Microsoft Opens Cortana Virtual Assistant to Third-Party Hardware Makers

[RickInHouston]

Apple has traditionally come late to the party (iPhone, iPad, etc.). Back then, though, they came late to the party and they showed up with the goods that made everybody go, "Ahhhh, well, you were late but you brought some really cool stuff to the party. Thanks!" Now, it's just like, "Anybody seen Apple? Oh, there they are in the corner showing off watch bands, emoji, and earbuds. Oh, wait...I think I saw one of those earbuds on the floor in the other room. I hope they know they lost one!"

And if you find the earbud on the floor with no one to claim it, you try to connect it to your phone and it says, "Beep, beep, beep these are stolen, please return to the owner. Beep, beep, beep." Into the trashbin they go.

 

[Yojimbo007]

Unfortunately I believe Apple will respond in 2 years and the world will yawn. After seeing the Microsoft Surface Studio and now hearing this, I am seriously thinking of leaving the Apple bubble. What happened to the days of the first iPhone or iPad when Apple lead the charge and created a category?? Now they just come late to the party every time.

come late and underwhelm too

 

[itguy06]

Still trying to figure out what problem this nonsense solves. I don't want to talk to some box and look like an idiot. I'm not that fiddly. If I want the weather I look at my phone and it's there. Or surf over to the weather website from the computer.

I'm automating the house and not once have I wanted to adjust the stuff by talking to some stupid box. I've got the Insteon app on my wrist and it works awesome.

Nor do I want a creepy company (Amazon, Google) getting more data about me in order to sell me more ****. It's already creepy when I search for something on Amazon and a day or so later I get that e-mail begging me to buy it.

I've used Google and Siri and they both are relegated to the junk bin in short order.

So, what problem exactly are they trying to solve? Cause I don't see it. I got the Apple Watch (and wearables in general) and it's use case. Google Home, Echo, Dot, Cortana, whatever I don't get it.

The only place I find voice control to be useful is in the car where I can enter destinations and what not while driving. It works there but that's about it.

 

[smoledman]

Can you dig it?

 

[Soccertess]

I wish Apple just gave up on siri. Wish I could choose google now as the default assistant.

I haven't ever used siri on my mac either.

 

[ke-iron]

Can someone please explain why anyone would need these products (including Amazon Echo) if you have a mobile device with voice assistant and Sonos speakers linked to Spotify or Apple Music for your tunes?

These devices can hear you across the entire room and you do not need to have your mobile device in hand. Basically with a few of these devices in different rooms and you can wal anywhere in your house and be connected hands free at all times.

 

[GadgetBen]

This feels like an entirely different world that we're living in, and Apple's limelight is fading fast. With Cortana integrated so broadly into a household, and supposedly working well, I can't imagine the homeowner choosing any other platform. If Siri is limited in her reach, she will never gain any real traction.

I cannot understand why Apple have fallen behind with Siri. They will need to have a solution to Viv in 2017.