Cortana now supports Google Calendar

The mere idea of a personal assistant is to do things for you with minimal effort. That is, you do not need to go to the application of time to see if it's going to rain or Google Maps to find the nearest coffee shop, but you can ask it out loud, with a mere interaction.

That's why Google responds to "Ok Google", Siri to "Hey Siri" and Cortana, in theory, should respond to "Hey Cortana". In Android it already did, but the permanent listening system caused incompatibilities with Google Now and has been deactivated since the end of 2015. Microsoft continues to expand the functionality of Cortana. After the Redmonder has already integrated its digital assistance system into Windows 10, Microsoft Edge and Office and even launched variants for the competitor platforms Android and iOS, the long overdue Google support follows. In addition to the in-house services Office 365, Outlook.com and LinkedIn Cortana can thus synonymous with the Google services dovetailed.

With the new support, the assistance system now has direct access to Gmail messages and Google Calendar entries. As a result, users of the service can be informed by voice command about incoming e-mails and upcoming appointments. Support expansion is also likely to increase the attractiveness of smart Cortana-based speakers such as the Harman Kardon Invoke.

Now, Cortana - the cross-platform personal assistant developed by Microsoft, is now compatible with Google Calendar. The Redmond giant has integrated a new Gmail connection to Cortana, which will allow the personal assistant to access the Google Calendar data. Thus, Windows 10 users, who frequently use their Gmail account, will now be able to directly access from Cortana calendar appointments and activate reminders.

The new Google Calendar support also allows the use of commands on speakers powered by Cortana, such as Harman Kardon's Evoke device, to access calendar information. In addition, the Cortana versions for iOS and Android will also be able to read and use Google Calendar information.

Microsoft's Google Calendar support for Cortana is now available for most PCs with Windows 10, and can be accessed by clicking, first, on the "Notebook" option of Cortana and then on "Adding a service".

In short, this new Cortana update allows quick access, through instructions or voice commands, not only to Microsoft services but also to those linked to Google. Thus, managing all our data and information will be easier from the personal computer with Windows 10 or another device that supports the Cortana personal assistant.

The Invoke Smart Speaker Brings Microsoft’s Cortana AI to Your Living Room

Invoke Smart Speaker 

Microsoft’s Cortana virtual assistant has already integrated seamlessly in Windows 10 and functions on iOS and Android. It is said that it will soon be showing up in cars too. In spite of it being good at work, good for play as well as has a good name, it tends to be left out of the voice assistant clique due to a smart speaker such as the Google Home or Amazon Echo.

These in-home devices have been the first area where most people tend to be using these assistant and Microsoft have been lagging behind till now. The latest Invoke speaker created by Harman Kardon seems to be similar like the Amazon Echo which is a tall cylindrical speaker having a blue light towards the top which tends to glow when the speaker listens to you.

It has the potential of controlling some of the smart-home devices such as name the members of One Direction – RIP, set reminders besides many other things Echo or Home could do. The Invoke, so far seems to have precisely the distinctive features like it can make as well as receive calls with Skype. Harman has made the Invoke’s sound quality – three tweeters, 360 degree sound with a Dalek-like design since it’s the best way of convincing users to purchase this device instead of an Echo.

Strategy of Microsoft 

For Microsoft, an in-home speaker seems to be particularly important since it had lost the race of smartphone and had not made any progress in the handsets for users other than the Cortana app which some would download and still less would use. However on the desktops, Windows seemed to have huge market share which millions of users by default utilised Cortana.

 In fact as per the latest numbers of Microsoft it had reached around 145 million. To make a lasting impression in the latest market, Microsoft required its virtual assistant to be all over inclusive on the devices which have not just been obtained from their IT department. Microsoft had reportedly intended to open up its Cortana Skills Kit with the Build conference enabling developers to build for its assistant. The entire strategy of Microsoft was to cover the earth with its software and users can look forward for more speakers in the near future.

Smart Speaker Market New

The market of the smart speaker tends to be new and the voice assistant powering them does not seem to be impeccable still. However Microsoft could be a bit late in this game. In a latest study Alexa has been projected as having 70.6% of the market for voice-assistant devices, putting up Microsoft in the small `other’ category.

 It is said that the Invoke would not be coming till this fall which could be some time where the users would have to wait with adequate time for Google, Amazon and others to make tremendous progress in this area. If Microsoft does not make haste and is unable to make Cortana worth the wait, then speakers such as the Invoke would be covering up the coveted area in your living room and filling up the space.

Skype 2.19 integrates Cortana on Windows Phone 8.1

Microsoft has offered an update for Skype on their mobile OS recently, the updates brings total support to Cortana, the voice wizard of windows Phone 8.1.

This update was released by Microsoft for the Skype application for windows phone 8.1 the main feature got the advantage from the update is the voice assistant Cortana.

This update helps the user to use Skype by simple voice control without opening it. Since Skype 2.19 came with Cortana integration, you can just make a voice or video call with voice command.

With just a swipe you can see all your latest notification on your Windows Phone device. This obviously works on the latest version of the OS, and is now limited to United States only soon you may expect the update for your own region.

But No launch date outside United States have not yet been provided by Microsoft. Within the update we wish to especially mention about the support for 51 languages and the arrival of Skype notifications in Action Center for Windows Phone 8.1.

In case of any typo error on a message already sent, now it will also be possible to correct that typo error with a simple touch.

Microsoft Plans Language Assistant Cortana For Windows Phone!

Microsoft wants Windows Phone 8.1 to install a language assistant who carries the name Cortana in it. It is said that it is similar to Siri on iPhones and Google Now on Android Smartphones. With the update to Windows Phone 8.1 Smartphones get with Microsoft's mobile operating system a language assistant that is designed to provide the functions of Siri and Google Now, The Verge has learned from people who are familiar with Microsoft's plans.

The designation is based on the computer game series Halo, in which there is the AI Cortana character. On Windows Phone Cortana is only an animated icon and not a female character as in the Halo games. The approach of Cortana is a similar virtual personality as with Apple's Siri. Moreover Cortana collects data from Bing, Foursquare and other services in order to offer comparable performance to Google Now.

The user will thus find all relevant information in Cortana to simplify his use of Smartphones. A sub- function of Cortana is called notebook and is used to control the data flow with matching privacy settings. The user should therefore be set in the notebook, which data sources may use Cortana. So Cortana can on location information, personal data, reminders and contact access. In addition, the function can monitor the user behavior and show based on that information or make suggestions.

Depending on the chosen notebook settings to the Windows Phone Assistant noted the information in question. The user should edit later stored within the notebook information or delete, so that a privacy setting in the base can be changed at any time later. Moreover Cortana can be used to remove the user tasks. For example, if a message comes is asking in for a meeting at 19:00 clock, offers the wizard to create a matching calendar entry.

In addition, a Do Not Disturb mode is scheduled to appear in the notifications. The user may specify a specific user group, which is not affected by the Do Not Disturb mode. News of these individuals appointment would then continue to appear. It is expected that a first preliminary version of the update version will be come to the market only at the beginning of April 2014 is shown at Microsoft's Build conference. When Smartphone owners will get the update is still not known.