Live data from Hacker News

Microsoft’s Cortana Headed to iPhone and Android Phones

blogs.wsj.com

51–60 of 73 posts

Re: Microsoft’s Cortana Headed to iPhone and Android Phones

#51
post #36

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Tasker can certainly change settings and launch apps, so I don't see why Cortana couldn't. Maybe Microsoft just means it's more difficult? They do say certain features "won't initially be available", which implies they will in the future, though this contradicts the statement that the features "won't work". Hands-free voice control is tricky because Qualcomm controls hardware support. There are some workarounds if yo…

Doesnt tasker require root? Im pretty sure they mean with a regular not tinkered with phone

For some functionality, yes, but most of Taskers actions work without.

Re: Microsoft’s Cortana Headed to iPhone and Android Phones

#52
post #49
post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They may convince manifacturers (like Samsung) rather than Google and ship Cortana as part of OEM software.

Zero chance for Samsung, the have their own personal assistant since Galaxy S2. (both Apple's Siri and Samsung one are now based on Nuance technology)

Could you explain about Nuance technology ?

Re: Microsoft’s Cortana Headed to iPhone and Android Phones

#53

There's a subtle irony in that while Cortana can probably be more deeply integrated with Android than iOS, the same can't be said for Google Now on Windows Phone...

Yup. Android is still far more open than Windows Phone/mobile from that point of view, which is why it's possible for Microsoft to do many of these things with Android. Last I checked you couldn't even have another browser other than IE on Windows Phone, and I assume that won't change with Windows 10 mobile. Also you can make Android apps work on Windows or another OS relatively easy but the reverse isn't true (not c…

>Android is still far more open than Windows Phone/mobile from that point of view

From any point of view. WP is the tightest OS I can think of (or at least as tight as iOS) without the user benefiting from it in any other way besides general security.

Heck, even the settings menu is depressingly limited.

Re: Microsoft’s Cortana Headed to iPhone and Android Phones

#54

I dont know how many of you are windows phone users but I think Microsoft missed a few very important features with Cortana. Most notably the qr scanner and Bing backgrounds that they had with the previous search feature. It diminished my experience soo much that I disabled Cortana entirely from my phone only to go back to the default search, which is just as good if not better than Cortana. I wasn't a power user wit…

As a Windows Phone user with my secondary phone I hope there will be a way to remove it from the system some day.

Re: Microsoft’s Cortana Headed to iPhone and Android Phones

#55
post #53

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yup. Android is still far more open than Windows Phone/mobile from that point of view, which is why it's possible for Microsoft to do many of these things with Android. Last I checked you couldn't even have another browser other than IE on Windows Phone, and I assume that won't change with Windows 10 mobile. Also you can make Android apps work on Windows or another OS relatively easy but the reverse isn't true (not c…

>Android is still far more open than Windows Phone/mobile from that point of view From any point of view. WP is the tightest OS I can think of (or at least as tight as iOS) without the user benefiting from it in any other way besides general security. Heck, even the settings menu is depressingly limited.

Agree.

After 15 years of using smart phones right back to Palm Treo things WP is the only platform that is depressingly boring and entirely uneventful.

And you know what, that's why I use it. It just works.

I've been left in the poop a couple of times by Android and iOS. Even old windows mobile shot me down once or twice.

Re: Microsoft’s Cortana Headed to iPhone and Android Phones

#56
post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You can just set your location as US. That would make it work. (Not ideal)

Thanks - I did try that but I haven't been able to come up with any combination of location and regional settings that works on this phone. Even setting it to US everything doesn't work.

Did you check for updates in store and settings after changing region and language to UK? I made it work once and I'm not even in an English speaking country.

Re: Microsoft’s Cortana Headed to iPhone and Android Phones

#57
post #43

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I don't think Google would allow manufacturers to change the search provider. I don't see why not; Samsung devices come with SVoice enabled as the default voice interaction.

I assumed Google's requirements for allowing the Play Store on devices would include making Google the default search engine, but I may be mistaken, since it seems Android devices with Bing or Yahoo as the default have appeared in the past.

I'm sure Google would love to add that requirement. But with antitrust regulators from the U.S. and EU salivating at the chance to hit them for monopolistic practices they will avoid anything as overt as that.

Re: Microsoft’s Cortana Headed to iPhone and Android Phones

#58
International businesses prefer to hire people who speak more than one language. China has become a huge market, and business leaders are looking for people who can speak Chinese and operate successfully in a Chinese cultural context. Apply now for Chinese learning on Skype through http://preply.com/en/chinese-by-skype

Re: Microsoft’s Cortana Headed to iPhone and Android Phones

#59
International businesses prefer to hire people who speak more than one language. China has become a huge market, and business leaders are looking for people who can speak Chinese and operate successfully in a Chinese cultural context. Apply now for Chinese learning on Skype through http://preply.com/en/chinese-by-skype

Re: Microsoft’s Cortana Headed to iPhone and Android Phones

#60
post #49
post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They may convince manifacturers (like Samsung) rather than Google and ship Cortana as part of OEM software.

Zero chance for Samsung, the have their own personal assistant since Galaxy S2. (both Apple's Siri and Samsung one are now based on Nuance technology)

Zero chance? Yeah... no. Many people would be very surprised how quickly manufacturers start to ditch google once windows10 gets out.
Post reply on HN