Windows 10: Cortana as productivity assistant instead of personal assistant

Brink · Jun 1, 2018

Microsoft's own digital assistant Cortana is a very curious case in 2018. It's a feature (service?) that appears to be alive and kicking internally, but showing little to no sign of improvement externally. Cortana has become stagnant in the digital assistant market; it's still mostly US only, its dedicated speaker game is basically non-existent, and its integration with Windows 10 (the only platform where it has any leverage) kind of sucks.

At this point, there's nothing Microsoft can do to compete with Google or Amazon. Cortana has fallen too far behind to play catch up, and honestly, it doesn't look like Microsoft wants to compete in the digital assistant market anyway, at least not in the consumer space. If they did, we'd have seen some action from Microsoft by now fighting back, but we haven't. So, what's going on? If Cortana is alive and kicking internally, why isn't Cortana improving on the surface?

Instead of chasing Google Assistant and Apple Siri, Microsoft is repositioning Cortana as a "productivity assistant" to help you get stuff done.

I've been asking around, talking to several sources about Cortana for quite some time now, because it fascinates me at how bad things have turned for the assistant. Remember that when Cortana first launched, it was a shining example of what a digital assistant should be. It was better than anything else on the market at the time, but ever since Windows 10 launched, things have fallen behind and never recovered.

As it turns out, Microsoft is well-aware that Cortana has fallen behind, and it also knows full well that there's nothing it can do to bring Cortana back up into the light for consumers. So, instead of wasting resources in even trying, Microsoft is attempting to "reposition" (for lack of a better term) Cortana as more of a productivity assistant rather than a 'personal assistant' that most digital assistants pitch themselves as. What does this mean? Quite a few things, actually...
Click to expand...

Read more: The future of Cortana is all about helping you work better on Windows 10 and beyond | Windows Central

:)

Brink · Jun 25, 2018

Cortana as productivity assistant instead of personal assistant

Microsoft's own digital assistant Cortana is a very curious case in 2018. It's a feature (service?) that appears to be alive and kicking internally, but showing little to no sign of improvement externally. Cortana has become stagnant in the digital assistant market; it's still mostly US only, its dedicated speaker game is basically non-existent, and its integration with Windows 10 (the only platform where it has any leverage) kind of sucks.

At this point, there's nothing Microsoft can do to compete with Google or Amazon. Cortana has fallen too far behind to play catch up, and honestly, it doesn't look like Microsoft wants to compete in the digital assistant market anyway, at least not in the consumer space. If they did, we'd have seen some action from Microsoft by now fighting back, but we haven't. So, what's going on? If Cortana is alive and kicking internally, why isn't Cortana improving on the surface?

Instead of chasing Google Assistant and Apple Siri, Microsoft is repositioning Cortana as a "productivity assistant" to help you get stuff done.

I've been asking around, talking to several sources about Cortana for quite some time now, because it fascinates me at how bad things have turned for the assistant. Remember that when Cortana first launched, it was a shining example of what a digital assistant should be. It was better than anything else on the market at the time, but ever since Windows 10 launched, things have fallen behind and never recovered.

As it turns out, Microsoft is well-aware that Cortana has fallen behind, and it also knows full well that there's nothing it can do to bring Cortana back up into the light for consumers. So, instead of wasting resources in even trying, Microsoft is attempting to "reposition" (for lack of a better term) Cortana as more of a productivity assistant rather than a 'personal assistant' that most digital assistants pitch themselves as. What does this mean? Quite a few things, actually...
Click to expand...

Read more: The future of Cortana is all about helping you work better on Windows 10 and beyond | Windows Central

Brink · Jun 25, 2018

Cortana Expands Role of Digital Personal Assistant: Coming to Xbox One

At Microsoft, our vision for a powerful digital assistant means it is personalized and available to you everywhere, whether you’re on-the-go with the device you carry with you, in your office, where you need to be highly productive, or even in your home, where you relax, play, and are entertained. In a multi-device world this means allowing Cortana to move with you between your environments multiple times a day.

We announced earlier that your Windows 10 experience includes Cortana.** To extend availability to a multitude of devices, we announced the Cortana app will be available soon for Android phones and iPhones, working as a companion to Cortana on your Windows 10 PC. Starting in July, the beta of the Cortana app for Android Phones will be available to test as a companion to Windows 10 PCs.

And to complete our vision for bringing the first digital assistant to your device collection, we announced at E3 last night that Cortana is also coming to Xbox One this fall in the U.S. and UK.** Cortana will be a powerful assistant for millions of gamers helping elevate your game when you need her. Through voice commands on Xbox One, Cortana will assist you to more quickly find great games, new challengers and friends on Xbox Live, or accomplish common tasks.

Most importantly, Cortana is there to connect your worlds and works for you across your devices, in ways that are specially tuned for the device you’re on, whether it’s your Windows 10 PC, tablet, or phone; your Xbox; or your iPhone or Android phone. Regardless of the operating systems you choose across your devices, everything important to you should roam across the products you already own.

Starting this fall, customers will have a range of new experiences in how they interact with Windows and Cortana including,

Your Microsoft account helps keep your personal assistant connected to you across device experiences, whether on your PC, phone or Xbox One. Cortana’s Notebook will be available across your devices to keep track of details important to you. Cortana only knows what you want her to know and you are fully in control of how you use her across devices.

On Xbox One, Cortana knows your friends and makes it easy to invite them to play with you through simple voice commands. If you want to record and share a clip of your game play, you can use Cortana to precisely control the length of the recording and quickly share it with your friends without leaving your game. Cortana will also help you find information about games, such as the release date of an upcoming game, or help you get achievements by surfacing videos and information to help you succeed.

On your Android phone you can ask Cortana to remind you to walk the dog at 8pm in the evening, and then when you’re watching a movie your Xbox will interrupt playback to let you know it’s time to take the dog out.

You can ask Cortana questions and she’ll give you answers, using the same natural language, regardless of which device you’re on. Want to know the weather tomorrow? Just ask Cortana from any device.

Cortana can help you search for what matters most on the device you’re using. On your Windows PC, you can use natural language to ask Cortana to help you find recent documents and pictures. On your Xbox One, you can use natural language to ask Cortana to find a friend online or record a game DVR clip.

At Microsoft, we want everyone to love not just their Windows 10 PC, but all the devices they own, working with their Windows 10 PC. Cortana for Windows 10, for Xbox One, for Android phone, and for iPhone connect the world’s only personal digital assistant together across the devices you own and use, right there to buzz you for reminders, answer your questions, and be your personal helper.

** Cortana will be available on Windows 10 at launch in select markets.
Click to expand...

Source: Cortana Expands the Role of the Digital Personal Assistant by Coming to Xbox One

NavyLCDR · Jun 25, 2018

Windows 10 Upgrade Assistant asking for product key

So make sure that you are attempting to upgrade to the Home Single Language Edition. The "about" system settings screen will tell you if it is 32-bits or 64-bits (operating system):

Using the media creation tool, you want the matching 32-bit or 64-bit Single Language Edition:

From the Windows 10 ISO download site, it's just listed as Single Language Edition:

Doing an upgrade to the correct edition Anniversary Update should not ask for a product key.

Windows 10: Cortana as productivity assistant instead of personal assistant

Cortana as productivity assistant instead of personal assistant

Cortana as productivity assistant instead of personal assistant

Cortana as productivity assistant instead of personal assistant

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