Apr 02
Today at the Build Developer Conference, Microsoft is showing off the newest version of its phone OS, Windows Phone 8.1. And now, Windows Phone now has its own personal assistant: Cortana.
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Mar 04
For those unfamiliar, Cortana is an upcoming Windows Phone feature that will be Microsoft’s answer to Apple’s Siri and Google Now. The feature is rumored to be part of the Windows Phone 8.1 update and so far we’ve managed to see a couple of screenshots, giving us a clue as to what to expect.
Well the good news is that if screenshots weren’t enough to do the feature justice, you might be interested to learn that Cortana has since been caught on video and uploaded onto YouTube, courtesy of UnleashThePhones. (more…)
Cortana For Windows Phone Caught On Video original content from Ubergizmo. 
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Mar 03
All eyes are on Microsoft to reveal more about its next major platform update at its BUILD conference next month, but there has already been a steady stream of leaks about Windows Phone 8.1. The update is a bit far off, we don’t expect it to be released before the second quarter. Rumors suggest that it will finally bring a standalone notification center, custom Start screen backgrounds as well as a digital assistant that will rival Siri. The assistant will reportedly be called Cortana, and now a screenshot of said virtual assistant has been leaked online.
Windows Phone 8.1 Cortana Screenshot Leaks original content from Ubergizmo. 
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Feb 20
Apple popularized the concept of baking in virtual assistants deep inside mobile devices. Siri is now nothing short of a global phenomenon, and while the company’s competitors may not have entirely gone down the same route, they too have launched somewhat similar services that aid users in their daily tasks. Microsoft has apparently been working on a Siri rival of its on, the Cortana assistant that will reportedly debut with Windows Phone 8.1. New details have emerged about Cortana which make it seem like the assistant will be a mix of Siri and Google Now.
Cortana Windows Phone 8.1 Assistant A Mix Of Siri And Google Now original content from Ubergizmo. 
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Feb 20
Microsoft is late to the game when it comes to putting a digital assistant on its phones, but the wait might be worth it. Sources close to the project have revealed some of the specifics of Microsoft’s upcoming "Cortana" service to The Verge, and it could be the very best of Siri and Google Now.
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Sep 21
Windows Phone 8.1 Will First Bring ‘Cortana’ Digital Assistant To The U.S. [Rumor]
Posted in: Today's Chili
Microsoft is said to be working on its own digital voice assistant to rival Apple’s Siri. Internally, the assistant is said to be referred to as “Cortana,” which is actually a character from the Halo franchise. Rumor has it that Cortana is actually going to be an overhaul of Microsoft’s TellMe service, while offering the same voice interaction features that Siri does. There’s also chatter about Microsoft integrating the assistant into all of its major products, such as the Xbox and Windows OS devices. The assistant is expected to be released as an integral part of Windows Phone 8.1 update, which is due early next year.
Microsoft is currently testing the assistant internally on Windows Phone devices that are running the GDR3 update, which is expected to be released in the near future. It is said that GDR3 update won’t bring Cortana to Windows Phone 8 powered devices. Moreover, it is said that Cortana will initially only be available to users in the U.S. once Windows Phone 8.1 rolls out next year. Users outside the U.S. would reportedly have to wait until late 2014 to get the virtual assistant. While Cortana might only be the codename at this point in time, a petition urging Microsoft to opt it as the final branding for the assistant is already gaining steam.
Windows Phone 8.1 Will First Bring ‘Cortana’ Digital Assistant To The U.S. [Rumor] original content from Ubergizmo. 
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Sep 12
Windows Phone’s future may involve more than just a few more home screen tiles. Elaborating on rumors from the summer, ZDNet claims that the next version of Windows Phone (possibly 8.1) will focus on Cortana, a personal assistant that goes beyond the likes of Google Now or Siri. The Halo-inspired component is reportedly more of a shell than an app, and would integrate the OS with Microsoft services like Bing. Ultimately, Cortana would find its way into versions of Windows and the Xbox One’s Dashboard.
The assistant might not be the only major feature in 8.1. Windows-Phone.pl has posted what it says are photos of the OS running on a smartphone. They suggest that the previously leaked notification center would reside in a Live Tile, and that users could group-select tiles like they can with Windows 8.1. There’s no guarantees that the images or the Cortana rumor are authentic, although they’re consistent with Microsoft’s publicly stated desires for both a notification center and a “service-enabled shell.” We may not get any official details for a while, however — if real, Windows Phone 8.1 might not ship until sometime in early 2014.
Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Microsoft
Source: Windows-Phone.pl (translated), ZDNet
Sep 12
Microsoft is next in line to build a mobile personal assistant, one that’s more than more than a robotic voice that obeys spoken commands. The feature will tie together all Microsoft products. So it’s probably appropriate that it’ll be named Cortana after the artificially intelligent character in Halo.
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Jan 02
I might be a little behind the times, but I just finished the campaign mode of Halo 4 over the holidays. For those of you who haven’t played the game yet, (minor spoiler ahead) Cortana has a little case of something called “rampancy” in which too much information loaded into her program causes her to destabilize and lose her mind. Now you can have a little of the same, when you down this special Cortana-themed cocktail.
This delightfully blue drink is made up from Blue Curacao, Alize Bleu Passion, UV Blue Vodka, Blueberry Lemonade Mio, and a bit of Sprite or 7UP. Here’s the full recipe:
Ingredients:
1.5 parts Blue Curacao
2 parts Alizé Bleu Passion
2 parts UV Blue Vodka
1 squeeze Blueberry Lemonade Mio
Lemon Lime soda
Directions: Pour the Blue Curacao over ice into a hurricane or equally sexy tall glass. Float Alizé atop Curacao. Float vodka atop Alizé. Gently pour your lemon lime soda nearing the top. Squeeze a shot of blue concentrated flavoring (Mio). She’s waited a long time for this, John. Savor the moment as if it’s your last.
Between the vodka and the two other alcoholic ingredients, you definitely won’t be feeling any pain after a few of these. Though it might just affect your ability to effectively take down Covenant and Promethean warriors.
The Cortana Cocktail was made by Clint Slowik, and is featured up on The Drunken Moogle, where you can also find Clint’s other Halo concoction, the awesomely-colored Master Chief.
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