Windows 10: is cortana useful on desktop?

cortana reportedly came to my country on the new insider build
do people find cortana useful on a desktop that is not equipped with a mic?
what would cortana be good for, and how to optimize it?
for instance, do I need to set up the mail app or something, so it gets a feed of personalized info?

:)

 

Guest Account- is it useful?

is the guest account useful ?

 

Bing Search Button - How useful is it ...?

I also use it constantly for:



- Web search: all the time -> search anything on the web... (I also use Bing on my desktop, search results no too different from google).



- Music note icon: often -> to tell me what is the name, artist and album of a music track playing on the Radio/TV...



- Eye icon: often -> for QR code (the square ones) and barcode reading on advert in the street, magazines, product (how much does this cost, where can I find it etc etc). One issue with this thought, Ciao! shopping (Bing shopping portal)
is horrible !!! I still use google for shopping around.



- Eye icon: often -> for translating text when aborad: This is nicely done indeed, frame a sentence, text paragraph on the screen on a well lite page/sign, poster in the street etc then choose "scan text". if all /most of the words have
been recognised (white rectangle around it) then use "translate" to another language. The translated text will be super imposed on the image text... The translation is not perfect, but good enough to give me an idea of what is written... very useful indeed...



- City Icon: Local scout: not really used as I much prefers to use Nokia Maps for the content, user reviews and rating, photo, and guide (Michelin Guide, Trip advisor, TimeOut, WCities, the AA, LonelyPlanet etc) all in one place... Although
the 2 interfaces are similar, I prefer the way Nokia organise the content... for me, Microsoft Local Scout = lite version of Nokia Maps without the content...

On the Lumia, it would be nice if this icon could launch Nokia Maps instead of Local Scout... (ie another reason to go to Lumia rather than other brand, the local content!)...



I too sometime press the magnifier button when trying to access a setting menu ("...") at the bottom right corner of the screen...



I hope this help.



Tony.

 

I've never used it and don't see any reason to do so...everything I need can be done without using it..but others might find it useful.

 

Hi there

Could be a maga irritant in an open plan office -- it's sometimes bad enough already with beeps every time someone gets an email / text on a mobile phone and above all those irritating people who don't turn off the phone click noises when they are entering text etc.

(External consultants - please take note here - especially those from "The big 4" in my experience is you are the worst offenders for this stuff -- perhaps you spend so much time on your mobiles you are totally oblivious to other people around you who really don't care how long you had to wait for your luggage at Newark airport etc etc).

I don't think we should encourage any more noise in these places so what use is having to SPEAK to a computer going to be.

At home it could be another issue and also of course for visually impaired people but in a normal open plan office my vote is definitely a big NO NO.

Cheers
jimbo

 

Here I am, the OP again. I am a single user, working at home as a freelancer , on a desktop without a mic, and I am wondering whether this virtual assistant has anything to offer me in terms of reminders, or feeding me relevant info, or whatever.

 

Hi there

Like all things this is a TOOL -- some people will find it useful, others not. IMO perhaps this should be offered as a feature you either add (Turn Windows features On / Off) rather than integrated into the base product.

Tools are specific for different users -- A motor mechanic would have uses for a Torque wrench for example but a micro biologist wouldn't -- so you wouldn't add a torque wrench to a "standard bag of tools".

Cheers
jimbo

 

I guess that about sums it up.

 

I only use it occasionally, but it can be useful, you don't need a mic to use it

for example
type in 'Set Reminder' saves you having to find the app and manually set a reminder, Cortana does it all for you
type in 'Send Email to person name' and it will get it going for you

It can give you the weather/latest news just by opening it, if you have an appointment in your calendar it tells you when you need to leave the house based on traffic

lots of other things, best way is to try it and see, if you don't find it useful then just switch it off

 

On a desktop, without a mic (which is the same situation I have) -- NO. See no use for it.