Cortana on Windows Phones, PCs, and now...Apple and Android Devices

Photo Credit: Yahoo! Tech

With the summer release date for Windows 10 to come out, Microsoft is making some big moves this year. In addition to Windows 10, Microsoft also announced that later in the year Cortana (Microsoft's Personal Virtual Assistant) will be available on Android and iOS devices via a mobile application (Yahoo! Tech). While Cortana might not have all the capabilities it does on a Windows Phone, Microsoft plans to continually improve its functions across all devices.  

What does this mean for the Virtual Assistant space?

1. It is further validation that Virtual Assistants are becoming the new norm. Big brands and industry experts agree that self-service and Artificial Intelligence is the way of the future and companies need to jump on board or risk getting left behind.

2. The competition between Siri, GoogleNow, and Cortana will stiffen, and in the coming months we will see how the public takes to Cortana's availability.

3. More companies (even outside the mobile market) will continue to invest in advancing their Virtual Assistant technology to better serve the consumers. 

What is your opinion on Microsoft's expansion to Apple and Android devices? What other implications does this have for Artificial Intelligence and the Virtual Assistant market?  

www.nohold.com       

Virtual Agent Tips and Tricks: Google Now Features Better Than Siri? Better than Cortana?

When we talk about Personal Virtual Assistant, Siri usually is the first name that comes to mind. Although, Siri might be one of the better-known virtual assistants, it certainly is not the only one. 

In the past we have talked a lot about some of the cool features most people didn't know about Siri. For this week's Virtual Agent tips and tricks blog, I wanted to share with you some lesser known features, about Google Now. Here are "9 Things You May Not Have Known About Google Now." (2014, Daniel Bean, Yahoo! Tech)

1. You can ask specific question to bring up information cards.

2. You can say, "Hey, Google" to launch the app.

3. Google can learn your relationships to contacts.

4. There are plenty of fun tricks and Easter eggs.

5. You can make Google Now smarter through a survey.

6. Android Wear watches can run Google Now, too. 

7. It features a handy tip calculator.

8. Google Now is available on your PC.

9. It can identify music and TV programs just by listening. 

As you can tell, some of these features definitely overlap with Siri features such as learning contact relationships, but others are unique to Google Now like being available on wearable devices and using information cards to answer specific questions.  

There is always heated debates about which Personal Virtual Assistant is the best: Siri, Google Now, Cortana, Watson, etc. Just check out the commercial Microsoft put out emphasizing the rivalry between Siri and Cortana. 

What is your opinion on the virtual rivalries? Which virtual assistant do you use, or would you use? Why?

www.nohold.com

A Self-Driving, Personal Virtual Assistant

Smart car sales are continually increasing in popularity since their adoption in the US. Each year they seem to be getting a little more advanced. For example, Apple has created CarPlay, which they launched at the Geneva Motor Show. This software provides iOS users a hands-free option to make phone calls, check voice mail, etc. It is comparable to having a Personal Virtual Assistant programmed into your car.

Similarly, Google is taking smart cars to the next level with their design of the self-driving car. If you live in the Silicon Valley, you have probably seen Google’s self-driving car in action. The video above is Google’s vision for the future of smart, self-driving cars. With the Internet of Everything (IoE) era among us, and the ability for devices to connect with each other, this vision of less congested, safer roads is not too far away. Automobile manufacturers are already incorporating smart machines in vehicles for things such as hands free GPS, and music. How will smart machines and Artificial Intelligence continue evolving along with self-driving cars?