detection (key to Microsoft's Home Hub plans), you wouldn't have to be anywhere near a PC to use the digital helper -- you could ask your thermostat about the weather, or add an appointment to your calendar through your fridge. Those concepts aren't new, of course, but Cortana can sync with your phone and Windows PC on a level that isn't possible with most smart home devices.
Windows 10 preview lets Cortana play music, turn off your PC
Cortana is the star of a big new Windows 10 Insider Preview build. Microsoft says that voice control of your PC was one its "top requests," so the latest update now lets you shutdown, restart, lock or sleep your system using the voice assistant. You can also use natural language to play music on two apps (iHeartRadio and TuneIn) by saying "Play Drake on iHeartRadio," for instance. Once the music starts, you can use your voice to control playback and volume.
Microsoft hopes your Windows PC can replace an Amazon Echo
If rumors are true, Microsoft may be one of the few major consumer tech giants that doesn't have a smart, voice-guided speaker in the works... but that doesn't mean it's sitting on its thumbs. In an expansion of recent code discoveries, Windows Central sources claim that Windows 10 is getting a Home Hub feature that will turn supporting PCs into rivals for the Amazon Echo and Google Home. You'd have a shared, login-free desktop that shares family resources like calendars and shopping lists, and a smart home app that would make it easy to control all your connected devices. And as you might surmise, the Cortana voice assistant would play a much, much more important role.
It sounds like Microsoft has shelved its Xbox streaming stick
Prior to Microsoft's keynote at E3 this year, a raft of rumors were swirling about. Microsoft's answer to the PlayStation 4 Pro (which we now know as Project Scorpio) and the Xbox One S garnered most of the attention, but loose lips also suggested an Xbox-branded streaming dongle was in the works as well. The Chromecast-like device would've streamed Windows 10 apps and "light Universal Windows Platform" games in addition to content from an Xbox One. It would cost $99 according to Windows Central. Not anymore, however.
Microsoft makes its deep learning tools available to all
The same internal, deep learning tools that Microsoft engineers used to build its human-like speech recognition engine, as well as consumer products like Skype Translator and Cortana, are now available for public use. Redmond announced today that it is open-sourcing the Cognitive Toolkit that has led to many key developments coming out of its dedicated AI division. In other words: anyone can now train their own artificial intelligence.
Google Assistant is gender-neutral(ish), but it's not feminist
In a world occupied by Siri, Cortana and Alexa, Google Assistant is a bit of an anomaly. It's the first widely used voice assistant to eschew a female name, which the company reportedly did to avoid giving it a personality. The company would rather you imagined yourself talking directly to "Google the search engine" than a go-between. Avoiding a gendered name just happened to be a happy coincidence, it seems.
