Skip to main content

Microsoft Cortana gets a new list skill just in time for the holidays

microsfot speech recognition cortanaface
Image used with permission by copyright holder
Microsoft’s Cortana personal digital assistant offers a nice set of functionalities today. She provides a machine-intelligence-backed voice response system for searches, roots through email to offer up suggestions for upcoming events and package deliveries, and ties systems together with reminders that can be set on one device and show up everywhere.

Cortana is also largely a back-end system, meaning that adding features and functionality to the personal assistant is as easy as flipping a switch on Microsoft servers. This is particularly helpful as holidays and other important events roll around, and a new list skill is being rolled out just in time for the upcoming holiday season, as Microsoft lets us know via a Windows blog post.

Given that December brings a number of holidays that involve gift-giving worldwide, of which Christmas is just one, PC users around the globe are likely already cleaning up their shopping lists. Now, Cortana is hoping to make the task of managing the hectic process of matching loved ones, business associates, teachers, and others with their wish lists just a little bit easier.

cortana_list_holiday_survival_
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Starting today, you can simply ask Cortana to make a new list and she’ll respond accordingly. Once a list has been created, you can ask Cortana to add an item and she’ll do so, and opening a list is just a “Hey Cortana” away. Because Cortana runs on iOS, Android, and Windows 10 devices, she’ll also keep your lists synced and up to date no matter which of them you’re using.

For even more complex lists, Cortana also works with Microsoft’s Wunderlist task manager. Connect Cortana to your Wunderlist account, and you can use Cortana to create tasks in that app for even more list-management functionality.

You can give the new Cortana list skill a try by saying, “Hey Cortana, create a holiday list.” Stay tuned to the Microsoft blog for more holiday fun, as the company is known for using Cortana as the conduit for adding some personality to Windows 10 as holidays roll around.

Mark Coppock
Mark has been a geek since MS-DOS gave way to Windows and the PalmPilot was a thing. He’s translated his love for…
Microsoft’s Edge browser gets 41% faster thanks to new Startup Boost feature
microsoft edge gets startup boost feature take on chrome new

The latest version of Microsoft's Chromium-based Edge browser is taking aim at Google Chrome after already surpassing Firefox in terms of popularity.

With the newest version 89 release, Microsoft is introducing a host of new features to Edge, including "Startup Boost,"  which it believes can help make the modern browser start up about 41% faster. A similar problem has also plagued Google Chrome.

Read more
Microsoft’s new Outlook board puts calendars, reminders, and lists in one place
microsoft outlook getting new features switch to board

Microsoft is updating its popular Outlook email service on the web with new features designed to help you better manage your calendar and take control of your busy day.

The first feature, known as Outlook Calendar board, will switch up the sometimes hard-to-understand grid view of your calendar that you're familiar with using. It will put your meetings and tasks in a free-form view to let you see more of what's on your calendar. It also has a customizable visual tool for organizing and managing calendars, files, reminders, and to-do lists in one place.

Read more