Cortana is highly sophisticated personal digital assistant that has been designed with the input of actual Personal Assistants.
One of the core features “Notebook” has come from the research and development conducted with actual personal assistants is that all personal assistants have notebooks and they record personal items in them all the time. Microsoft’s Cortana is no different, the Notebook is where all of your personal information is collated and you can place as much or as little information in it as you like. The premise however is more personalisation you add into Cortana’s Notebook the more she becomes a personal assistant to you.
“Hey Cortana! What is the weather like tomorrow?”
Therefore, what does it do?
Well what does a personal assistant do? They organises your day, contacts, calendar, and personal interests. She can tell you how congested traffic is and prompt you to leave early for an appointment, she can update you on the flight itinerary and what the weather is like at your destination, and can remind you when you need to take your medications.
In addition to that she can talk to you. Yes, that’s right she can tell you a joke or sing you a song and you can even talk to her. Just by saying the two words “Hey Cortana” you will wake her up and you can give her an instruction; “Hey Cortana, what time is Dean’s appointment tomorrow?”
Does Cortana understand my Australian accent?
Yes, Cortana has been configured for each region and Australia is not an exception. She may not be able to understand Australia’s most occa accent with a fail rate of up to 20% (which if you say “won” and she interprets “one” then that considered a fail) however she does sound like a Melissa George and can understand a large portion of what we say, even our slang!
Is Cortana available on my device?
The chances are yes! Designed for all of Microsoft powered devices Windows 10, Windows 10 Mobile, and Xbox One. There are even apps on the Google Live and Apple App stores for your Android and iOS devices.
You can find the apps here: Google Play and Apple App Store
Can Cortana work for me?
Cortana is as good as the information you provide it. As much as she learns from you she is still only good to you if you provide her with a comprehensive list of your favourites – you can do this in Cortana’s Notebook – You can collate points of interest such as Music, Movies, TV Shows, Weather, Contacts, Schedule, Events, Travel, News and much more.
Cortana as a tool can make your day more productive and can also be a great personal digital assistant. To add to her usefulness Microsoft is working on Cortana for the Car.
In a Nutshell
Cortana is a useful, powerful personal digital assistant that will only get better with time and if you’re a Windows 10 user then she will only enhance your daily routines, making your chores easier. She is perhaps the leading technology of personal digital assistants in terms of its artificial inteligence and as it allows integration with third party providers she will only become more powerful with time.
