Microsoft Gives Cortana An Identity Crisis

Although these are nice features, it is interesting that Microsoft doesn't allow you to choose which version of Cortana you get. For example, someone who has moved away from his home country may want Cortana to speak his native tongue and use a culturally-specific personality. However, Microsoft doesn't appear to have any plans for this kind of flexibility at present.

This!!! All these companies on the leading edge of technology and none of them see to realize that more than 100 years ago we invented airplanes and are no longer confined to the place we were born. I spent a year in South Korea (military assignment) and realized just how difficult it can be to use the internet when everyone wants to use locality based services and not give you the option to turn them off. Google and Microsoft were the worst. I can't, nor will I ever be able to read the Korean language, but Microsoft insisted that the Korean page is the one I wanted. I was bad enough that I had to use VPN back through the States when going to certain websites.

Computers are tools-- not Google robots for consumerists.

I think Cortana / Siri are a step backwards and I just see it as another exploit that has access to my microphone.

Although these are nice features, it is interesting that Microsoft doesn't allow you to choose which version of Cortana you get. For example, someone who has moved away from his home country may want Cortana to speak his native tongue and use a culturally-specific personality. However, Microsoft doesn't appear to have any plans for this kind of flexibility at present.

This!!! All these companies on the leading edge of technology and none of them see to realize that more than 100 years ago we invented airplanes and are no longer confined to the place we were born. I spent a year in South Korea (military assignment) and realized just how difficult it can be to use the internet when everyone wants to use locality based services and not give you the option to turn them off. Google and Microsoft were the worst. I can't, nor will I ever be able to read the Korean language, but Microsoft insisted that the Korean page is the one I wanted. I was bad enough that I had to use VPN back through the States when going to certain websites.

I'm glad you agree. I am getting married to a Chinese girl, and I have spent several years practicing Japanese. Though I was born in the U.S.A. and plan to stay here, when my fiance comes to live with me I would like her to be able to use Cortana in her native language, and I would like to be able to use Cortana to help practice speaking and listening in these other languages. I feel like Microsoft is missing an opportunity to make Cortana educational, as well as missing the chance to make Cortana more comforting to those who aren't in their home nations.

I still don't understand at all how this increases my productivity on the computer. I want Cortana to be able to easily launch programs, search through files like a breeze. I want to say, "Cortana, try to find my file called "work file" on my flash drive, thanks", and then Cortana should do the following:

-decode my message and understand it
-Check how many USB storage devices are attatched
-if there is only one, search it for the file

Although these are nice features, it is interesting that Microsoft doesn't allow you to choose which version of Cortana you get. For example, someone who has moved away from his home country may want Cortana to speak his native tongue and use a culturally-specific personality. However, Microsoft doesn't appear to have any plans for this kind of flexibility at present.

This!!! All these companies on the leading edge of technology and none of them see to realize that more than 100 years ago we invented airplanes and are no longer confined to the place we were born. I spent a year in South Korea (military assignment) and realized just how difficult it can be to use the internet when everyone wants to use locality based services and not give you the option to turn them off. Google and Microsoft were the worst. I can't, nor will I ever be able to read the Korean language, but Microsoft insisted that the Korean page is the one I wanted. I was bad enough that I had to use VPN back through the States when going to certain websites

I'm glad you agree. I am getting married to a Chinese girl, and I have spent several years practicing Japanese. Though I was born in the U.S.A. and plan to stay here, when my fiance comes to live with me I would like her to be able to use Cortana in her native language, and I would like to be able to use Cortana to help practice speaking and listening in these other languages. I feel like Microsoft is missing an opportunity to make Cortana educational, as well as missing the chance to make Cortana more comforting to those who aren't in their home nations.

?? Practicing Japanese to talk to a Chinese girl? Isn't that like practicing French to talk to an Italian girl? :-)

Anyways, I don't want to talk to my computer either. Now Cortana on a smart phone would be a different story.

Dang, I thought I deleted the extra quotes (stuck mouse key, crappy Logitech mouse). Sorry for the multiple quotes.. An edit button would be really nice to have!