Cortana - personal assistant on Windows Phone 8.1

Cortana

Cortana is the codename for the newly announced intelligent personal assistant and knowledge navigator for Windows Phone 8.1. The technology is expected to be added to Windows 8.x and the Xbox One in the future. It builds off of Microsoft’s current voice technology called TellMe, which was purchased by Microsoft in 2009.

The name ‘Cortana’ comes from the fictional, artificially intelligent (AI) character in the Halo video game series. It was first spotted in June 2013 in the Windows Phone Central forums, appearing as ‘zCortana’ from a developer device that was accidentally sold to a non-Microsoft employee.

Cortana is your personal assistant on Windows Phone 8.1. She’s great for finding nearby sushi joints, reminding you to get milk on your way home and much more. You won’t find Cortana confined to her app though, she’s hanging out in other parts of Windows Phone 8.1. Here’s a quick tip for adding events to your calendar from text messages and emails. Cortana is intelligent enough to understand that your contact wants to do something at a certain time. She’ll then make scheduling that appointment easy and with a few taps it’s in your calendar. She’ll do her best to understand what it is you’re doing with that person, but she’s pretty accurate at understanding the time. You might need to edit the actual activity, but that’s a minor quibble.