Microsoft has today announced the expansion of their assistant Cortana which will from today now be accessible from the Lockscreen, as well as now being officially available in Australia.
Microsoft first introduced Cortana on the lock screen earlier this year, and proceeded to put the feature into Beta. From today it’s available for use by everyone. Microsoft says that todays update means you can now access the assistant without unlocking your phone, saying:
Today, you can now interact with Cortana above the lock. Quickly get answers to your questions, set a reminder and more without having to unlock your device.
With the launch of Cortana in Australia, Microsoft has also given the Cortana home screen a cleanup with glanceable information about your day now available. In Cortana home you can now view information about your day including your schedule, reminders and commute times easily, and add reminders and calendar items easily, as well as view, edit and access items on your lists as well.
There’s plenty of things that Cortana can do, Microsoft lists the features available now
Reminders that Travel with You: Cortana has your back, seamlessly keeping track of the things you need to remember across all the platforms you use her. Set a reminder on your PC and get it on your mobile phone.
Never Miss a Phone Call: In a meeting and can’t answer your phone? With the Cortana app, get a missed call alert on your Windows 10 PC and let Cortana send a text back letting them know you’ll call them later – all without leaving your PC.
Optimized for Mobile: Designed specifically for your mobile life with quick action buttons and voice to get what you need quickly, a streamlined design and widgets for Android and iOS.
If you’re a big Cortana on Windows 10 user, this could be a big change for you. If you want to try it out, head over to Google Play and download Cortana now.
I noticed in this app that I can now also select notifications on my Windows 10 laptop for my SMS apps as well …..these apps were not listed in previous Cortana for Android versions. Good News!