This morning, Cortana for Windows Phone 8.1 was unleashed to the US through the Preview for Developers program. Microsoft’s new personal voice assistant is taking aim against Apple’s Siri on the iPhone and Android’s Google Now.
But how well does Microsoft do out the gate? Will Cortana’s beta status hold her back?
We pitted Cortana against an iPhone 5S and a Motorola Moto X to see just how good (or bad) the new flagship Windows Phone feature compares. Head past the break to catch the video!
Our seven minute trial will take all three voice assistants through some basic tasks. We tried to be fair and give them all a chance to perform and sure enough, they all did. Such tasks given included:
- “Call Sam Sabri on Skype”
- “What is the weather like on Tuesday?”
- “Navigate to Dunkin Donuts”
- “What is the best rated Indian restaurant around me?”
- “Post a new Tweet”
- “Foursquare check-in”
What’s the take away? We’ll let you decide but from our hands on tests, we can definitely say that Microsoft’s Cortana, even as a beta, can go head to head with Apple and Google. While there is still room for improvement, Microsoft has done a commendable job of offering a similar service to their competitors, and it shouldn’t be too long before they surpass them.
How are you liking Cortana? Did you think our test was fair? Let us know below and don't forget to check out our Cortana forums!
Video credit: Mark Guim
