Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

jclo

Managing Editor
Staff member
Dec 7, 2012
1,970
4,302
Could this summary of The Verge's review be a little less confusing by replacing "Windows 8.1" with "Windows Phone 8.1?"

They really are two different products and of course criticism that they're so close as to be easily confused is valid.

Adding Cortana to Windows 8.1 would probably interest some, alienate others, but I haven't read where it's been officially suggested.

Thanks for pointing that out, it should have said Windows Phone 8.1 in that spot and is now fixed.
 

Tiger8

macrumors 68020
May 23, 2011
2,479
649
at least they didn't copy apple like crazy with their mobile os.
This. I actually found new respect for Microsoft for at least trying to do something original this time, and the idea of tiles, while takes getting used to, is kinda catching stream in certain scenarios. I still prefer iOS, but Microsoft at least tried something original
 

dBeats

macrumors 6502a
Jun 21, 2011
637
214
Where's a good place to find Thai food around here?

"Just a sec......


....hmm that's strange....


....uh oh....


A fatal exception OE has occurred at 0028:C0011E36 in VXD VMM(1) + 00010E36. The current application will be terminated.

* Press any key to terminate the current application.
* Press CTRL+ALT+DEL again to restart your computer. You will lose any unsaved information in all your applications.

Press any key to continue _ "


I knew this Windows phone thing was a bad idea...
 

venusboy

macrumors regular
Mar 22, 2011
114
167
Siri is fine on my iPad but she kept coming up on my iPhone 5S by accident with Touch ID so had to turn her off.

Does anyone know how to turn off voice control? (Not Siri.. the one with the blue screen)
 

Daalseth

macrumors 6502a
Jun 16, 2012
599
306
I just wish they'd get rid of Siri all together. I was probably one of the first people to turn it off on the iphone 4S.
Agreed. I played with Siri as has my wife. We found it an amusing thing but not actually useful in any way. Maybe it's that I just don't want to tell my system to do something. Maybe it's because when I ask it a question it without fail gives me the wrong answer. Maybe because when we say something it invariably misunderstands what we are saying (and we have midwestern accents, not a thick southern drawl, or Quebecois twang, or New York accent). Maybe because typing, even on an iPhone is far quicker and more accurate that trying to fight with Siri. Maybe because when I'm in a public place I don't want everyone around to know what I'm searching for/entering into my iPhone. Maybe it's because we just found it to be too much of a 'cool' gimmick over something actually useful.

So sure Google and not MS has something similar. If I end up with one of those systems I'll turn their version off too.
 

Samuel Clemens

macrumors newbie
Nov 30, 2011
21
24
Buenos Aires, Argentina
i'm an apple guy but it's hard not to have a crush on cortana. if they could make her appear...yum.

nice move on their part...with this and with the free windows. finally...someone is thinking over there. at least they didn't copy apple like crazy with their mobile os.

Yup. As a matter of fact, their mobile OS feels good, smooth, easy to use and learn, and it's quite customizable. A pity that there aren't as many apps yet (compared to what can be found in iOS's and Android's ecosystem), but I had the chance to use a windows phone for 11 days, and it really was a pleasure, I can't deny it.
And it IS different from iOS, not a bad copy like Android.
And it's much better than Android.
In terms of quality for mobile OS, the obvious two choices, in my opinion, are iOS and windows phone (I haven't yet tried Ubuntu and Mozilla's OSs).

PS: Sorry for my english
 

BenTrovato

macrumors 68040
Jun 29, 2012
3,035
2,198
Canada
I'm not saying Siri is a genius name... but Cortana? Who's running Microsoft, why would they pick a name that's not easy to say?
 

profets

macrumors 603
Mar 18, 2009
5,114
6,146
One thing that I've always wanted with Siri, that Microsoft has included with Cortana, is the ability to type. I've been in public so often where it would be much easier to type a question or comment to Siri.
 

pdaholic

macrumors 68000
Jun 22, 2011
1,842
2,550
Agreed. I played with Siri as has my wife.

That's a great list of everything that I hate about using "assistants" like Siri. My wife uses Siri to play back her emails and texts while she's in the car. About all I use it for is calling up songs from my growing music collection. Otherwise, it's just awkward and rarely lives up to my expectations.
 

hglk

macrumors member
Jul 21, 2009
77
59
Utah, USA
Siri is fine on my iPad but she kept coming up on my iPhone 5S by accident with Touch ID so had to turn her off.

Does anyone know how to turn off voice control? (Not Siri.. the one with the blue screen)

You don't have to press down on the button to activate Touch ID. It uses the metal ring to detect your finger and then it activates itself.
 

johncarync

macrumors regular
Aug 2, 2005
245
227
Cary, NC
You don't use Siri?

I'm surprised by everyone who says they don't use or like Siri. I use it EVERY day for things like...

"Call Jennifer Collins, mobile."
"Set timer for 15 minutes."
"Fast food near me."
"Search web for Tesla Model S."
"What's the weather like tomorrow?"

I also have the "Raise to Speak" feature turned on (Settings/General/Siri) so I can just raise the phone to my ear with a deliberate gesture and Siri is activated.
 

wigby

macrumors 68030
Jun 7, 2007
2,749
2,712
People are making fun or too much of the name but I believe this is important the same way that making Siri fun and personable is important.

Who do you want to tell your personal data to? Who do you trust your personal info with?

Siri/Apple?

Google Now/Google?

Cortana/Microsoft?

Siri has a big headstart in this aspect.
 

brianvictor7

macrumors 65816
Oct 24, 2013
1,054
429
United States
Finally, Microsoft does something cool for its phone :D :cool: :rolleyes:

----------

I'm surprised by everyone who says they don't use or like Siri. I use it EVERY day for things like...

"Call Jennifer Collins, mobile."
"Set timer for 15 minutes."
"Fast food near me."
"Search web for Tesla Model S."
"What's the weather like tomorrow?"

I also have the "Raise to Speak" feature turned on (Settings/General/Siri) so I can just raise the phone to my ear with a deliberate gesture and Siri is activated.

Cool, I didn't realize Siri could set a timer. (seriously).
 

jc1350

macrumors 6502a
Feb 4, 2008
606
39
It's not Cortana until the interface is this.

250px-Cortana_halo_4.png
 

brianvictor7

macrumors 65816
Oct 24, 2013
1,054
429
United States
I'm not saying Siri is a genius name... but Cortana? Who's running Microsoft, why would they pick a name that's not easy to say?

Maybe they are pandering to a younger male crowd because virtually every male under 40 probably has played Halo by now. By the same token, I wonder how this will go over with the female demographic. Cortana's avatar is, well, a bit risque.
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.