If neither Siri nor Google Now is working the way you like it, you might be interested to learn that Microsoft has officially released Cortana for both the iOS and Android mobile operating systems. Prior to this, Cortana was only available as a beta but judging from this release, it looks like Microsoft thinks the software is ready for the masses.
For those unfamiliar, Cortana is the voice assistant designed for Windows Phone and Windows 10 (and Mobile). It used to be exclusive to those platforms until it was announced earlier this year that Microsoft would be expanding its reach to cover both iOS and Android. In fact for Android, Cortana is said to be able to replace Google Now as the default voice assistant, so if you’re not happy with Google Now’s functionality, Cortana is a viable alternative you could consider.
That being said, so what kind of features can we expect from Cortana? For the most part it will function like most voice assistants. Users will be able to set reminders and these reminders can even be location-based. Cortana can even respond to calls for you by sending a text message to let the other person know that you are busy.
Users can also track packages and flights with the app. For Android users, Microsoft has gone one step further by working with the folks at Cyanogen Inc. and have integrated Cortana into Cyanogen OS. If you’d like to get your hands on the app, you can head on over to the iTunes App Store or Google Play for the download.
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