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Windows Phone's Cortana voice assistant to be powered by Foursquare, says Bloomberg

posted by Daniel P. / Feb 07, 2014, 5:42 AM

Windows Phone's Cortana voice assistant to be powered by Foursquare, says Bloomberg

Microsoft made a multimillion investment in Foursquare out of the blue the other day, leaving us to wonder what's behind it. Bloomberg is now reporting that the partnership is actually for Cortana, Microsoft's upcoming voice-operated assistant in Windows Phone 8.1.

With the deal, Microsoft will get deeper access to Foursquare's database of places and reviews, so that Cortana and other WP apps give you personalized and location-aware recommendations, deals and tricks. “We’re building some contextually aware experiences to power some upcoming products in Windows Phone,” commented Zig Serafin, a vice president in Microsoft’s Bing search unit.

Furthermore, Cortana will also be able to tap your stock apps, like calendar, weather, calls, alarms and charging status, which will be used for managing basic phone functions with your voice, in addition to the Bing-powered info stream and the Foursquare crowdsourced wisdom that the personal assistant will be providing.

source: Bloomberg & TheVerge

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52 Comments

1. XperiaOptimusOne unregistered

WP keeps better and better. Kudos Nokia! Keep 'em updates rollin'.

posted on Feb 07, 2014, 5:54 AM 12

24. akki20892

Posts: 3902; Member since: Feb 04, 2013

Nokia always do dude. WP have to faster in improving. They done so many updates but they put important features in only this 8.1 update which is not good they should put this features in GDR1, I'm saying because they r giant software company. They shouldn't that much late.

posted on Feb 07, 2014, 8:33 AM 4

2. Finalflash

Posts: 4063; Member since: Jul 23, 2013

Classic MS, always two years behind the competition. Imagine what Nokia would be if they were actually in time with WP (other than alive).

posted on Feb 07, 2014, 6:13 AM 7

4. papss unregistered

Classic fandroid. Like a virus to all WP articles.. Ironic?

posted on Feb 07, 2014, 6:16 AM 16

5. XperiaFanZone

Posts: 2280; Member since: Sep 21, 2012

Not just on WP articles. It includes Apple-related products. What these Android fans don't realise is that Android wouldn't be where they are now without Microsoft and Apple giving heat to them.

posted on Feb 07, 2014, 6:34 AM 8

6. joey_sfb

Posts: 6794; Member since: Mar 29, 2012

Irony indeed windows is the founding father of all computing virus!

posted on Feb 07, 2014, 6:35 AM 6

7. papss unregistered

Spamdroid picked up the torch and ran with the virus train.

posted on Feb 07, 2014, 6:44 AM 8

12. joey_sfb

Posts: 6794; Member since: Mar 29, 2012

Finalflash is only stating a fact. Google Now was announced at the Fall of 2011. Actual service launch was June 2012. So indeed two years behind. Plus you don't know how the WP personal assistant would be. Could be better or could be worst. WARNING : More hurtful facts! Read only if you could deal with the truth. http://www.phonedog.com/2014/02/04/my-biggest-complaint-about-wp8-yep-it-s-the-app-store/

posted on Feb 07, 2014, 7:16 AM 2

8. NokiaFTW

Posts: 2072; Member since: Oct 24, 2012

Windows may be the founder of PC virus but Android is the creater of mobile virus.

posted on Feb 07, 2014, 6:49 AM 6

10. joey_sfb

Posts: 6794; Member since: Mar 29, 2012

NokiaFTW you obvious never do your homework.There no such thing as android virus only android malware. The user need to be trick into installing it. The malware can be remove 100% by removing the associated apps. The exception is when the malware app gain root access. Read more before you mindlessly attack.

posted on Feb 07, 2014, 7:04 AM 6

27. NokiaFTW

Posts: 2072; Member since: Oct 24, 2012

"Read before you mindlessly attack" I guess you should be telling that to yourself before you comment on any WP article.

posted on Feb 07, 2014, 9:08 AM 0

11. papss unregistered

Fandroid virus alert!!warning!warning!

posted on Feb 07, 2014, 7:11 AM 3

13. xperiaDROID

Posts: 5629; Member since: Mar 08, 2013

Here, have a break and have a KitKat.

posted on Feb 07, 2014, 7:22 AM 4

18. papss unregistered

Na I'd rather have something that is better for my health.. Little leaner OS please.

posted on Feb 07, 2014, 7:43 AM 0

46. sprockkets

Posts: 1612; Member since: Jan 16, 2012

Says someone who never used Windows CE and Windows Smarphone edition and Windows Mobile versions 1-6.

posted on Feb 07, 2014, 12:02 PM 0

14. freebee269

Posts: 542; Member since: Aug 10, 2012

I can care less about it being 2 years behind. Only haters that want to put negativity in the comment section make comments like yours. What I do care about though is that they're are actually doing it. Kudos to them for taking on a project like this. It's not an easy task. And if done wrong it will make the wp ecosystem worse so I have no problem with them making sure it's right.

posted on Feb 07, 2014, 7:27 AM 0

17. joey_sfb

Posts: 6794; Member since: Mar 29, 2012

Obviously you care enough to put your own comments into this sections. WP8 lag behind, that a fact! Just because its negative press means its a taboo subject for all?? Besides, I have no problem with people choosing WP over any things else but please don't distort the truth because people might buy WP8 and end up regretting like a certain woman in this article. http://www.phonedog.com/2014/02/04/my-biggest-complaint-about-wp8-yep-it-s-the-app-store/

posted on Feb 07, 2014, 7:39 AM 3

21. freebee269

Posts: 542; Member since: Aug 10, 2012

i guess you missed the part where i said i do care. good job with your selective reading. also that article you keep linking means nothing to me. i dont go there for news nor do i see anyone else talking about it as being credible so using it to back you up doesnt help you. yes wp8 is lagging behind. it's new. it's only 15 months old. takes time to build it up. anyone with some kind of common sense would know that.

posted on Feb 07, 2014, 7:52 AM 1

29. NokiaFTW

Posts: 2072; Member since: Oct 24, 2012

The app store on WP has all the most important and most popular apps and games, or unofficial apps that are far better than the official ones on other platforms. Yes, initially after moving from iOS or Android, you might feel the lack of the apps you used on your previous phone, but once your into the store, you'll find that there is either an official or unofficial app for everything. I'm saying this from personal experience. And what in aspects does WP lag behind? A notification system? Most WP users are happy with the current way of how notifications are shown, but still that feature is coming with WP8.1. Also coming with WP8.1 is Cortana, which looks to be on par or even better than Siri or Google Now. Tell me anything else WP lags behind in.

posted on Feb 07, 2014, 9:15 AM 1

33. Vanster

Posts: 124; Member since: Jan 15, 2014

hey you bastard

posted on Feb 07, 2014, 9:32 AM 0

20. Finalflash

Posts: 4063; Member since: Jul 23, 2013

They aren't making sure it's right, they just got caught with their pants down in mobile in every way. They were late to the mobile OS market and now late to each and every feature. Worse yet they made Nokia wait for all of that and lost market presence and eventually their whole mobile business. Stop making excuses for incompetence and laziness, it what killed Nokia and it is what will eventually kill WP (think zune)

posted on Feb 07, 2014, 7:45 AM 2

22. freebee269

Posts: 542; Member since: Aug 10, 2012

oh do you work for microsoft to know they arent making sure it's right? because if you dont then your comment is void. yes they did get caught being behind in the mobile world. but they are doing what they can to catch up. that doesnt mean input everything that ios or android has because they are not ios and android. and another news flash for you since you seem to not know about nokia's state before they went to windows phone. nokia was already in the black with market share and revenue before they went to windows phone. this is why they chose windows phone. and since they have they now are the major contributor to an ecosystem that is continuing to grow world wide. yes MS bought a PART of them but that's no different than google buying motorola. the different to you is that you like google so what they do is ok but since you feel compelled to be anti MS then them buying a PART of a company is food for you to hate.

posted on Feb 07, 2014, 7:58 AM 2

30. NokiaFTW

Posts: 2072; Member since: Oct 24, 2012

Love it or hate it, WP is here to stay. Doesn't matter what you say. The sales speak for itself on how fast the platform is growing.

posted on Feb 07, 2014, 9:17 AM 0

3. papss unregistered

Awesome! I can't wait to see what they bring

posted on Feb 07, 2014, 6:15 AM 3

9. NokiaFTW

Posts: 2072; Member since: Oct 24, 2012

Yeah buddy, can't wait for WP8.1 !

posted on Feb 07, 2014, 6:50 AM 4

15. Utopian

Posts: 32; Member since: Feb 07, 2014

My wishlist: Windows 8.1 4.7" 720p Amoled RGB (not pentile) Onscreen buttons so that less bezels Quadcore 1.2ghz Snapdragon 400 (supposedly battery friendly) Adreno 320 15-20mp primary 2mp secondary cam Decent built quality weighing less than 130g

posted on Feb 07, 2014, 7:30 AM 1

16. 1701nino unregistered

Exactly my point,whenever i even consider buying a windows phone reality hits me in the face.Apps missing,2 years behind in features,terrible updates.Microsoft give us reasons why to transfer and by the way they should have updates to the platform every 6 months not 18 months.And then they scratch their heads why WP doesn't sell.Microsoft is stuck in the old days,this is a brutal game,if you want to survive you have to be better then the competition and i'm sorry but Microsoft can't afford to be this slow.

posted on Feb 07, 2014, 7:34 AM 2

19. freebee269

Posts: 542; Member since: Aug 10, 2012

News flash, gdr1 2 and 3 came out in 2013. That's 3 in 12 months not every 18 months like your misinformation says. Also the store apps have more than doubled since wp8 store went live 15 months ago. Did android or apple have 1 million apps in 15 months? It took them years to get to where they are. Stop expecting instant success. All good things take time to build.

posted on Feb 07, 2014, 7:44 AM 1

25. joey_sfb

Posts: 6794; Member since: Mar 29, 2012

Why pick a loser and waste your hard earned cash!? The other twos have better apps collections and feature sets.

posted on Feb 07, 2014, 8:41 AM 2

26. papss unregistered

Why pick a malware infested, my space look alike OS that jitters on every scroll. No thanks ill stick with m$. I vote with my wallet and seeing how I purchase 5-6 phones, a few tablets every two years I'm pretty happy with m$.

posted on Feb 07, 2014, 8:53 AM 2

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