Microsoft Cortana, featured in all of the latest Windows devices, will get a new feature called Suggested Reminders, intended to keep users up to date with their duties.
Cortana can already keep reminders and set up events if the user explicitly asks her to put it on a schedule. However, Suggested Reminders will work in a different way.
Now, Microsoft’s AI will analyze the user’s emails and will remind him or her about any appointments planned on them.
Some argue that the Windows 10 personal assistant looks to beat Google’s alternative, but Cortana seems to play an entirely different game. Just like Alexa helps the user at home, and Siri helps him on mobile, Cortana wants to be there for PC users.
How does the new feature work?
The assistant will now recognize when a user makes plans, according to Microsoft. For example, if the PC owner writes “I’ll be there tomorrow,” then Cortana might suggest marking this as a reminder on the calendar.
The feature is a feat of machine learning and will even detect deadlines on text, according to a blog post published last Thursday. This feature means that if a user promises to do something by the end of the week, for example, Cortana might send them a reminder on Friday.
Cortana’s suggested reminders are already in place on every computer running Windows 10 (the assistant needs to be properly enabled). As stated above, it works only with emails for the time being.
The feature, nevertheless, will only extend to the U.S. at this moment. Support for Android and iOS will come shortly, according to the Microsoft blog. Recognized email services include Outlook, Office 365 files, and school email addresses. No Gmail, apparently, for now.
The assistant will automatically recognize dates and pledges on an email no matter if the latter is in text or numbers. Deadline reminders will always trigger before the date is due, and other suggested markers will be in the Cortana home.
Cortana is becoming a strong contender in the virtual assistant field
AS of today, every Windows platform can work with Microsoft’s signature virtual assistant, from a Windows 10 desktop down to the Xbox One.
However, this is not Cortana’s only perk. In fact, the real upper hand seems to be its cross-platform capability, which allows it to run on Android and iOS, putting it one step ahead of all the others, except for the Google Assistant.
Most online reviewers agree that Cortana offers better performance, quality-wise. The Microsoft project allows users to sync their notifications between devices and has better voice recognition.
Source: Windows