WATCH: Take a Look at ‘Cortana,’ Microsoft’s Answer to Siri
By Jacob Siegel, BGR/Yahoo Tech
As we await the official announcement of Microsoft’s next update to its mobile operating system, rumored to be named Windows Phone 8.1, leaks of said update continue to surface.
The latest: a video of what looks to be a working version of Windows Phone’s own Siri-like voice assistant, Cortana (named after the AI from the Halo video games).
The video leak comes one day after The Verge posted some screenshots of the digital assistant.
(Image: The Verge)
This footage, courtesy of Unleash the Phones, begins with the initial setup, in which you will be asked to allow Cortana to access your information and sign into your Microsoft account. Once you’re logged in, Cortana will quickly “absorb the entire Internet” before asking you what you’d like to be called.
After you’ve decided on a nickname, you’ll be given the option to acquaint yourself with Cortana by answering a series of personal questions — anything from what motivates you to leave the house to which parts of your evening you consider most enjoyable. A message preceding the questions notes that they have not been finalized yet.
Another feature revolving around Cortana is labeled “quiet hours.” From the description:
“During quiet hours, Cortana handles your calls and texts and silences other notifications. You can turn it on and off when you like, or set it to turn on automatically.”
In order to access Cortana, you can either select the tile dedicated to the app or simply hold down the search button at the bottom of the phone. Cortana appears to be a balance between Siri and Google Now, so it will be interesting to see how users react to the new feature when it launches this year alongside Windows Phone’s new operating system. The video can be seen below:
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This article was originally published on BGR.com
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