Cortana & WP8.1 Bring Microsoft Back to 'Cool'

[McCrazieGoalz]

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First things first.

Where is the Cortana Merchandise?

Apart from going toe-to-toe with Apple on Siri in a really serious way with the release of Cortana, I think Microsoft is really lining up its ducks very nicely in a row for a serious mobile invasion this year.

There are a few things that I personally feel Microsoft has got going for itself as far as its mobile strategy is concerned this season:
- Upgrade-able smartphone devices - All WP8 phones to receive WP8.1
- WP8.1 itself - notification centre (Action Centre) and overall OS improvements
- The Nokia deal
- The availability of Nokia devices in all corners of the earth
- Nokia X range (good for Microsoft's cloud and mobile strategy)
- Free Windows for all devices smaller than 9'' (Windows Phone & Windows 8.x?). MS's WP can now really hit those lower price points
- Free MS Office (Android & iDevices)
- Cortana

It is also interesting that MS is simply roping in the 1.something billion users into its ecosystem through Office because Office for the iPad is free for download but not for full use (365 subs rqd). And for Android, it is only for smartphones and not tablets (or not for tablets >9'') if I'm not mistaken.

The main USP that Microsoft now has, apart from the fact that it has now dealt with the issues that its competitors had an advantage over it, is Cortana. From a marketing point of view, Cortana has a huge advantage over Google Now (especially) and Siri. Its gaming background is its main advantage.

For the above reasons therefore, I feel that Microsoft is coming out fighting in this season of smartphone releases.

Q4 2014 is going to be an enormous battlefield.

I just hope I can get some Cortana merchandise soon.

What are your thoughts on where MS stands now?

 

[McCrazieGoalz]

Someone is selling the T-shirts here;

Cortana T-shirts (black)

Pity I can't see the price.

 

[Maverick Jester]

"Marketing advantage" means nothing if the service isn't up to scratch. And it has a lot of catching up to do just to match Google Now from a services point of view.

 

[SuperBru]

Cool interview with the two ladies (Siri vs Cortana) on Arsenio's show. WP needs more of this kind of exposure...

[video=youtube;-iznLyIYzts]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-iznLyIYzts[/video]

 

[McCrazieGoalz]

"Marketing advantage" means nothing if the service isn't up to scratch. And it has a lot of catching up to do just to match Google Now from a services point of view.

I think you got it all wrong with that argument.

The reason why Google is successful is because it offers cheaper products and everything - ie all functions and more. And would argue that Google Now is not successful on its own, but rather as an add on feature of the Android ecosystem. It is useful. Not successful.

The reason why Apple is successful is because it is chique. Its really more marketing than the functionality for the product. Thats why they can charge a premium. Siri added to Apple products chiqueness - because it was marketable, ie cool (trendy rather since its more for the older generation - imo).

MS would have it with Cortana. Much like how cool Siri was and how people caught on to it. Google Now people don't know so much about in popular culture. Geeks know it. Not high school kids.

Cortana? High school kids would know it/her. In fact, Cortana, has much greater marketing potential than Siri because it'll be like marketing an action figure. It'll be like marketing Batman, or Superman. Spiderman? Captain America. Cortana. Cortana is an entire franchise on her own.

Contrast that with marketing Google Now.

I hope you catch my drift.

​

 

[Maverick Jester]

I think you got it all wrong with that argument.

No, you did. See below.

The reason why Google is successful is because it offers cheaper products and everything - ie all functions and more. And would argue that Google Now is not successful on its own, but rather as an add on feature of the Android ecosystem. It is useful. Not successful.

Firstly- no one said that it is successful, but in the same breath, you can't simply state out of hand that it hasn't been- there is no data to suggest that a large percentage of users actually use or don't use the service.

In terms of services, Cortana is behind Google Now, especially from a data perspective. That is still a valid point which you have chosen to not address.

The reason why Apple is successful is because it is chique. Its really more marketing than the functionality for the product. Thats why they can charge a premium. Siri added to Apple products chiqueness - because it was marketable, ie cool (trendy rather since its more for the older generation - imo).

No, Apple are successful because they operate on a different model to Google and Microsoft. Hence why despite Siri, you can install Google Now on iOS. Siri was added as a marketing tool, sure, but Microsoft are doing the exact same thing here. We'll see how that pans out for them.

MS would have it with Cortana. Much like how cool Siri was and how people caught on to it. Google Now people don't know so much about in popular culture. Geeks know it. Not high school kids.

Cortana? High school kids would know it/her. In fact, Cortana, has much greater marketing potential than Siri because it'll be like marketing an action figure. It'll be like marketing Batman, or Superman. Spiderman? Captain America. Cortana. Cortana is an entire franchise on her own.

Contrast that with marketing Google Now.

This is an enormous pile of BS. Every Android user knows what Google Now is. Every Google Chrome users knows what Google Now is. Every iOS user knows what Google Now is. These are very basic examples, which I won't extrapolate because the point is fairly obvious. Also, it's a hugely ignorant statement to make, that a Google service has not proliferated popular culture. Gmail, Chrome, Google Search, Android... notice a trend there?

I think you are confusing marketing potential with the need to market a product. Microsoft had to resort to using a popular gaming character's name to market their service, to make it "cool" to people who wouldn't look at it otherwise. Google don't have to.

It's pertinent to note that you went out on a limb to describe the marketing potential that Cortana has, because only geeks would know how it fits into Microsoft's mobile strategy without having to relate the name to Halo. To the man on the street, Cortana is exactly that right now.

I hope you catch my drift.

Sure. You are correct that Microsoft are finally implementing a progressive mobile strategy. I like the direction that Satya Nadella looks to want to take them in- back to their roots as a services-based company. They made a few mistakes under Ballmer, but Nadella looks the man to take them forward. And it is a great thing for us as consumers.

But don't oversell Cortana as a service just yet. It's still getting started, and it has a lot of catching up to do, simply because of the time it took for Microsoft to offer such a service.

 

[McCrazieGoalz]

No, you did. See below.

But don't oversell Cortana as a service just yet. It's still getting started, and it has a lot of catching up to do, simply because of the time it took for Microsoft to offer such a service.

Alright, points taken.

However, I still disagree with you that Google Now has caught on in popular culture.

People know Google and Android. But, exactly what Google Now is - a big fat NO. I am talking the ordinary kid or person on the street. Quite frankly, I haven't experienced Google Now at all. Yet, I recently bought my son an Android phone. If it were an iPhone, I'm sure he would have played around with Siri. Google Now? He still actually has to find out what that is. I'll ask him to explore it.

P.S. The real point I am making is that Google Now sounds more like a service than a personal assistant. I think Google got that one wrong - naming and marketing wise. Cortana and Siri stand out. Google Now - doesn't. They might have to rename Google Now to R2D2 or something.

 

[Frikkenator]

This is an enormous pile of BS. Every Android user knows what Google Now is. Every Google Chrome users knows what Google Now is. Every iOS user knows what Google Now is. These are very basic examples, which I won't extrapolate because the point is fairly obvious.

I know exactly 1 Android users that uses Google Now, I know no iOS users who use it.

See the problem with Google Now is that it is fundamentally a voice search that keeps track of your interests that can accomplish a couple of mundane tasks on your phone. Cortana and Siri (to a lesser extent) are more people focussed. Example: Using your social media info, you can say "Let my dad know I'm going to be late" and Cortana knows who your dad is. Or "Remind me to ask my sister about the party when I speak to her", Cortana knows who your sister is, and will pop up a reminder the next time you phone/SMS/WhatsApp/Facebook message/Skype her. So in general for most users it becomes useful, not just a search.

So I don't agree with you that Cortana is playing catch-up and I also know (in my group of friends at least) that Google Now is not as widely used as you think.

I do however agree that Microsoft is playing catch-up on the mobile arena as a whole, but they are doing a damn good job of it. Windows Phone 8.1 is basically the update that finally puts WP on par with the other platforms, and I reckon it's going to see tremendous growth from here.

 

[Polymathic]

Wonder how long until Cortana reaches Xbox One

 

[Maverick Jester]

Alright, points taken.

However, I still disagree with you that Google Now has caught on in popular culture.

People know Google and Android. But, exactly what Google Now is - a big fat NO. I am talking the ordinary kid or person on the street. Quite frankly, I haven't experienced Google Now at all. Yet, I recently bought my son an Android phone. If it were an iPhone, I'm sure he would have played around with Siri. Google Now? He still actually has to find out what that is. I'll ask him to explore it.

P.S. The real point I am making is that Google Now sounds more like a service than a personal assistant. I think Google got that one wrong - naming and marketing wise. Cortana and Siri stand out. Google Now - doesn't. They might have to rename Google Now to R2D2 or something.

I dunno, I think that was the point of Google Now- to be a service. Google have never made their services implicitly personal- perfect example being how they are generally ecosystem-agnostic.

I know that they are pushing it more with the GE launcher found in the Nexus 5, but between it being used vs. people knowing what it is, that's something I did agree with you on. It's a powerful service once used, and I don't think that as many people use it compared to the numbers that actually know about it.

Cortana and Siri are more personal, and that is pretty great. If I had the devices that employed them, I would no doubt use them, too. They tie their ecosystems together- Google Now could disappear with very little relative complaint to how Android and Google services operate.

I did say that I like Cortana. I'm hoping that it is a winner for Microsoft.

 

[Maverick Jester]

I know exactly 1 Android users that uses Google Now, I know no iOS users who use it.

See the problem with Google Now is that it is fundamentally a voice search that keeps track of your interests that can accomplish a couple of mundane tasks on your phone. Cortana and Siri (to a lesser extent) are more people focussed. Example: Using your social media info, you can say "Let my dad know I'm going to be late" and Cortana knows who your dad is. Or "Remind me to ask my sister about the party when I speak to her", Cortana knows who your sister is, and will pop up a reminder the next time you phone/SMS/WhatsApp/Facebook message/Skype her. So in general for most users it becomes useful, not just a search.

So I don't agree with you that Cortana is playing catch-up and I also know (in my group of friends at least) that Google Now is not as widely used as you think.

There's a huge difference between using Google Now, and knowing what Google Now is. I stated that pretty clearly.

Besides- Google Now is also able to identify relationships as in your example, and actually execute your examples. But I did mention above, that Google Now is not as personal as Siri or Cortana are, and that is wholly the point, because it is a wider-reaching service as a whole.

But that isn't stopping Google from building that in, and with a few tweaks of your own, you could create a far more powerful assistant using Tasker, Google Now and AutoVoice than any of these assistants are at present.

I do however agree that Microsoft is playing catch-up on the mobile arena as a whole, but they are doing a damn good job of it. Windows Phone 8.1 is basically the update that finally puts WP on par with the other platforms, and I reckon it's going to see tremendous growth from here.

For sure. I really like the look of 8.1 with it's skinnable tiles. It's already outselling the iPhone in a number of countries, and it's just a matter of time before it makes huge strides in growth as consumer apathy for the current products grows.

 

[roguemat]

[video=youtube;UgkUZ32LIHc]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UgkUZ32LIHc[/video]

 

[McCrazieGoalz]

[video=youtube;UgkUZ32LIHc]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UgkUZ32LIHc[/video]

I saw the video already on WMPoweruser.

Super cool roguemat.

My woman says she wants us to get the voice assistant to lock the doors of our house on command.

She says that will make her decide between Cortana or Siri. She hasn't seen this video yet. Will show her.

 

[Maverick Jester]

I saw the video already on WMPoweruser.

Super cool roguemat.

My woman says she wants us to get the voice assistant to lock the doors of our house on command.

She says that will make her decide between Cortana or Siri. She hasn't seen this video yet. Will show her.

Not able to view this at work, but is this video a use-case for voice commands to perform automation services?

 

[McCrazieGoalz]

Not able to view this at work, but is this video a use-case for voice commands to perform automation services?

Pretty much @Maverick.

But, @roguemat can elaborate on that.