Cortana
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Cortana made me a better gambler, but I'm never listening to her again
I'm a bit of a gambler. I've probably placed at least one bet per week for the past year. I'm also pretty good at it -- since winning a few hundred dollars on the World Cup last year, I've maintained a positive account balance at Ladbrokes (other betting sites are available), never adding additional funds, and never betting more than $10 on a single event. Last week, Cortana began predicting English Premier League results, so I decided to see what would happen if I let the Windows Phone (and soon to be Windows 10) assistant make my decisions for me.
Cortana's now predicting the outcome of Premier League matches
Microsoft's Cortana has already proven itself to be quite the oracle. Last summer, the Windows Phone assistant accurately predicted almost all of the World Cup's knockout matches, and since then it's started guessing NFL games too. Of course, now that the Super Bowl's all wrapped up, you might have thought Cortana was ready to take a quick break. Well, think again. For its next trick, the Halo-inspired tool is tackling the UK's Premier League. Using Bing-analysed historical match data, Cortana will now happily predict the victor for any upcoming fixture. It's just a bit of fun, although based on its stellar track record, Microsoft's assistant could prove useful when deciding your next football bets.
Daily Roundup: The future of HoloLens, VR at Sundance and more!
Can Microsoft deliver on its ambitious HoloLens project? Meanwhile, filmmaker Shari Frilot brings virtual reality to Sundance and Google starts disclosing unpatched security issues in OS X. Get caught up on today's technology news in the Daily Roundup.
Do you want a virtual assistant on your desktop?
Microsoft showed off a number of new features from its upcoming Windows 10 yesterday. It brings support for things like universal apps, a new and improved web browser, potentially free upgrades, cross-platform gaming and more. One of the more interesting announcements was that Cortana, a voice-controlled virtual assistant similar to Apple's Siri and Google Now, would be available on your desktop. Many of us spend our days in office environments, where it's not convenient to talk to our computers (besides, I have other issues with virtual assistants as well). Is this something you'll find useful on your computer? Head over to the Engadget forums and let us know what you think.
Microsoft's Cortana virtual assistant is coming to the PC with Windows 10
One of the most identifying characteristics of Windows Phone is Cortana, Microsoft's version of a virtual assistant that's reminiscent of Apple's Siri and Google Now. Now, however, the software giant is bringing that friendly Halo-inspired voice to the desktop as well, further unifying the experience between all of Microsoft's products. Just as early versions of Windows 10 showed, you can use Cortana on the desktop to do all kinds of things from making calls on Skype to adding appointments to the calendar.
Watch Microsoft's Windows 10 keynote right here!
Can't make it to Washington for Microsoft's big Windows 10 event today? No worries! Between our liveblog and the stream embedded below, it'll be like you're sitting front-row center when Satya Nadella dishes the details on Redmond's new desktop operating system. You aren't tied to any one specific browser to peep the broadcast, either, and you could even Chromecast the stream to your flatscreen in the living room if you so desired. When's it all start? We're glad you asked: 12 pm Eastern / 9 am Pacific. But, you know, you can get in on the positively chill pre-show music right this instant; it is Wednesday after all, and your ears deserve a treat. [Image credit: Associated Press]
Windows 10's browser reportedly lets you search with your voice (update: pics)
Windows 10's oft-reported Spartan web browser may not just be a leaner, fresher substitute for Internet Explorer -- it could have a few tricks up its sleeve, too. Sources for The Verge claim that Microsoft's voice-guided Cortana assistant will be present both in the OS and in Spartan -- much like Chrome's "OK Google" feature, you can reportedly open a new browser tab and ask Cortana to look something up, whether it's a website or your flight itinerary. There's also talk of pen-based annotations for websites that you can share with others through the cloud.
Bing and Yahoo went down but hackers weren't to blame
Notice that Bing and Yahoo searches were down earlier today? Or maybe Siri and Cortana? No, it wasn't the result of a hack -- it was something less nefarious according to Reuters' sources. Apparently Microsoft issued a bad code update and then couldn't hit CRTL+Z fast enough once it went live. This caused a bit of a domino effect, it'd seem: Because Redmond's roll-back didn't work, it had to turn off groups of linked servers to get back to the point where things were working as they did pre-crash. Since Bing powers Yahoo searches, that caused things on Yahoo's end to go on the fritz because of the backlog of search requests that populated when the problem was resolved, Reuters notes.
Rdio's Windows Phone music app gets a much-needed overhaul
Rdio has had a Windows Phone app for some time, but a sophisticated app that keeps up with its Android and iOS counterparts? That's another story. Thankfully, the streaming music service has posted a major update that takes better advantage of both Windows Phone 8.1 and Rdio's own upgrades. You now have access to Cortana's voice commands and proper Live Tile support. You'll also see Rdio's recent emphasis on curation in full effect -- there's a home section full of music "stories," a station browser and a trending section that combines both charts and Heavy Rotation plays. This may not get you to ditch Spotify, but you won't have to sit on the sidelines as your friends get all the latest music-discovery features.
With Cortana on Windows 10, Microsoft's bringing its virtual assistant full circle
After watching early footage of Microsoft's virtual assistant Cortana in Windows 10 (below), its impending takeover of the Microsoft Borg seems inevitable. There's a lot riding on Cortana, after all. After being released in the U.S. earlier this year, it's now slowly rolling out across the globe. While an obvious response to Apple's Siri, Microsoft's devotion to Cortana is also a reminder of just how important these virtual assistants are becoming. It's as if Siri, Google Now, and Cortana will end up personifying the operating system wars.
Microsoft ramping up its anti-Apple ad blitz
With the holiday shopping season just around the corner, Microsoft's anti-Apple ad blitz is slowly but surely picking up steam. Over the past two-and-a-half weeks, the folks up in Redmond have released three commercials which poke fun at the iPhone and, somewhat curiously, the MacBook Air. As far as tech advertisements go, Microsoft's trio of commercials aren't too shabby, if only because the company has seemingly realized that touting the benefits of Microsoft Office isn't the most engaging, creative, or effective way to lure users away from competing devices. Here's what we got. Earlier this month, Microsoft released the following ad pitting the MacBook Air against the Lenovo Yoga 3 Pro laptop. It's a nice ad, and it certainly plays to the Lenovo's strengths. Still, with a sticker price of US$1,299, I'm not entirely sure that the machine's "multi-mode flexibility" will cause prospective MacBook Air consumers to second guess their interest in a Mac. The Lenovo Yoga 3 might be thinner and lighter than the MacBook Air, and sure, it may also have a few sleek yoga moves up its sleeve, but it still runs Windows which is more than enough to turn off potential MacBook Air buyers. Nonetheless, the Yoga 3 looks like a sleek machine and the commercial does an exemplary job of introducing it. About one week ago, Microsoft released a Surface Pro 3 ad poking fun at the MacBook Air. Anchored by a jingle sung to the tune of "Winter Wonderland", the ad touts the Surface Pro 3's power, its multitouch screen, its USB port (though the MacBook Air has 3 itself), and oddly enough, the device's kickstand. While the ad itself is decent, I can't help but think that Microsoft's strategy of positioning the Surface Pro 3 against a traditional laptop furthers a debate that no one is really having. Microsoft is still all-in on the idea of a laptop/tablet hybrid despite no strong evidence that consumers are actually interested in such a device in the first place. Still, the commercial plays to the Surface Pro 3's strengths and differentiating features. Most recently, Microsoft rolled out an ad which takes jabs at Siri, highlighting how it doesn't support contextual reminders and unprompted traffic advice. Based on the above commercials, it appears that Microsoft is intent on fighting simultaneous battles on two fronts; attacking both the iPhone and the iPad. On the smartphone front, Windows Phone has less than 5% marketshare and it's hard to envision a scenario where Microsoft, despite all of its marketing muscle, can effectively chip away at the marketshare currently enjoyed by Apple and a slew of Android manufacturers. On the tablet front, it's interesting that Microsoft isn't pitting the Surface Pro 3 against the iPad, but rather against the MacBook Air. Thus far, the Surface Pro 3 appears to be Microsoft's most successful tablet yet, though given previous Surface sales, that's not really saying much.
Google finds that teens use voice search more than grownups
Want to do what all the cool kids do? Talk to your smartphone, apparently. Google has commissioned a study showing that American teens are considerably more likely to use voice search on their devices than adults. About 55 percent of the 18-and-under crowd uses Cortana, Google Voice Search or Siri more than once a day, while 41 percent of grownups do the same. That number climbs to an even higher 75 percent for teens glued to their phones 11-plus hours a day. Younger users aren't worried about social stigmas, either -- they're far more likely to use voice commands when friends are around (57 percent versus 24 percent). About 45 percent of adults, meanwhile, are self-conscious about their geekiness when they speak to their devices.
Microsoft turns Cortana into a Klingon-speaking Starfleet officer
To celebrate the launch of the Lumia 830 in the UK and all of the Trek-flavored nerdiness going down at Destination Star Trek in London, Microsoft has taught given its virtual assistant a crash course in the ways of Qo'nos -- by which we mean Cortana can now speak a little Klingon. All you'll have to do is ask, though the first thing the xenolinguists among you will probably notice that her and vocabulary and pronunciation are just awful. SlashGear also adds that Cortana responds when you refer to her as "Number One" -- Commander Riker can't be too pleased about that one -- as well as when you tell her to beam you up or "set phasers to stun". The smarts enabling Cortana's new behavior haven't started making the rounds yet outside of the UK yet, but a Microsoft spokesperson confirmed to us those Starfleet commands will work in the US in the coming weeks. In the mean time, there are still other ways to get a feel for Redmond's Trekkie credentials: remember, that Bing's Translator can kinda-sorta tackle textual Klingon too.
Cortana makes sure you don't miss nearby concerts
Microsoft's virtual assistant comes in handy for lots of things -- especially reminders. Now, thanks to a hand from SeatGeek's ticket engine, Cortana will alert you when bands you listen to on the regular have a tour stop close by. As you might expect, in addition to date and venue info, the add-on will also provide you with ticket prices and a handy link to purchase. A Concert Watch option is rolling out to the Music section of Cortana's Notebook, and toggling the option on will keep you informed about performances in your area. Google Now does something similar for the Android faithful, displaying concert dates based on artists from your search queries. If you're unable to see the new feature, sit tight: it appears to be on its way to handsets.
Windows Phone's Cortana assistant now predicts NFL football games
Windows Phone's Cortana assistant raised some eyebrows during the World Cup, when it accurately predicted all but one of the knockout matches (that Germany-Brazil upset caught nearly everyone off-guard). Microsoft was clearly happy with that result, as it's now applying those oracle-like abilities to NFL football games. Ask Cortana (or Bing on the web) who's likely to win an upcoming match and you'll quickly get a favorite. You sadly won't be told why that team will emerge victorious, although the Bing crew notes that the decision is based on a combination of stats, previous match-ups, and subtler criteria like stadium conditions. It'll be a long while before we know whether Cortana is as good at predicting American football as it is the international kind, but you can at least get her prognostications right away.
The future of Xbox One: early access gaming, Cortana and more
Since the Xbox One launched last November, Microsoft's latest game console has changed pretty dramatically. From "going all-in" on Kinect to offering a camera-less $400 model; from focused on TV and home entertainment to appealing directly to "core" gamers. The last year for Microsoft's Xbox division has been one massive pivot. The future sounds brighter. You've already read about the updates coming to Xbox One this fall. What about beyond that? Head of Xbox Phil Spencer offered us some possibilities in an interview this week at Gamescom 2014. What about, say, a version of Steam's massively popular Early Access program, which enables developers to release games still in development and gamers to participate in the development process? "I think it does make sense. I think we have to land it the right way on console," Spencer told us. That's certainly a start!
Ask Ooloo puts the 'person' back in personal assistant
Before Google dominated search, Ask Jeeves depended on a team of humans -- yes, humans -- to answer your internet queries. Ultimately, search algorithms killed the internet's favorite butler, but the idea that humans are worthy competition for the software we create didn't follow him to the grave. Case in point: Ask Ooloo, a digital assistant powered by living, breathing human beings. According to Ooloo's makers, the PPDA (people-powered digital assistant) is staffed with "real people 24/7" ready to offer you quick, localized search results with a personal touch. All you have to do is speak your question, as you would with Google Now, Siri or Cortana, and wait for an answer. We put the iOS app to the test, asking it 'Who invented the Internet?" What it revealed, probably won't shock you.
Microsoft's latest Windows Phone update expands Cortana to more countries
More than three months after the first builds of Windows Phone 8.1 hit the scene, Microsoft is ready to tick more features off the to-do list with the OS's first refresh. Known aptly as Update 1, the download will be available as a developer preview starting next week. Understandably, Cortana is on the top of the release notes, because the beta program will officially expand to the UK and China as promised in April. This means users in both countries can enjoy different voices and more localized options, such as air quality info (in China specifically), local celebrities, specialized suggestions and commute times. Additionally, the Chinese version supports Mandarin and comes with unique animations, sounds and other visual features.
Cortana now taps into Foursquare to give you recommendations for lunch
It turns out that Microsoft had bigger plans for Foursquare than just search and maps for Bing. The check-in service is now accessible by Redmond's digital assistant, Cortana, as spotted on Reddit by Neowin. The addition apparently makes for customizable, local recommendations based on your whereabouts, and presumably, your account history too. As Winbeta notes, because the Cortana updates take place on Microsoft's servers, you won't need to download a software patch to take advantage of them either. Whether the blue helper will get to love bees, though, is up to her creators. Update: Microsoft's Bing Blog has confirmed the change and revealed how to turn it on: "pull up Cortana's notebook go to Interests, look for "best nearby" and then toggle to ON."
Microsoft takes shot at Siri in new ad
Microsoft's Cortana voice assistant is an impressive addition to the company's Windows Phone software, and while Siri's update in iOS 8 will likely give Apple's digital gal the edge once again, Cortana has the lead at the moment. Microsoft decided to take advantage of its current "window" of superiority by releasing a new ad mocking the less impressive Siri. The clip "compares" Siri and Cortana by showing a couple of Cortana's new abilities that Apple has yet to add to its assistant. Cortana shows off her skills at sussing out complicated directives involving names of contacts and specific places, while Siri admits her inferiority. There's no denying that, at least for the moment, Cortana is a good deal more powerful than the virtual helper living inside the iPhone. Unfortunately for Microsoft, people need to actually own the device before they can use Cortana, and the company still isn't quite sure how to make that happen. [via TechCrunch]
