Category: cortana

Microsoft will shut down the Cortana iOS and Android apps in 2021

[ad_1] Microsoft’s plan for Invoke speakers is likely to cause the most resentment. The company will push a firmware update to the smart device to turn it into a Bluetooth speaker. “The firmware update will be delivered automatically to devices connected to WiFi within six months of its release,” the company said.  As an olive […]

Microsoft will remove Cortana from its Android launcher in April

[ad_1] Microsoft says it will discontinue Cortana services in the application by the end of April. “This next step in Cortana’s evolution will bring enhanced, seamless personal productivity assistance as a free update to the latest version of Windows 10 coming this spring,” the company said. It’s not overly surprising to see Microsoft remove Cortana […]

Microsoft contractors reportedly reviewed Cortana clips on insecure PCs

[ad_1] According to a former contractor who spoke with The Guardian, the firm allowed workers to review both Cortana and Skype recordings from homes across Beijing while using a personal laptop. The contractor says they listened to “thousands” of interactions this way. Moreover, the Chrome web app they used to do their work required only […]

Cortana app will stop working on phones in some countries

[ad_1] It’s not certain if the shutdown will affect the US or other countries. We’ve asked Microsoft for more details. The company isn’t shy about its reasoning. It’s moving Cortana into Outlook and other Microsoft 365 productivity apps, and shying away from its original attempt to position the AI helper as a direct rival to […]

Microsoft contractors listened to what people told their Xbox consoles

[ad_1] According to the contractors Motherboard spoke to, this has been going on since before Cortana arrived on the scene. Motherboard’s sources said they listened to audio when Xbox could be controlled via voice commands with the Kinect system. Microsoft removed Cortana from the Xbox in July, but the voice assistant can control the console […]

Microsoft says humans will still transcribe Cortana and Skype audio

[ad_1] The company amended its privacy policy and other pages to make it clear human workers are listening to recorded conversations and commands to improve the services. “We realized, based on questions raised recently, that we could do a better job specifying that humans sometimes review this content,” a Microsoft spokesperson told Motherboard, which spotted […]

‘Halo’ TV series has its Cortana ahead of early 2021 premiere

[ad_1] The series will also feature Fargo‘s Bokeem Woodbine as Soren-066, an ex-military privateer who conflicts with Master Chief. Famed Indian actress Shabana Azmi will play Office of Naval Intelligence head Admiral Margaret Parangosky. Other additions are playing Spartans, including Avengers: Age of Ultron‘s Bentley Kalu, The Witcher‘s Natasha Culzac and Catastrophe‘s Kate Kennedy. The […]

Standalone Cortana app available to Windows Insiders

[ad_1] As part of the Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 18945, Insiders in the Fast ring can preview a handful of new features. The updated assistant supports light and dark themes in Windows. It has a less intrusive “Hey Cortana” screen that’s meant to minimize disruptions. Microsoft also updated the speech and language models, an […]

Microsoft continues distancing Cortana from Windows

[ad_1] This move suggests that Microsoft will choose to update the voice assistant separately from Windows in future. It could make Cortana more agile, giving developers the chance to update without having to push wider updates. A separate app may also one day give users more control over its usage, allowing them to uninstall it […]

Windows 10 May update brings light theme and more upgrade controls

[ad_1] Other additions are harder to see, but could make life considerably easier. You’ll have more control over installing updates, with the option to pause them for up to 35 days in week-long increments. And with Windows Hello now toting FIDO2 certification, you can sign into apps, devices and services using biometrics and PIN codes […]