News Smartphone App Update : Microsoft’s Intelligent Assistant Cortana On Google Inc’s Android OS

Microsoft’s Cortana “virtual assistant” leaps into Android. Cortana will compete with the Google Now which is deeply integrated in the popular operating system.

The Android ecosystem has long been at the forefront of the web’s collective intelligence with the Google Now platform, the tech giant’s mobile-focused virtual assistant that collects information from the web, and the “Knowledge Graph,” — a knowledge database that Google’s engineers and developers have developed to enhance its search results.

But for Microsoft, Android is a big playing field, and its market share can still accommodate another virtual assistant.

On Friday, at The Verge, Microsoft’s Cortana running on an Android phone was revealed.

In case you’re wondering, Cortana is the software giant’s intelligent virtual assistant. It is Microsoft’s answer to Siri and Google Now.

Tom Warren of the Vox-owned tech site has leaked several images showing the Cortana app for Android running on the HTC One M9. It works like Cortana on Windows Phone, Warren claims, although the “hey Cortana” feature which can wake the phone up is missing.

Warren and other tech sites have downloaded the “apk” (or the Cortana for Android installer) from a French website.

Cortana on Android can search the web, but with Bing as the default search engine. It can also scan the phone owner’s events list, find establishments near the user, fetch the latest weather data, read the news, and others. (See it in action, and a Google Now comparison in the video below from the Android Authority.)

It’s no secret that Microsoft is bringing Cortana to Android to boost Bing’s mobile search market share. However, Google Now is deeply integrated in Android’s backend. It is unavoidable, and just a “tap or swipe away.” Like the Bing Search app on Android (link to Google Play Store) it’s not hard to imagine that Android users will still choose Google Now over Cortana.

Cortana for Android will play a small part in Satya Nadella’s “mobile first, cloud first” strategy that highlights Microsoft’s application ecosystem. It is taking advantage of Android and iOS market shares that the Windows Phone cannot reach.

This apps-filled ecosystem is running alongside Microsoft’s small Windows Mobile operating system with an April 2015 market share of just 3 percent according to comScore.

Posted by Unknown Saturday, July 18, 2015

New Smart Application Update :Microsoft’s Voice Assistant Cortana Coming To Android and iOS Devices Soon

Smartphone voice assistants can be described in plain simple words as ‘freaking cool’. They have come a long way and at present they can almost be seen as the baby versions of Tony Stark’s Jarvis. While Google Now is a great search and convenience tool, Microsoft’s Cortana and Apple’s Siri have anthropomorphic qualities that let them have human live conversations with the users. Microsoft has decided to take Cortana to a wider audience and will be bringing its voice assistant to iOS and Android devices.

Microsoft has said that it will be introducing Cortana on other operating systems as a standalone app. The company will also be integrating its artificial intelligence(AI) based technology called ‘Einstein’ with the voice assistant. With Einstein’s support, Cortana would be able to read and understand emails that will help it provide more convenient features to the users. It would let it offer suggestions to the user, even before they ask for it, something Google Now has been doing for a while.

Cortana is based on the artificially intelligent character of the same name from the famed video game, Halo. The personality of the voice assistant is also derived from the AI character from the game. Microsoft has been banking on Cortana’s ability to chit chat with the users. Cortana also offers usual voice assistant features like setting reminders and calendar, weather and traffic information, writing notes and messages.

Microsoft will also be bringing Cortana on Windows 10 operating system for desktops. It might actually beat Apple in this field as the Cupertino-based company didn’t bring Siri to the latest Yosemite operating system. Microsoft is contemplating the fall timeframe for the launch of the app. So if you liked Google Now but wanted a more human-like interaction, Microsoft’s Cortana is coming soon to give you company.

Speaking of voice assistants, remember that one time we got Siri to speak in Punjabi?

Posted by Unknown Friday, March 20, 2015