Voice assistants are starting to become a necessity in modern-day products, and it’s hard not to have one on your phone, especially when there are so many options to choose from. In addition to Google, Alexa, and the recently introduced Bixby, the Cortana app for Android is also available should Windows users like to bring their PC’s assistant into their mobile devices.
For those unfamiliar with Cortana, it is Microsoft’s smart AI assistant. It serves as their competitor to Amazon’s Alexa, Apple’s Siri, and Google’s Google Assistant. Following Windows 10, Cortana became an asset to Windows computers, serving as multiple tools such as a search engine and troubleshooter. It is now available not only to PCs, but also on phones that are on the Android operating system.
The setup and installation is quite straightforward. Simply open up the Google Play Store on your Android, and search “Cortana.” The full application name is “Cortana — Digital Assistant,” and it is developed by Microsoft Corporation.
Once downloaded and installed, you can open up the application and sign in with your Microsoft Account using your email or phone number.
Now that you’re logged in, the terms of conditions will pop up next, and you must read and agree in order to proceed.
After tapping on agree, the application will ask for permission to utilize your location, your media, and your calendar. Allowing all of the above will maximize Cortana’s ability and ensure that you get the most out of the application. You can choose to limit Cortana’s access to your personal data, but keep in mind the more personal data you provide, the more accurate Cortana will be.
You’re almost there. Now the application will ask if you would like to add Cortana to your lock screen. This allows for quick access to many features (such as weather updates, calendar, and flight reminders) without having to unlock your phone. Cortana on your lockscreen can prove to be quite a convenience but it may look a little too cluttered for some minimalists. Whether you want it there or not is of course entirely up to you.
Finally, the application is open and ready to assist you.
First things first
There are a few things you’ll want to get taken care of before you start using the Cortana app for Android.
When you first click on the voice command icon on the bottom right, it will ask for you to allow permission to record audio. Simply click allow, and you will be able to command Cortana using your voice. Unfortunately, there is no verbal command such as “Hey Cortana” which can open up the application. For now, you’ll have to tap to start the application, and then tap the microphone icon before every voice command.
You can also add a widget which comes in two forms. The first is a small hub which lists reminders set by you, and also a microphone icon at the top of the window which allows you to quickly start a verbal command. The second is a simple microphone icon which allows you to speak to Cortana App for Android from your home screen.
Cortana at a glance
At first look, the Cortana app for Android has the basic features that are expected of a smartphone AI. It can keep track of and alert you of upcoming events, update the weather, bring up the news, and much more. It can also tell you jokes and has a few lines of songs at hand, which it can actually sing to you.
It can work with supported apps, converse with you, and help you pinpoint specific web searches. At the moment, I don’t see any reason to keep Cortana on my phone, mainly because Google Assistant is already there by default. There doesn’t seem to be anything Cortana can do that the Google Assistant can’t, and the same seems to be true the other way around. That being said, whether one is better than the other will be based on user preference. If you’re transitioning from an iPhone to an Android and find it impossible to adapt to Android’s AI options, you’ll be devastated to find out Siri for Android is an unlikely possibility.
Personally, I still have high hopes for Bixby, which has yet to be fully released. If and when it does reach its full potential I don’t believe that Cortana will stand a chance. But for now, Cortana does the job and fulfills all abilities of an exceptional AI assistant.