15 Things You Can Do With Cortana

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SCV COMPUTER CLUB

DECEMBER 14, 2016

What is Cortana

• Cortana is one of Windows 10’s most visible new features• Made the leap from Windows Phone to the desktop• Isn’t just a voice assistant• Can also type commands and questions• Cortana provides a lot of passive information • Notify you when you need to leave to make an appointment on

time.

Set Reminders

• Times – Places – People• “Remind me” to get started• Can remind you at a specific time• When you get to a specific location• When you need to talk to a specific person• When to take your meds• Take a 10-minute break

Set Reminders

Set Reminders

Set Reminders

Use Natural Language Speech

• “find pictures from august”• “find documents about Windows” to find pictures from the months

of August or document files related to Windows• Easier to use than old Search

Use Natural Language Speech

Identify a Song

• Like Siri, Google Now, etc. Cortana can listen to a song playing near you and identify it.

• Say “what is this song?” and Cortana will use your microphone to listen to the music and match it to a specific song.

• Works well with recorded music but won’t necessarily work with live music.

Identify a Song

Search Web

• With Chrome or another search engine• Ask Cortana for something it doesn’t know how to answer, will open

default web browser and perform a Bing search• Can change default browser to Chrome, Yahoo, or DuckDuckGo• But will also use Bing to search

Search Web

• Can make Cortana use Google instead – or another search engine• Chrometana extension for Google Chrome (Chrome app store)• When Cortana directs Google Chrome to a Bing search results page,

Chrometana will automatically redirect that search to Google or your search engine of choice, forcing Cortana to perform Google searches.

• Only works if Chrome is your default browser

Change Your Search Engine

• Settings• System Settings

Search Web

Perform Calculations and Conversions

• Can also do this in Search Box• Ask Cortana for the answer to a math calculation “324234 * 34234” • Or enter a unit conversion like “55 uk pounds to usd”• Also works for currencies as well as other types of units

Perform Calculations and Conversions

Track Flights & Packages

• Cortana can track flights using the flight number and packages using their tracking numbers

• Enter a flight or package tracking number into the Cortana search box OR

• Use copy-and-paste • View the current status

Track Flights & Packages

Find Facts

• Cortana uses Bing to provide direct answers to common questions• Similar to Google’s Knowledge Graph• “what is the tallest building in the world?” • “who is the president of the United States?” • Get an immediate answer

Find Facts

Check the Weather

• “weather” will show you the weather at your current location,• “weather in [location]” will show you the weather in another city

Check the Weather

Ask for Driving Directions

• Ask for “directions to [location]” • Cortana will open the included Windows 10 Maps app with

directions to your location of choice

Ask for Driving Directions

Set Alarms

• Supports alarms, not just reminders. • “set alarm for [time]”• Will create an alarm • Alarm is saved in the Alarms & Clock app, where you can manage

your alarms.

Set Alarms

Launch Programs

• “launch [program name]” • If you have the “Hey Cortana” voice shortcut enabled• You can just say “Hey Cortana, launch Google Chrome” to your PC

and it will automatically open that app.

Launch Programs

Send E-mail

• Built-in Mail app and accounts configured• Say “send email” to get started, OR• Something more specific like “send email to pete” • Must be a person in your contacts

Send E-mail

Create Calendar Events

• “add meeting at Thursday 2pm to calendar”• Cortana automatically fills in info you’ve provided• Also can say “add meeting”• Cortana will ask for more details

Create Calendar Events

Just Chat

• Like Siri, can “chat” about things and respond to silly questions• “tell me a joke”• “sing me a song”• “surprise me”• “where’s clippy?”• Cortana Easter Egg resurrects Clippy as your

personal digital assistant• “do you like clippy?"• Cortana responds that yes, she likes Clippy — "He taught me how

important it is to listen."

Just Chat

Just Chat

Get a List of Comments / Help

• Ask Cortana for “help”• See list of things you can do with Cortana

Get a List of Comments / Help

Other Options

• Sport scores• Provide predictions• Dictionary definitions• Translations

• Microsoft will likely add new features and improvements in upcoming updates

Other Options

• Microsoft will likely add new features and improvements in upcoming updates

• Microsoft is currently bringing Cortana to Android and iPhone.• When the Cortana apps launch for these other mobile platforms,

you’ll be able to use Cortana on non-Windows smartphones, too.• Reminders and other Cortana features will follow you everywhere,

too.

Questions