News - Siri-equivalent in Windows Phone 8.1 comes from hit game Halo

[HEXUS]

So you may have previously met ‘Cortana’, Microsoft’s new personal assistant.

Read more.

[crossy]

So Microsoft are hoping for a halo effect on their phone OS from one of their successful games title, (weak pun intended)?

Rest of the changes look good - and the fact that one of the screen shots was from a Lumia 620 bodes well for the hopes of current Windows Phone users that they will get this update soon.

Wonder if Windows Cortana will have the same problem with accents that Siri does?

[TheAnimus]

Wonder if Windows Cortana will have the same problem with accents that Siri does?

At a guess, I assume it will still use the TellMe functionality which WP had before Siri for voice commanding and navigation.

I've found it to be hit and miss, OK when I am in the car, just about.

I wonder if these voice technologies will drive people to speak properly and get rid of the difficult regional accents?

[crossy]

At a guess, I assume it will still use the TellMe functionality which WP had before Siri for voice commanding and navigation. I've found it to be hit and miss, OK when I am in the car, just about.

S-Voice on the S3 is the same - very hit and miss. Although I've got to say that it's usually okay with normal words, but doesn't seem to handle people's names very well - you'd think it'd be clever enough to check your contacts list.

I wonder if these voice technologies will drive people to speak properly and get rid of the difficult regional accents?

So that's Received Pronunciation for everyone or, like some I could name, a Lloyd Grosman type "mid atlantic" brogue? Maybe there's a way that Microsoft could put some clear blue water between them and Apple/Google - better support for local accents and local slang, (like these).

[[DW]Cougho]

The problem you have with voice recognition technologies is that there is very little competition driving things forward. Nuance rules the roost in this segment by buying all its competitors up.

Nuance definitely provide the services for Siri and I imagine for all the others too.

So don't expect any of them to be radically better with accents than the others.

[TooNice]

I wonder if these voice technologies will drive people to speak properly and get rid of the difficult regional accents?

I'd prefer it if they could widen the scope than narrow it. Most people do not *choose* to speak with "improper" accent, and with some exceptions, most people simply can not speak with a "perfect" accent even if they spend the rest of their life speaking it if they started past their formative year. Unifying words/spelling/grammar and that sort of things is probably feasible, but I think that accent is a different story.

[TheAnimus]

Can I say at this point, I dislike accents that are hard to understand. I think it is better that we strive to have more understanding between people, accents and the like I don't think help.

[crossy]

Can I say at this point, I dislike accents that are hard to understand. I think it is better that we strive to have more understanding between people, accents and the like I don't think help.

you'll maybe find that a lot of the difficulty is down to a deliberate ploy on the part of the speakers. I've been away from, (or should that be "awa frae"?), the place of my birth (and who's accent I STILL carry) for a long, long time yet I don't have any problems fully understanding most people locally. In fact, the only folks I've had trouble understanding are those who've deliberately accentuate their accent to put me down. Funny though,that in a lot of cases the comment from the other side of the conversation has been "what the eff wa they on aboot - ja unnerstan' any o that blether?" or somesuch...

Always been keen on a geordie accent though - don't ask me why, it's just one of those gut things. Don't like "cockney street" though much myself, all that (stereotyped?) "it's all, like, init, bruv" slop just makes me want to hurl.

[theanalyzer]

After Nokia's sale to MS, I was planning not to buy a Lumia anymore. Guess I have to reconsider that. Halo FTW

[TheAnimus]

After Nokia's sale to MS, I was planning not to buy a Lumia anymore.

Surely that sale just makes it a better proposition to buy a Lumia, rather than buy an HTC?

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

I wonder if it will use the same voice actress??

[Zhaoman]

I hope so!!! I would get a motorbike helmet, stick my phone in the back and run around with a cardboard assault rifle while humming the halo theme song - that's how much fun I could have with this! My 11 year old self would be well jealous!

[DanceswithUnix]

Now I want my Android phone to talk like GLaDOS

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

Now I want my Android phone to talk like GLaDOS

Have you seen Pacific Rim??

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...uZPIc8nSk#t=33

[DanceswithUnix]

Have you seen Pacific Rim??

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...uZPIc8nSk#t=33

Nope, with youngish kids movies can be kind of tricky. Is is worth watching then?

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

Nope, with youngish kids movies can be kind of tricky. Is is worth watching then?

It was fun:

http://forums.hexus.net/movies-tv-mu...cific-rim.html

Del Toro is a Portal fan,so the Jaeger AI has the same voice as GLaDOS.

Its a PG-13 film though.