Posted on 12/21/2015 6:23:51 AM PST by dayglored
Cortana is good, but is it a Siri killer?
Move over Siri, here comes something different. For the first time since its launch in April 2014, Cortana, Microsoft's voice-activated assistant, is now available on smartphones other than Windows devices.
A surprise move that speaks volumes about Microsoft's newfound flexibility and willingness to abandon convention, the Cortana app works quite well on Apple's iPhone. But a Siri replacement it is not. Instead, Cortana makes it clear that there's room for two voices on the iPhone.
There are some key differences between Siri and Cortana. Both can fetch web-sourceable information like weather forecasts and sports scores. Yet because Siri is stitched into the iPhone's operating system, it's the only voice assistant that can perform commands at the touch of the home button. In addition, on-phone functions like turning on Bluetooth, dialing phone numbers, or sending text messages and emails are Siri-only.
But Cortana can do things that Siri currently cannot, though you have to groom the app to make these advantages worthwhile. That's because the Microsoft-run assistant maintains a list of the users' preferences -- what it calls its "notebook" -- to ensure it's providing relevant information to the user. So if you tell Cortana where you live, for instance, it will display the weather when you open the app.
That's not a particularly groundbreaking feature, but there are others. For example, if you give it shipping tracking numbers, it will alert you about the status of your packages. Or, if you tell it you like Indian food, when you ask Cortana to find a place for lunch, it's more likely to serve up a place with naan or curry on the menu.
...
(Excerpt) Read more at time.com ...
We need portrait / full-body pictures of Siri to post alongside Cortana. Question is, since Siri can be either female or male, which shall we assume for these sorts of purposes?
What is the (additional) cost of using her, in each case?
There's no monetary charge for either one, as such.
You have to set up an account with Apple (for the iPhone and Siri) and with Microsoft (for Cortana). Both are free.
Given the included picture, I'd like to see an oil-wrestling match between the two - maybe have Laz referee! I think that it is a given that Laz would hit!
... And yet another image ...
That second one strikes me as more Siri-like than Cortana-like. She’s got some of that awesome Angelina-as-Lara-Croft thing going on...
“Question is, since Siri can be either female or male, which shall we assume for these sorts of purposes? “
Sort of Caitlynish.
I think OK Google on my Droid beats them both
They both work for the same agency. Nice of the NSA to give us a choice. That’s the difference between Fascism and Communism. In a Fascist system, you get a choice from controlled options. Under communism, no choice.
That one on the bottom looks like it has more pinch points than a loosely assembled Kel-Tec.
As for hitting it??
One word:
OUCH!
Since Siri was first introduced in the USA, Susan Bennett was the first Siri.
What a fine-looking lady! And REAL (that does count, even in the fantasy world of disembodied voices). In my book she gives the ephemeral Cortana a good run for her money.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.