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CORTANA: MICROSOFT'S ANSWER TO SIRI AND GOOGLE NOW
Based on machine learning technology, the power of the cloud and the database linked to the search engine Bing, the personal assistant Cortana made its debut on Windows Phone.
Presented as a "highly personalized" user interface, based on intelligence "derived from the cloud" and able to learn every day a little more about anyone's personal assistant Cortana made its debut on Windows Phone 8.1 .
The first references to this artificial intelligence positioned on the niche Siri and Google Now dating back to June 2013. Ten months later, the service is not yet finalized, but it is launched in beta in the U.S. before deployment in the UK and China ... undated announced.
The name of a character appearing in the video game series Halo, published by - accessed via a dedicated tile on the home, Cortana screen Microsoft - replaces the Windows Phone search function. Exploiting the basis of "Satori" data currently used by the engine Bing provides linking the actions of the user and a knowledge base containing billions of facts and entities.
Cortana no expense, however, that the Internet. Personalization of results is ensured by studying the habits and preferences of the user. The analysis is refined with time and information provided are "more relevant," says Joe Belfiore, head of the Windows division at Microsoft.
Doomed to be a hub of user experience, Cortana could benefit eventually portages for Windows OS and Xbox One console. His arrival on the wide range of products online would be in line with the "terminal + services" adopted by Microsoft under Steve Ballmer era ... and perpetuated by the new CEO Satya Nadella strategy.
At the moment, only smartphones are concerned, with the key also several operational features on competing solutions: make calls, send messages, set alarms and appointments, recognize a piece of music, etc.. Cortana also addresses broader issues such as weather or the famous "How many calories in a banana? "Become a reference in the world of voice assistants.
But the potential seems mostly reside in the junctions with third party applications. Work in this direction have been conducted internally and with several teams of developers, including those of Facebook. First example of integration: state the name of a contact Skype will call in voice or video.
The user can intervene by modifying the data Cortana regularly includes in his "notebook" modes of travel, news sites monitored, restaurants, relationships ... All information that enables for example to define time slots during which will be allowed incoming calls from family or close friends. Cortana may, with the agreement of the user to access his e-mails to integrate appointments in the calendar or take reservations.