Microsoft Launches New Cortana vs. Siri Ad Showing Off Context-Aware Reminders

[MacRumors]

Microsoft today launched a new commercial comparing its new Cortana virtual assistant to Apple's virtual assistant Siri, demonstrating how the former is able to perform contextually-aware tasks using a number of services.

Titled "Happy Anniversary", the commercial shows Cortana and Windows Phone 8.1 running on the Nokia Lumia 635 as the narrator makes commands related around a wedding anniversary. First, the narrator asks Cortana to remind him to wish his wife a happy birthday he next time she calls, as the voice assistant schedules a reminder around the call. Meanwhile, Siri does not comply to the request.

The narrator then asks Cortana to remind him to get roses when he comes near any flower shop, while Siri once again does not comply. Finally, Cortana automatically gives a traffic reminder prompting the narrator to leave before traffic delays, as Siri finishes by saying "Now that is a smart phone."

This is the first time that Microsoft has demonstrated its new Cortana voice assistant against Siri, however the company has used Siri's voice to poke fun at the iPad in the past. Cortana was originally announced in April alongside Windows Phone 8.1, as Microsoft touted the virtual assistant's ability to tie reminders and tasks around people and locations. Notably, a Windows Phone manager said last month that the company wants Cortana to be "pervasive" among mobile platforms, perhaps indicating that Microsoft could expand Cortana to iOS and Android.

Article Link: Microsoft Launches New Cortana vs. Siri Ad Showing Off Context-Aware Reminders

 

[farewelwilliams]

cortana, who named you?

 

[flash84x]

Ugh, still using the old voice even though they're depicting iOS 7. But more glaringly, I create location based reminders primarily with Siri, what are they talking about?

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cortana, who named you?

Seems to be lifted from the Halo game series, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cortana

 

[subsonix]

Interesting how the tables have turned on the Mac vs PC commercials. It's now Microsoft that makes them.

 

[Chabba]

Having played with Google Now on my Samsung S4, Cortana at the Microsoft store and used Siri on my iPhone 4S, Siri is the slowest and least accurate...by far.

 

[HeroofTime231]

Microsoft, give us Jen Taylor! You can't call your PA "Cortana" and not give us that voice!!!

 

[SgtPepper12]

This might actually be a great software, but I'd be a lot less biased if they didn't directly compare their phone to the iPhone. Especially the Siri voice basically literally saying "I'm such a bad phone, the Lumia is much better" is just uncreative and dumb. It's really lazy advertising in my eyes.

 

[Zxxv]

cortana, who named you?

she's from HALO. She is cool as and they are great games, cortana rocks. If only apple had her

 

[Chabba]

Ugh, still using the old voice even though they're depicting iOS 7. But more glaringly, I create location based reminders primarily with Siri, what are they talking about?

They're talking about what you see. You can't set Siri to remind you of something at general locations, only specific locations. Siri can't remind you of something the next time you speak with someone.

 

[rmbpuser]

Do I have to say Cortana everytime?
No thanks.

 

[pure-rockstar]

Well.... Siri hasn't been updated yet

 

[dixido]

Wow, I am impressed!

 

[lotzosushi]

Well that was embarrassing... more free advertisement for Apple.

I don't think I know any of my iPhone friends ever using Siri for anything more than asking silly questions hoping for a snarky reply.

 

[Apple blogger]

You can ask her/him to remind you to do something when u leave a place... Or when u get to a place.. But not the next time you talk to a person

 

[Deepshade]

Don't worry, the next iPhone will have software to do this, but you'll have to wait until the fall of 2015 for the actual phone, as it takes a year to make a new case - or maybe longer as production problems or dual product release issues might see that pushed that back until 2016….only one further item to contend with after that - by then, the iPhone will be the price of a small house.

 

[Bskippy]

Do I have to say Cortana everytime?
No thanks.

Ummm... No you don't have to say her name everytime. I use her on my Lumia 1520. I'm in the UK and she is only in Beta for the U.S, but already I get better functionality and more consistant voice recognition.

 

[Zxxv]

Do I have to say Cortana everytime?
No thanks.

Speaking to cortana if you've ever played halo gets microsoft cool points. Well from me atleast

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Microsoft, give us Jen Taylor! You can't call your PA "Cortana" and not give us that voice!!!

wheres the super agree button?

 

[Chabba]

Do I have to say Cortana everytime?
No thanks.

No.

 

[roadbloc]

Cortana is far batter than Siri in my experience. Although, Google Now is also better than Siri too. What happened to Siri Apple?

 

[Mashurrab]

Interesting how the tables have turned on the Mac vs PC commercials. It's now Microsoft that makes them.

True,

But Microsoft is lying here. Siri can do at least some of the tasks shown but with more steps, like having a location based reminder

 

[singe]

“We have to let go of this notion that for Apple to win, Microsoft has to lose,”
— Steve Jobs,
Macworld, August 1997

 

[Chabba]

True,

But Microsoft is lying here. Siri can do at least some of the tasks shown but with more steps, like having a location based reminder

Siri can't remind you when speaking in terms of general locations, only specific locations, like in the ad.

Edit: Remind me to do XYZ at ABC location vs remind me to do XYZ at whatever type of location mentioned.

 

[MH01]

This might actually be a great software, but I'd be a lot less biased if they didn't directly compare their phone to the iPhone. Especially the Siri voice basically literally saying "I'm such a bad phone, the Lumia is much better" is just uncreative and dumb. It's really lazy advertising in my eyes.

Wait..... Ads are biased???? So it is not so!!

 

[peterdevries]

Cortana is far batter than Siri in my experience. Although, Google Now is also better than Siri too. What happened to Siri Apple?

I don't see Cortana as a selling point for Windows Phone. Usability would be a selling point for Windows Phone. They should focus on that instead.

 

[pedromcm.pm]

Cortana is far batter than Siri in my experience. Although, Google Now is also better than Siri too. What happened to Siri Apple?

Nothing. That's the problem.

The "problem" is that Google uses your data to improve everything (relevant stuff on Google now, voice accuracy). Apple doesn't do that, to keep some sort of "clean" image because they want to make you think that using data=creepy and dirty.

So not updating Siri with that functionality = more iPhones. But it won't take long for that approach to change.