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Microsoft promises that Windows 10 doesn't violate your privacy
Microsoft famously accused Google of "Scroogling" users by selling their private data to advertisers. But when it launched Windows 10, Microsoft was itself roundly criticized for over-zealous personal data collection. Critics say it does things like send parents reports of their kids' PC use, prevent users from opting out of certain types of data collection, and scan PCs for counterfeit software. The software giant has responded to those accusations in a Windows blog post, saying that it only collects data that makes its products work better and that it gives users control over information collected.
Cyanogen will get cozy with Microsoft's Cortana
You can use Microsoft's Cortana voice assistant on Android right now, but it's not really integrated with Android. There's only so much the developers can do when they don't control the operating system. If Cyanogen has its way, though, you'll soon see what Cortana can do when the gloves are off. The company has revealed that it's working with Microsoft to integrate Cortana into Cyanogen's custom version of Android, kicking Google's own voice control to the curb. It's not clear exactly how this will compare to the assistant on other platforms, but Cyanogen hints that it could offer better control over third-party apps than rivals like Google or Apple's Siri. You could tell Spotify to play specific songs or playlists, for instance. The software should show up in the "next version" of Cyanogen OS, so you won't have to wait long to find out how well this tie-in works.
Cortana for Windows 10 arrives in four more countries
Microsoft's making good on its promise to release Cortana for PC in more locations after a limited launch. Now, the voice assistant is available as an optional download in Nihongo for Japan, as well as in English for Australia, Canada and India, but only if you're running the latest Windows 10 Insider Preview build. According to the Insider program's spokesperson, Gabe Aul, the Indian version isn't quite finished yet, and it's expected to get "an improved voice" -- whatever that means -- sometime this September. Cortana for PC was originally made available only in a handful of countries, including the US, when Windows 10 came out, as Redmond opted to tailor it for each location. After this tour, Microsoft is expected to prep the voice assistant and send it on its way to Brazil and Mexico, as well as release a French version in Canada.
Cortana officially arrives on Android via public beta
Following a leak last month, Microsoft's virtual assistant officially arrived on Android. Thanks to a public beta, Redmond keeps its promise to bring Cortana to the Google faithful. As we've already seen, you can use Cortana to help with things like answering random questions, setting reminders, tracking flights and a number of other tasks. What you still can't do, however, is use the "Hey Cortana" voice command to alert the virtual assistant to your needs. That remains a Windows-only feature for now, though Microsoft says it'll be "continually improving the experience." Perhaps that tool will arrive later, but for now, head to Google Play to nab the software in its current form.
Parallels 11 brings Microsoft's Cortana to Macs before Siri
The latest version of Parallels, the popular Windows virtualization tool for Mac OS X, almost feels like it's trolling Apple. One of Parallels 11's key features, alongside full Windows 10 support, is its ability to put Microsoft's Cortana right on your OS X desktop. That's right -- you could have a Windows-powered virtual assistant on your Mac long before Siri reaches the desktop. Parallels has already made it possible to run Windows apps directly on your Mac desktop for years with its "Coherence mode," but this latest update marks the first time it's brought over a Windows feature on its own.
Fitbit adds Cortana support, Xbox One app coming this year
Fitbit's updated its Windows app for Windows 10. The app features all-new Live Tiles, pushes notifications to the Action Center, and supports Cortana voice commands. Saying things like "Fitbit, I ate chicken for dinner" or "Fitbit, I went for a three-mile run" will see Cortana automatically logging that activity. The app supports the entire Fitbit range, including its smart scale, and, as it's a universal app, it'll also eventually play nicely with other Windows 10 platforms. That means it'll come to both Windows 10 phones and -- for the first time -- the Xbox One console later this year.
Call Windows' Cortana assistant with this Bluetooth button
Now that Microsoft's voice-guided Cortana assistant is up and running in Windows 10, you might be eager to trigger it without leaving the "hey Cortana" feature on (which might sap battery life) or staying within reach of your computer. If so, Satechi might just come to your aid. It's releasing a Bluetooth Cortana button that will trigger the Halo-inspired helper on Windows PCs and phones from a distance. You can use it to more quickly ask about the weather from across the room, for instance, or leave your phone in your car's cupholder when you start a call. At $23, it won't be the cheapest single-purpose peripheral when it ships later in August. However, that purchase might pay off if you'd rather not get that chatty with your devices.
Cortana in Windows 10 is coming to 6 more countries
If you're bummed that you won't get Microsoft's Cortana voice assistant when Windows 10 launches next week, don't fret: there's a good chance that you're next in line. The folks in Redmond have revealed that Cortana will be available to Windows Insider members in Australia, Canada (English only), India (also English) and Japan in the "coming months." It'll also spread to Brazil, Mexico and French-speaking Canadians later in the year.
Cortana for Android leaks out a bit early
Cortana is here for Android ... sort of. Microsoft announced back in May that it would be bringing Cortana to Android, and it was expected to land this month to coincide with the release of Windows 10. But now it looks like an Android beta release of Microsoft's digital assistant has hit the web early, reports the Finnish mobile site Suomimobiili. We've installed the app on an HTC One M9 and it works just like you'd expect. You can ask Cortana about the weather or basic facts; have her call someone on your contact list; or set reminders. Unfortunately, you can't say "Hey Cortana" to get her attention yet -- even when you've got the app open. We don't expect this leaked Cortana copy to stick around for much longer, but it's a good sign that Microsoft is indeed getting close to an official release.
Facebook testing its own virtual assistant, 'Moneypenny'
It sounds like Siri, Cortana and the entity known only as Google Now could get some competition. Facebook is launching a virtual assistant of its own, according to The Information, and James Bond fans might smile when they hear what Zuckerberg and Co. are calling it. Moneypenny is a feature that lives within the social network's Messenger app and it'll apparently let you ask real people for help with stuff. Exactly what? The Information's sources say research and shopping. And that's about it. A release date wasn't given and details are otherwise pretty non-existent. Perhaps the function being a part of Messenger will help it avoid a fate similar to the Home or Poke apps.
Toshiba's Windows 10 laptops all have a built-in Cortana key
Toshiba just unveiled its back-to-school laptop lineup, and while mainstream notebooks are normally a bit of a snooze, there's at least one detail that makes these worth a second look. Everything in the line, from the $395 entry-level model to the souped-up 4K editions, has a built-in keyboard button to launch Cortana in Windows 10. Just hit what appears to be a search key in the Function row, and you'll bring up Microsoft's voice assistant, which can respond to commands like "what's the weather?", "tell me a joke" and "sing a song". (With all due respect to Cortana voice actress Jen Taylor, you might want to skip that last one.) Toshiba is not the only PC maker that's chosen to add extra features related to Cortana, but the built-in hotkey is still pretty novel.
The Xbox One's revamped interface is all about speed and community
When Microsoft said it had a new Xbox One user experience in store at E3, it wasn't joking around. The company has unveiled its redesigned console interface, and it has very little in common with the tile-based UI you use today. The focuses here are on speed and community -- there's a quick menu for some of your most common tasks, and a prominent activity feed shows what your friends are up to. Oh, and Microsoft's Cortana voice assistant will play a big role on the Xbox, too. You can tell the system to handle certain duties (such as starting a party) at any point, even while you're playing. Microsoft hasn't said just when the new experience arrives beyond "soon," but the tech giant has historically rolled out these bigger Xbox updates late in the year. Update: Check after the break for a quick video walkthrough of the new UI. Check here for everything happening at E3 2015!
Lenovo's Windows 10 devices will get unique Cortana features
Microsoft's chatty Cortana is one of the more well-liked parts of Windows Phone, and Lenovo is making it more versatile on its own PCs with ReachIt. It exploits the voice assistant to find your own photos, documents and email across multiple Lenovo Windows 10 PCs, tablets, and even cloud services like OneDrive or Dropbox. The app is personalized with a user-specific Lenovo ID, letting you search for content on, say, your Lenovo laptop remotely from a ThinkPad tablet. It also uses location services, helping you locate a file by making a vague request like "Cortana, find the picture I worked on at Starbucks last week," according to Lenovo.
Microsoft unveils Cortana voice assistant for Android and iPhone
Yes, it's official: Microsoft is bringing Windows' Cortana voice assistant to Android and iPhone. Both platforms will get a dedicated app that, much like you see on Windows Phone today, will let you dictate reminders, track flights and otherwise keep your life organized. Cortana's Notebook, which remembers what you like, will also sync across all your platforms. This won't be a one-for-one recreation of what you get right now, though -- since Microsoft can't tap directly into the operating system like it can on Windows devices, you won't get hands-free activation through "hey Cortana" or options to launch apps or settings. Still, it'll be worth seeing what this Halo-inspired helper can do when it reaches Android in late June, and iPhones sometime later this year -- and we'd add that it's not the only treat Microsoft has in store for your smartphone, either.
Microsoft's Cortana comes to Android through a hack
Microsoft is already poised to bring Windows' Cortana voice assistant to other platforms, but the duo behind the OrangeSec team isn't willing to wait that long. They've developed and shown off Portaña, a simple Android adaptation of Cortana that uses a proxy to talk to Microsoft's servers. While it's nowhere near a complete recreation of the official software (you have to speak in Italian, for one thing), it does work -- you can ask a question and expect an answer back. Portaña is sadly likely to remain in a rough state as is, though, so you'll want to tinker the source code if you just have to speak to the Halo-inspired helper before there's an official solution.
More details emerge on how Microsoft's Cortana will invade iOS and Android
After Microsoft vaguely confirmed last November that its digital assistant Cortana will be headed to other operating systems, the software giant is finally offering up specifics. Microsoft is now aiming to bring Cortana to iOS and Android devices as a standalone app, Reuters reports. What's more, the company is also looking to include technology from one of its artificial intelligence research projects, dubbed Einstein. "This kind of technology, which can read and understand email, will play a central role in the next roll out of Cortana, which we are working on now for the fall time frame," Eric Horvitz, managing director of Microsoft Research and a member of the Einstein project, told Reuters. We've already seen Cortana offer some basic digital assistant functionality on Windows Phones and Windows 10 -- it can tell you the weather, dictate messages, and remind you of appointments -- but it sounds like it'll soon get some deeper understanding of how we live and work.
Microsoft's new browser previewed in video
It was back in January that Microsoft showed off its long-awaited replacement for Internet Explorer, currently named "Project Spartan." The new browser is designed to be light, nimble and secure, with the company stressing how deeply Cortana, Microsoft's virtual assistant, is baked into the software. Now, thanks to WinBeta, we've gotten the first sense of how that'll work out in the real world. For instance, visit the homepage of a restaurant and the blue circle in the address bar will bounce to advise you that more information is available. In addition, you can highlight and right-click a word to define it, and typing in keywords in the address bar -- such as weather -- will bring up relevant information. The video is short, but you can expect plenty more like that when the previews of Windows 10 (with Spartan) arrive at the end of the month.
This is how Microsoft will unite your Windows 10 devices
Microsoft's big promise with Windows 10 is its ability to run apps across the entire platform. The framework for these universal apps hasn't been described in much detail, but a post on the Windows Blog gives a bit more insight under the hood. Redmond's calling these "mobile experiences," meaning apps you can use across a variety of different devices; the software is mobile, not the gizmo you're using it on. Cortana moving from smartphone to desktop and the Xbox One's Game DVR tool being available on your gaming PC are but a few examples. The idea is to offer a set of standards across the Windows 10 platform so everything remains familiar regardless of what piece of hardware you're accessing the application from. That means everything should have, in Microsoft's words, an adaptive user experience with natural inputs; calls for cloud-based services including Cortana integration and the action center and one design language across the board.
Microsoft came remarkably close to predicting all 24 Oscar winners
Cortana isn't the only part of Microsoft that's interested in predicting the future. David Rothschild, an economist with the company's New York research lab, was behind the team that successfully guessed six of last night's biggest Oscar winners, including the awards for best film, director, actor and actress. In fact, across all 24 categories they only slipped up on four -- original screenplay, original score, animated feature and film editing.
Daily Roundup: New buyer's guide picks, betting with Cortana and more!
What's happening in the tech world today? Check out our updated Engadget buyer's guide to find the latest recommendations on laptops and tablets, then read about placing sports bets with Cortana and learn about Dell's latest portables. All that and more can be found below.
