It is no secret that Cortana will be built into Windows 10, and a video detailing her features has appeared on the internet. Most of these are not actually working yet due the back end workings not existing yet. She isn’t available on the current Windows Technical Preview yet, and Microsoft has not made any announcements about when Cortana will be included in the operating system.
WinBeta managed to get an exclusive first look at the AI assistant, including all the parts that are still not working. Cortana retains the same look and interface as from Windows Phone, and also manages to keep Jen Taylor’s voice. The conversational bits are apparently not available yet due to the database not being connected, but then many other services are also currently unavailable.
Cortana will perform the same basic functions as any AI assistant like Siri, like taking notes, scheduling appointments, and providing reminders. She will also be connected to Skype to provide call functions like she normally would on a smartphone, although the user will have to be logged into Skype for this to work smoothly. There are also the weather and navigation functions built in, and it looks like the weather database is already up and working.
What is currently missing from Cortana is the option to activate her without having to click on the ‘Start Listening’ button. It could be that future versions will include this, but it takes away from the attractiveness of the demo.
[Source: WinBeta]
