Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Microsoft Launches New Cortana vs. Siri Ad Showing Off Context-Aware Reminders
- Thread starter MacRumors
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
HA! Joke of the day!
So let's be Microsoft for a minute... and make a commercial showing off "Cortana" - like some sexy italiano or latino name - only its a freaking robot sound packed into a clunky plastic phone...
And then lets ignore that Siri has been updated for quite some time now (and sounds much more real), and we will just copy some old iOS 6 voices and features and throw it on a new iPhone 5s... Lying about what Siri can and cannot do...
Me writing this was pointless. Seriously, though, if I knew anyone with a "cortana" I would literally slap them and take their phone over to a recycle bin... maybe even a garbage, and I would buy them an iPhone, charitably, to prevent human extinction.
So let's be Microsoft for a minute... and make a commercial showing off "Cortana" - like some sexy italiano or latino name - only its a freaking robot sound packed into a clunky plastic phone...
And then lets ignore that Siri has been updated for quite some time now (and sounds much more real), and we will just copy some old iOS 6 voices and features and throw it on a new iPhone 5s... Lying about what Siri can and cannot do...
Me writing this was pointless. Seriously, though, if I knew anyone with a "cortana" I would literally slap them and take their phone over to a recycle bin... maybe even a garbage, and I would buy them an iPhone, charitably, to prevent human extinction.
I love how people who don't use voice command have hard opinions on this topic. I use Siri more times then I can count in one day. I can set calendar events, make calls or create texts in the car. I can set reminders per location. I can play music, open apps, ask for directions. I had an Android phone with Google talk for about 3 months before I sold it and got the iPhone 5. The problem with Google is you have to have a gmail account, and USE it because otherwise it doesn't know much and, from my experience, it won't learn either. And I agree with the fact that having a reminder when someone calls you would be a nice feature (I guess). its not like its hard to do, so I am sure if enough people ask for it, it will be added. However, I think its a little silly and solving a problem that doesn't exist. If I need to ask someone something I just put a reminder in to call that person and do it!
I think a more useful feature would to be able to add App specific commands yourself. As in, change which map program to use for directions, (apple maps still sucks) or set a favorite Social media app of choice so you can post with a more simple voice command. Or even set a Restaurant app to choose the best restaurants in the area instead of using Yelp. Those types of things would be a way better use of time to add into Siri, then a gimmicky notice that any app developer could add in a few days time.
I think a more useful feature would to be able to add App specific commands yourself. As in, change which map program to use for directions, (apple maps still sucks) or set a favorite Social media app of choice so you can post with a more simple voice command. Or even set a Restaurant app to choose the best restaurants in the area instead of using Yelp. Those types of things would be a way better use of time to add into Siri, then a gimmicky notice that any app developer could add in a few days time.
I use Siri for setting alarms and such, but I gotta say, Cortana looks way better. I guess that's why Apple is trying to bring the tech in-house.
That's not it. In terms of Marketing, if you compare yourself to someone else, you're showing you are not the leader, they are. It's not a good strategy.
In my opinion, I think Siri is great, yes it has some understanding issues, but it's definitely better than google now and cortana... I'll tell you'll the reasons I think according to me..
You can actually spend 30 min just talking to Siri while u are a little bored, you know sort of have a little fun chat..if u get bored speaking, you can swtich to typing out your messages...
Google now only works if you want to "have your work done" ONLY! With Siri you can get it to do the same tasks(May be less, don't know) but u can have a conversation with it...
For eg, you can ask Siri to read you a bed time story. Ask google that and it opens google search.. You can help Siri pronounce your name or any friends name. You can ask all kinds of questions to her(60% of them will be answered.) .. you can ask her to tell which is the best computer operating system, and if u ask it 3-4 times in a row, you'll probably get 3-4 different answers also..google now is only for work.. Siri can help you when ur bored..
Work wise both are same, google now is faster, agreed, but work done is the same..
You can actually spend 30 min just talking to Siri while u are a little bored, you know sort of have a little fun chat..if u get bored speaking, you can swtich to typing out your messages...
Google now only works if you want to "have your work done" ONLY! With Siri you can get it to do the same tasks(May be less, don't know) but u can have a conversation with it...
For eg, you can ask Siri to read you a bed time story. Ask google that and it opens google search.. You can help Siri pronounce your name or any friends name. You can ask all kinds of questions to her(60% of them will be answered.) .. you can ask her to tell which is the best computer operating system, and if u ask it 3-4 times in a row, you'll probably get 3-4 different answers also..google now is only for work.. Siri can help you when ur bored..
Work wise both are same, google now is faster, agreed, but work done is the same..
Don't get me wrong - Siri was a breakthrough in technology when it was introduced.
But it hasn't evolved much ever since... So it's no surprise that Google and Microsoft surpassed Apple with their own speech recognition services.
- One of my biggest gripes in Siri - and it's there to stay - is that it requires the Internet. Why Apple, why ?
- Then, in French, they have a hard time understanding music bands who have english names - so I need to use Siri in English all the time, or else I have to cripple my music demands.
- Then, I'd like it to confirm before calling anybody - because yes, I can tell it "Play the song Heartbeat", and it'll call Kevin. I can't refine my accent any better, I sound like an American (this is to all of you, egomaniac Americans).
- Then, there's the lack of 3rd-party apps support.
- Then, there's the lack of custom homemade Siri questions. I'd like to make up my own questions myself, and set up actions, a little bit like Automator on the Mac, but for speech recognition. Of course, 3rd-party actions would be there.
Disclaimer : I've been a Siri user since Day 1.
But it hasn't evolved much ever since... So it's no surprise that Google and Microsoft surpassed Apple with their own speech recognition services.
- One of my biggest gripes in Siri - and it's there to stay - is that it requires the Internet. Why Apple, why ?
- Then, in French, they have a hard time understanding music bands who have english names - so I need to use Siri in English all the time, or else I have to cripple my music demands.
- Then, I'd like it to confirm before calling anybody - because yes, I can tell it "Play the song Heartbeat", and it'll call Kevin. I can't refine my accent any better, I sound like an American (this is to all of you, egomaniac Americans).
- Then, there's the lack of 3rd-party apps support.
- Then, there's the lack of custom homemade Siri questions. I'd like to make up my own questions myself, and set up actions, a little bit like Automator on the Mac, but for speech recognition. Of course, 3rd-party actions would be there.
Disclaimer : I've been a Siri user since Day 1.
Last edited:
Raj, she is going to break your heart.
Oh, people don't actually have conversations with their phones in real life. At least I hope not.Siri answers 60% of your questions? Hell that's 23% more than my wife.
If you get that bored, I have a suggestion. Go.meet.some.people.
Raj, she is going to break your heart.
Siri answers 60% of your questions? Hell that's 23% more than my wife.
If you get that bored, I have a suggestion. Go.meet.some.people.
Dude! I know ur joking and all but really, if u have nothing to do on your phone on a specific day, I think you can spend some time with Siri asking it many different questions...
. And yes kind of "Raj" .. ###
They are not PCs at all, except maybe in the all inclusive literal meaning "Personal Computer". But if that's the interpretation we should use then even the old Mac vs PC ads were PC vs PC ads.
As far as this ad goes, it falls down for me when the guy needs his phone to remind him to tell his wife "happy anniversary" when she calls. Why wouldn't you call your wife and say it to her proactively?
As for which is better, I don't use Siri as much as I might because in the car through bluetooth she struggles with the poor quality of the car's microphone and lack of noise cancelling technology...
As for which is better, I don't use Siri as much as I might because in the car through bluetooth she struggles with the poor quality of the car's microphone and lack of noise cancelling technology...
I think the dig is that, unlike Siri, Cortana can know when you're at any flower shop. Siri's geo-fencing is either to a particular location or a national chain like Starbucks. Cortana is able to use Bing to know where it is at, what the context is, etc.
----------
Regarding issue 1: when the person calls the reminder shows up along with the "answer" or "ignore" buttons .. so it's not distracting so much as conveniently appearing when needed.
Regarding issue 2: There are many times when I want to talk to a friend about issue A, which, while not important, I keep forgetting to talk to them about. Example would be, the new Avengers teaser trailer. Totally not important, but when he calls, I want to make sure I bring it up in conversation.
I think it's also quite possible that Apple just didn't think of this. iOS does things well that other mobile OS systems have not developed, but no doubt other OSes can do things iOS can't do (or do as well).
----------
Those reminders are either time-based or geo-fenced to a particular location or chain (i.e. "when I get to Sleep Easy Motel" or "When I get to a Starbucks" or of course "remind me in 20 minutes") whereas Cortana can do all those things AND it can also remind you with not so easy information. In the example he said "a flower shop," no one flower shop in particular. This is kind of huge. It's Cortana using Bing to figure out when it's near a flower shop of some kind, not a particular shop. Bing and even Google Now can't really do that (?yet).
----------
See my above post, the location based reminders in Windows 8.1 are different, and more powerful, than either Siri or Google Now can achieve.
Siri is tied to particular locations or chains ("remind me to pick up coffee at Starbucks") whereas Cortana is using Bing to figure out when you're near a flower shop (any flower shop), which Siri and Google Now can't do. So the difference is, with Cortana, "remind me to buy roses when I'm at a flower shop") whereas with the others "remind me when I'm at 'Sal's Flower shop' to pick up flowers."
------------------------------
Here are some articles on Cortana. Guys I'm a Mac user who also carries an Android, but I've been playing with a developer version of Windows Phone 8.1, and it has some amazing and great features that shouldn't be quickly dismissed. It means more competition which is great.
http://arstechnica.com/information-...igital-personal-assistants-to-the-next-level/
http://arstechnica.com/information-...oogles-knowledge-graph-and-microsofts-satori/
incredulous
Always seem incredulous to me when companies use these attack ad kind of tactics; it's like the noise a dirty political campaign.. I just try to tune it out. Microsoft should know that their target market is smarter than that.
If only Cortana would appear like the sexy holographic projection from the Halo games,... then I might be impressed.
Always seem incredulous to me when companies use these attack ad kind of tactics; it's like the noise a dirty political campaign.. I just try to tune it out. Microsoft should know that their target market is smarter than that.
If only Cortana would appear like the sexy holographic projection from the Halo games,... then I might be impressed.
Though the Mac vs PC ads were pretty successful and had the same basic premise, albeit done much more lighthearted.Always seem incredulous to me when companies use these attack ad kind of tactics; it's like the noise a dirty political campaign.. I just try to tune it out. Microsoft should know that their target market is smarter than that.
If only Cortana would appear like the sexy holographic projection from the Halo games,... then I might be impressed.
Cortana: The nude, blue assistant perfect for 14-year-old boys who think that's how real women should be. Call Siri when you're ready to grow up.
Underdog
With something like 2% global market share, Microsoft isn't risking bringing unintended attention to Siri. Everyone already knows there's an iPhone.
Just putting a Windows Phone in the same visual frame as an iPhone suggests a stature that market share does not.
When you're an underdog, you advertise different [sic].
With something like 2% global market share, Microsoft isn't risking bringing unintended attention to Siri. Everyone already knows there's an iPhone.
Just putting a Windows Phone in the same visual frame as an iPhone suggests a stature that market share does not.
When you're an underdog, you advertise different [sic].
"Remind me to get roses when I get to a flower shop"
Wow!
Can it remind me to start my car when I get in my car?
What a bunch of theoretical improvements with no real value in practice.
Wow!
Can it remind me to start my car when I get in my car?
What a bunch of theoretical improvements with no real value in practice.