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

[the8thark]

Great, a recursive definition, "an A is an A", true! It tells us nothing about the nature of A however. Can you explain why a personal computer is not a computer intended for personal use? If I have a mainframe in my garage and use it as my personal computer is that also then a PC?

Not sure if you are just trolling now or are getting out by doing the semantic equivalent of "hide a coin" magic trick. Regardless the definition is useless here, because the Mac vs PC commercial compares the Mac platform to the WinTel platform running Windows. It's unfortunate that the PC acronym was used by IBM to brand their platform because it leads to all sorts of confusion.

From wikipedia:
"A personal computer (PC) is a general-purpose computer, whose size, capabilities and original sale price makes it useful for individuals, and is intended to be operated directly by an end-user with no intervening computer operator."

That's what I take to be as a PC.

I'm glad Apple has you to look after them even though Apple and everyone else appears to be "wrong". Where were you when Apple was wrong about the iPad mini too?

I didn't say everyone else was wrong. I didn't talk about the competition in that post. You just added it in.

"Where were you when Apple was wrong about the iPad mini too?"
Here on these forums sharing my dislike for the Mini. I still think the Mini is not a well thought product. It is just a way to enter the smaller tablet market. It'll make profits. But it is zero innovation. It's not really better than anything. It's just a smaller tablet. The original iPad on the other hand is better than all the netbooks. In so many revolutionary ways.

I am not against products like the iPad mini and oversized phones on the condition they are actually innovative and not just simply catering for market demand.

What can the larger iPhone do that the 5C can't do? People will say more screen real estate . . . and that is true but the iPad Mini and iPad does larger screen even better. That's using the device as a tablet or as a PC and not as a phone. As a phone what can an oversized phone do that the 5C can't do? That's what I want to hear. Apart from generate profits (which it will do).

I want Apple to bring out innovative products and not just me too products. Others are sell ing smaller tablets and oversized phones so Apple went "me too". Nothing apart from the size (or size related things) sets the iPad from the iPad mini. And I think the same will be true for the oversized iPhone. But I'd like Apple to prove me wrong there. It'd be a pleasant surprise.

 

[sumsingwong]

From wikipedia:

"A personal computer (PC) is a general-purpose computer, whose size, capabilities and original sale price makes it useful for individuals, and is intended to be operated directly by an end-user with no intervening computer operator."



That's what I take to be as a PC.





I didn't say everyone else was wrong. I didn't talk about the competition in that post. You just added it in.



"Where were you when Apple was wrong about the iPad mini too?"

Here on these forums sharing my dislike for the Mini. I still think the Mini is not a well thought product. It is just a way to enter the smaller tablet market. It'll make profits. But it is zero innovation. It's not really better than anything. It's just a smaller tablet. The original iPad on the other hand is better than all the netbooks. In so many revolutionary ways.



I am not against products like the iPad mini and oversized phones on the condition they are actually innovative and not just simply catering for market demand.



What can the larger iPhone do that the 5C can't do? People will say more screen real estate . . . and that is true but the iPad Mini and iPad does larger screen even better. That's using the device as a tablet or as a PC and not as a phone. As a phone what can an oversized phone do that the 5C can't do? That's what I want to hear. Apart from generate profits (which it will do).



I want Apple to bring out innovative products and not just me too products. Others are sell ing smaller tablets and oversized phones so Apple went "me too". Nothing apart from the size (or size related things) sets the iPad from the iPad mini. And I think the same will be true for the oversized iPhone. But I'd like Apple to prove me wrong there. It'd be a pleasant surprise.

I don't think it was a "me too" decision. It is good business practice to provide something that the market is in high demanding for. A good example of "me too" is Samsungs half baked fingerprint scanner and smart watch. Demand isn't very high for them but because Apple added the FP scanner to their flagship iPhone, Samsung wanted to show the world they can do it too and because rumors of an iWatch was in the works, Samsung, again, wanted to show the world they can do it too.

 

[ioioos]

We have a regular game in the pub where we get out an iphone, Sony android and Nokia Windows phone and give them the same simple voice command. Its a good test with the background noise.

Last weekend, we asked, "How old is Santi Cazorla" (Arsenal Football player).

Cortana = "Santi Cazorla is 29 years old" and showed a picture.

Google now = "Santi Cazorla is 29 years old" and showed a picture.

Siri = "Santa Claus"....links to Santa info.

Its pretty much the same with every search. Siri is simply way behind.

I don't blame MS for highlighting the weakness of the iphone in an advert. At least they are picking on a fact, where the old Mac Vs Pc advert simply tried to knock the competition using "Coolness".

 

[the8thark]

I don't think it was a "me too" decision. It is good business practice to provide something that the market is in high demanding for. A good example of "me too" is Samsungs half baked fingerprint scanner and smart watch. Demand isn't very high for them but because Apple added the FP scanner to their flagship iPhone, Samsung wanted to show the world they can do it too and because rumors of an iWatch was in the works, Samsung, again, wanted to show the world they can do it too.

It is a "me too" decision. Samsung did a me too with the fingerprint thing. And Apple is doing a me too thing with the oversized phones.

Samsung is making the oversized phones and Apple wants to show the world they can do it too. Same thing really.

 

[Armen]

I create location based reminders primarily with Siri, what are they talking about?

With Siri if you set a location based reminder you have to specify a location based on a contact or an address you manually enter and the trigger for the reminder is when you arrive/leave that location.

The commercial is showing off Cortana's ability to set a dynamic location based reminder such as "Remind me to buy flowers when I pass by Any flower shop".

In order to accomplish the same task with Siri you'd have to pick a flower shop manually and enter the address and then specify "arrive" in order for it to work.

 

[subsonix]

From wikipedia:
"A personal computer (PC) is a general-purpose computer, whose size, capabilities and original sale price makes it useful for individuals, and is intended to be operated directly by an end-user with no intervening computer operator."

That's what I take to be as a PC.

You're funny. In what way does that contradict what I said?

But that definition is useless here, since all computers intended for personal use are PCs.

To which you replied. "Not true. A personal computer is just that."

BTW, the definition is useless here because it's not the intended meaning in the Mac vs PC ads, that Wiki article itself starts by saying: This article is about personal computers in general. For the computer architecture commonly known as "PC", see IBM PC compatible.

Wikipedia is quite useless here btw, because this is not some formal, scientific or strictly defined term. It's basically someone's opinion.

 

[Renzatic]

Wikipedia is quite useless here btw, because this is not some formal, scientific or strictly defined term. It's basically someone's opinion.

Less opinion, more generally accepted terminology.

A Mac is as much a PC as a PC is, though most people refer to Macs as Macs, and Wintel machines as PCs. So when someone says "Macs are better than PCs", or vice versa, we all know what they're talking about.

 

[subsonix]

Less opinion, more generally accepted terminology.

A Mac is as much a PC as a PC is, though most people refer to Macs as Macs, and Wintel machines as PCs. So when someone says "Macs are better than PCs", or vice versa, we all know what they're talking about.

To avoid confusion, let's say a Mac is as much a personal computer as a PC is.

But even that is questionable depending on the capablilies of the PC, the Wiki article goes on to contrast personal computers with time-sharing systems. Time-sharing first found it's way into workstations and later to various personal computers as well, which arguable makes them less personal.

It's opinion because it lacks sources, obviously because there are none. Then it's subject to public editing and opinions about what the term entails. When you use the acronym, it's more likely that you mind is drawn to the platform than if you use the term personal computer.

 

[farewelwilliams]

Are you complaining about people complaining about people complaining?

Same question towards you.

 

[Renzatic]

It's opinion because it lacks sources, obviously because there are none. Then it's subject to public editing and opinions about what the term entails. When you use the acronym, it's more likely that you mind is drawn to the platform than if you use the term personal computer.

I haven't looked it up myself, but I'm pretty surprised Wikipedia doesn't have two articles for the term PC. One for the (generally) Windows driven IBM derived platform (which acts more as a generic commonly used catchphrase, than it does a specific definition), and one disambiguated.

 

[subsonix]

I haven't looked it up myself, but I'm pretty surprised Wikipedia doesn't have two articles for the term PC. One for the (generally) Windows driven IBM derived platform (which acts more as a generic commonly used catchphrase, than it does a specific definition), and one disambiguated.

But it does. The article above starts out by saying:

This article is about personal computers in general. For the computer architecture commonly known as "PC", see IBM PC compatible.

the8thark's whole schtick when he entered the discussion was to make use of the fact that there are two meanings for the term, especially if you use the accronym for both meanings. But most importantly, his comment added nothing by pointing out that the iPhone is a personal computer, nor did it change my point about the ad.

Also, note that I don't disagree with the Wiki article, it's the8thark that seems to think that there is some conflict. I'm just pointing out that quoting Wikipedia in this particular case is not some kind of authority that will end the discussion or prove anything definately. But, as I said, I don't disagree with the Wiki article so it really doesn't matter at all.

 

[Renzatic]

But it does. The article above starts out by saying...

See, this is why I should look this stuff up before commenting.

the8thark's whole schtick when he entered the discussion was to make use of the fact that there are two meanings for the term, especially if you use the accronym for both meanings. But most importantly, his comment added nothing by pointing out that the iPhone is a personal computer, nor did it change my point about the ad.

Also, note that I don't disagree with the Wiki article, it's the8thark that seems to think that there is some conflict. I'm just pointing out that quoting Wikipedia in this particular case is not some kind of authority that will end the discussion or prove anything definately. But, as I said, I don't disagree with the Wiki article so it really doesn't matter at all.

Yeah, it's pretty much semantics. With those Mac vs. PC ads, everyone knows what they're talking about. There's no confusion. Bringing up the distinction does nothing but pick at nits and muddy up the conversation for the simple sake of it.

It's like telling someone to xerox something back in the day. Everyone knew it meant to copy something. But if someone were to say "how do I apply a sheet of paper to a large company" or "we don't have Xerox machines, only HP stuff", they'd just get slapped upside the head.

 

[sumsingwong]

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

It is a "me too" decision. Samsung did a me too with the fingerprint thing. And Apple is doing a me too thing with the oversized phones.



Samsung is making the oversized phones and Apple wants to show the world they can do it too. Same thing really.

Not really. Apple did the FP scanner with innovative design and technology that actually works. The Samsung version is the same tech and swipe design others made in the past. Market demand is going towards larger display phones. It doesn't take innovation to make a display larger which is why any manufacturer can do it. It's good business practice to pay attention to market demand. If you're a business owner and your clients are requesting a larger display, would you deny their requests and lose their business to a competitor? Have you seen any other cell phone manufacturer design a FP scanner that works as we'll or better than Apples? HTC, Samsung, Motorola have attempted and failed miserably.

Btw...Apple doesn't need to prove to world they can make larger displays on mobile devices. That was already done when they created the iPad.

 

[the8thark]

Btw...Apple doesn't need to prove to world they can make larger displays on mobile devices. That was already done when they created the iPad.

Larger phones are not the same as tablets. Very different product. Can't compare the two in this instance. Apple is a me too in the larger phone thing. But not for tablets.

 

[sumsingwong]

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

Larger phones are not the same as tablets. Very different product. Can't compare the two in this instance. Apple is a me too in the larger phone thing. But not for tablets.

You're kidding right? It's the same thing without the radios. It's harder to make smaller phones because you have less space to cram all the hardware in them.

Keep in mind, we are talking about just the displays. Throwing a larger display on a phone creates more space to work with.

 

[the8thark]

You're funny. In what way does that contradict what I said?

I doesn't. It just says what I believe to be the definition of a PC. And that fits in with my points I said earlier. Sure wikipedia is just an opinion database, bur feel free to provide a better definition of a PC in general (not an IBM compatible PC) from a reputable source.

----------

You're kidding right? It's the same thing without the radios. It's harder to make smaller phones because you have less space to cram all the hardware in it.

It's not about the hardware. It's about how the devices are used. People use tablets in different ways to phones. And take them to different places.

I don't get it. Samsung does something and people agree it's me too. But when Apple does something that is me too, everyone tries to argue Apple can't ever do me too. The fact is the competition is releasing lots of oversized phones. And Apple instead of making something better than an oversized phone to compete is doing a me too and also making oversized phones.

 

[sebastian...]

does anyone actually use "siri" or "cortana"? the only thing i use dictation for is texting down the interstate

Why would you prefer to set alarms and reminders manually ? Isn't that slower ? Instead you could just say : "Set an alarm for 6"

Reminders are even slower to set manually.

So my question is : Do people still set their alarms and stuff manually ? Why ?

And about "Google Now is faster and etc" did google Now got the capability yet to set alarms, notes, reminders and so on ?

 

[nozebleed]

Why would you prefer to set alarms and reminders manually ? Isn't that slower ? Instead you could just say : "Set an alarm for 6"

Reminders are even slower to set manually.

So my question is : Do people still set their alarms and stuff manually ? Why ?

And about "Google Now is faster and etc" did google Now got the capability yet to set alarms, notes, reminders and so on ?

I have an alarm clock, and a functioning brain

 

[sebastian...]

I have an alarm clock, and a functioning brain

So wherever you travel, you carry your phone and also your alarm clock. And you also carry your functioning brain which tells you to do things slower than you could.

Because saying "set an alarm for 6" is clearly faster than fumbling with the buttons and the interface on the iphone.
If you have a very heavy schedule ahead, setting tons of reminders and calendar events by siri is clearly faster than setting them manually.

 

[smoledman]

It doesn't matter. For many people Cortana will be just thought of as Microsoft Clippy/Bob 2.0.
Surface Phone = Kin
Surface Pro 3 = 2001 Tablet PC

and so on...

 

[Michael Goff]

It doesn't matter. For many people Cortana will be just thought of as Microsoft Clippy/Bob 2.0.
Surface Phone = Kin
Surface Pro 3 = 2001 Tablet PC

and so on...

"Many people" must mean "Linux and OS X fans".

 

[2984839]

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.

Apple does the same thing. It's right in their privacy policy.

https://www.apple.com/legal/privacy/en-ww/

 

[flash84x]

I thought that at first, but they say "any" flower shop. Siri requires a specific location rather than a general description of a place. I do wonder how that affects battery life though as adding a geofence for every flower shop or coffee shop would be adding a lot of possible locations...

Agreed, that sounds super inefficient. iOS specifically limits the number of geo-fences that an app can track.

Besides, this example is really contrived. I would think you'd rather have a reminder to pick up flowers on your way home after you leave the office. I guess it's more of a "hey there is a flower shop nearby, maybe you should grab some." reminder?

 

[Regbial]

You do realize that Nokia have been making colorful phones with polycarbonate shells from 2011 right? They even made fun of apple in twitter when they announced 5C.

Oh I see... Well, now I learned.

 

[MozMan68]

Agreed, that sounds super inefficient. iOS specifically limits the number of geo-fences that an app can track.

Besides, this example is really contrived. I would think you'd rather have a reminder to pick up flowers on your way home after you leave the office. I guess it's more of a "hey there is a flower shop nearby, maybe you should grab some." reminder?

Super inefficient on an iPhone... but the typical Lumia phone easily lasts between 1 and 2 days...