In May, Microsoft have announced that Cortana, the first personal digital-assistant who works across your PC & your phone, will be coming to Android and iOS devices.
But now Microsoft officially released the beta version of the Cortana app available to all Android phone users.
If you are currently a Windows 10 user, you already know the benefits of Cortana. The Cortana app on Android is the companion to your Windows 10 PC, extending Cortana’s functionality across any device you carry, everywhere you go.
The Cortana app can do most of the things Cortana does on your PC or on a Windows phone.
The app can manage your hectic lifestyle by setting and getting reminders, searching the web on-the-go, tracking important information such as flight details as well as starting and completing tasks across all of your devices.
Since Microsoft launched the closed beta, they’ve also made several improvements to the experience including the ability to set Cortana as the destination for the home button press. Now access to your personal digital assistant is just a button-press away.
You will also see a few differences between what Cortana can do today in her “native” environment (Windows) and in the app on Android.
For example toggling settings, opening apps or invoking Cortana hands-free by saying “Hey Cortana” are only available on Windows for now. As with all betas, they are continually improving the experience and will incorporate feedback along the way.
Read the reddit discussion about Microsoft Cortana beta version for Android:
“I’ve been using the unreleased beta for a little while. Its homescreen compares with Google Now in terms of information presented; although, at least in the earlier versions, there didn’t seem to be as many options for sports teams, etc.
The voice functionality is more limited than Google’s voice commands, but it also has more personality (for better or worse) than Google Now.”
Material Design and Metro are both pretty close in terms of overall philosophies and appearance. Hell, I even prefer Segoe over Roboto (though Roboto Condensed makes a hell of a run for it). But Segoe reaaaalllyyy clashes with Roboto on Android. They’re so similar that the differences really stick out, and not in Microsoft’s favor.Then there’s the polish missing in Cortana’s UI elements.
I know, beta. But the icon is super low resolution. Set up the swipe from home and you’re looking at upscaled garbage. The settings seem to be made from in-app web browsers going to Bing and it shows. It slow, unresponsive, low res again, and really clashes with what Metro is supposed to be.Then voice recognition! What the heck? Google has been pretty good, but my time in WP really impressed me with Cortana’s ability.
So far it’s been really huge misses. It hasn’t gotten a contact right so far at all.I was a huge fan of Cortana on WP. The tight integration really sold it to me. I want to use the app, especially if it ties into my computer and Xbox, but it’s just not ready.Cortana is decidedly beta, but I’m still waiting to be impressed.”
“But I have to say Cortana is much more fun to use.”
“She actually has such a cool personality. Other than that, the one feature Cortana has over Google Now is how if I ask her to remind me to do something, the reminder also appears on my computer if I’m using it.”
“I too like Cortana’s personality. She’s more lifelike than her competitors. I was not aware of the reminder syncing functionality, that’s cool.”
Cortana on Android is currently available in the U.S. only, but Microsoft will roll it out to other markets too.
Users can access the Cortana app for Android via this link.
Just click on the “Become a Beta Tester” and get notified with the beta version on your Cortana installed device. But if you don’t have Cortana installed, download it on Google Play, then you’ll get an update with the beta version. Microsoft said, “It can take a few hours for the beta update to arrive.”
About Microsoft Cortana:
Microsoft Cortana is an intelligent personal assistant created for Windows Phone 8.1, Microsoft Band, Windows 10, and coming to iOS, Android, and the Xbox One.
Cortana was demonstrated for the first time at the Microsoft BUILD Developer Conference (April 2–4, 2014) in San Francisco. It has been launched as a key ingredient of Microsoft’s planned “makeover” of the future operating systems for Windows Phone and Windows. It is named after Cortana, a synthetic intelligence character in Microsoft’s Halo video game franchise originating in Bungie folklore, with Jen Taylor, the character’s voice actress, returning to voice the personal assistant’s US-specific version.
Cortana will help you find things on your PC, manage your calendar, track packages, find files, chat with you, and tell jokes. The features include being able to set reminders, recognize natural voice without the user having to input a predefined series of commands, and answer questions using information from Bing (like current weather and traffic conditions, sports scores, and biographies).
