Microsoft needs to embrace Alexa and Google Assistant now that Cortana is 'dead

Cortana Commuter Reademail Android (Image credit: Daniel Rubino/Windows Central)

Earlier this week, Microsoft struck the final nail in the coffin for Cortana as a "traditional" digital assistant. Starting in early 2021, people will no longer be able to use Cortana for the usual things you'd want to use a digital assistant for on iOS, Android, Surface Headphones, and the dedicated Harman Kardon Invoke speaker. Cortana, in the eyes of most people, is dead.

That's not what Microsoft will tell you, however. Microsoft's stance on the matter is that it's repositioning Cortana as a virtual assistant that can help you inside of Microsoft 365 services like Outlook and Teams, but this isn't what I or many others consider to be a "traditional" digital assistant. Cortana can't turn on your lights or play your music library anymore, or have the convenience of being "always available" without having to open an app first.

On mobile, Cortana is no longer its own entity. It's not something you'll be able to go and download and use as a replacement for Google Assistant or Siri. The only time you'll interact with Cortana is when doing a productivity-based task inside a Microsoft 365 app or service. On the way to work and need to check your email? You can use Cortana inside Outlook to read and reply to your latest email as you drive.

It's those kinds of experiences that Microsoft is focused on with Cortana going forward, which means that Microsoft no longer has a digital assistant for consumers to interface with. I used to use Cortana all the time for adding things to my To Do, creating events in my Microsoft Account calendar, and setting reminders. With Cortana's entity going away on mobile, these experiences are no longer possible.

Goodbye Cortana, Hello Alexa?

Echo Dot — Source: Windows Central (Image credit: Source: Windows Central)

Because of this, Microsoft now needs to embrace the likes of Alexa and Google Assistant more than ever. Right now, I'm unable to use my voice to add things to my To Do using Alexa or Google Assistant. Trust me, I've checked. There's no skill or built-in service for Microsoft To Do on either platform, meaning it's impossible.

Typing "Microsoft" into the skills database in the Alexa app will yield one result; Xbox. Don't get me wrong, I'm happy to see the Xbox skill in here, but that's all there is from Microsoft. There's no To Do, or Microsoft News, for example. Admittedly, Alexa does have built-in support for your Microsoft Account email and calendar, which works well and is great to see.

It also has Skype integration, which allows me to make a call using my Skype account with just my voice. But the lack of To Do integration is a big miss for me. I'd like any lists or reminders that I set to sync to my To Do app on Windows and Android, but it just isn't possible with Alexa. And the Google Assistant is in an even worse place. As far as I can tell, there's no way to get Google's Assistant to sync with my Outlook or Skype. It only has the Xbox skill.

This is a problem for Microsoft's upcoming Surface Duo, which will likely be using the Google Assistant as the default assistant on device. Surface Duo is a productivity device, and if it's unable to check my email or add something to my To Do using the digital assistant, that's not a great start. Microsoft has all these services that cannot be interfaced with via voice now that Cortana has been repurposed. For this reason, it needs to embrace Alexa and Google Assistant much more than it is currently.

Do you agree? Let us know in the comments.

Zac Bowden is a Senior Editor at Windows Central. Bringing you exclusive coverage into the world of Windows on PCs, tablets, phones, and more. Also an avid collector of rare Microsoft prototype devices! Keep in touch on Twitter: @zacbowden.

87 Comments

hate Alexa and hate google assistant way more. I hope when we get a surface duo 2 or 3 and have it be the processor power for a regular sized glasses version of the HoloLens . and that a new and improved version of Cortana makes a come back
but I guess till then I will use Alexa
.
Im not opposed to this idea. Cortana can fit the neché for productivity only, if MS massively improve it for that purpose and make it front and center option. Meaning, people will not have to go digging in settings to use it. It should be clear that Cortana is there, but still allowing the option to not use it, if desired. Cortana can pop up, when a person uses a feature that it can handle through voice.
At this point I just wish they'd kill Cortana altogether. I'd much rather use Alexa for the "productivity" stuff too.
Do you actually think the Duo will actually make it passed the release version? I don't have that much faith in Microsoft anymore. As for the Neo, they are going to have to put Android on it too, if they ever want to get it out the door.
I disagree. I believe Cortana is the better integration for to do. Microsoft is dragging their heals, but actually a productivity assistant is what I always wanted. I don't want you to turn on my lights Alexa can do that. I would like it to help organize my time and make work easier. Know my schedule and to do list, so I don't have to and can spend more time on Xbox. I don't ever want to deal with email or meetings. I want it to do what real assistants do for people, but for me.
The TODO integration has been my number one complaint for Alexa. There are third party solution but they only work with the primary Shopping list.
I have multiple lists in To Do and can add to any one of them from Alexa. It's not first party but it's called Wonder Do It. I just say Alexa, add XX to my Walmart list. It will add it to the Walmart To Do list. Saying Costco/Produce or any other list on in To Do will do it. I've not had it fail once.
I went to my Play list and looked for Wonder Do It and got no returns? What is the Play Store listing for this app that you are using?
I see that the original poster is speaking about an Alexa skill rather than a separate app. Sorry.
I completely agree. I'm using Wonder Do It for now (set it up this week). We'll see how it goes.
I am looking at moving things over to Alexa now and saw Wonder Do It, so kind of happy to hear it actual works. Still wish it worked with Cortana but am moving stuff over to Alexa in preparation.
I have started trying to move over to Alexa since the announced killing of my Invokes. Alexa, while it does work with IFTTT, is not as good as Cortana.
I still fail to see why they could not have kept Cortana as she was (in the past few years, not how they kept making her worse in the last several months) and incorporated her into Outlook. Here's a thought, maybe if people got to using her there they would then try her out more for their home/personal life.
I never wanted to be switching assistants. I want to use the same one for turning on my lights, TV, setting scenes and organizing my calendar/email/day.
" have started trying to move over to Alexa since the announced killing of my Invokes. "
How many do you have? I have four of them and they are used a lot in my house. But like you I am looking and moving "stuff" over to Alexa. The one thing that maybe good about this is the ability for it recognize individuals, so everyone can use their own "stuff" rather than one account.
Hi Ralphie, I have 2 Invokes. I hate that you have to say "Alexa trigger <command>" for IFTTT. Not sure why they can't make it like Cortana and you just say the command.
I have not done much with the voice recognition with Alexa. Maybe I will try that out between my wife and me.
Enjoy. Fat chance either ends up on any device I own.
Yup - make it an option at best. If others want to sell (gift) their personal information and privacy to Google and Amazon, that's their choice. But don't force it on me just because you stopped offering your own phone OS and browser.
Like some others, I'm kind of annoyed. Cortana is the only digital assistant that understands me 100% of the time.... I don't have a heavy accent (maybe a super light, barely distinguishable one) but alexa and google both have me repeating myself. Cortana has no issue.
There is really no reason why Cortana couldn't do ALL of these things. Why impose these limitations for no reason. NOBODY wants to use different "assistants" for different purposes when one should be able to meet any user's needs.
Exactly!
At this point just give up the Cortana name, admit they MISSED YET ANOTHER WAVE of tech they should have been with
Just rename Cortana to 'Clippy' and be done with it. Yes, MS missed another tech wave.... but with the help of a mob boss.... er President of the United States... they might get some new shiny Chinese Tech.... meh.....
They'll drive Tik Tok into a ditch just like Skype.
That's probably for the better, though. The one and only instance.
Cortana being slowly murdered by a thousand cuts is in no way MY fault. I used the s*** out of her for everything from home automation and web searches to SMS chatting while driving which I seriously miss. It was so awesome, and it worked better than any other AI out there. My consolation is that Cortana can never completely die unless Microsoft gives up on Bing and Office, because all the backend brain is still there even though they've basically amputated her face. And Hololense, thank God that is still a thing because voice control is the new keyboard of the augmented reality age, and maybe we'll see some kind of Phoenix rise from the ashes of what could have been...
How cool would it have been to have Cortana integrated with HoloLens and have her face (from the game) up in the corner ready for commands? Speaking of another tech MS has been way to slow to develop...
You know, with MS considering rebranding Bing. maybe they should call it Cortana. lol
Why? Cortana is a really bad name for an assistant name. Alexa rolls off the tongue. Google is google. But Cortana... It's clunky to me. Even Siri is simple. Simple is good. Cortana never was. Sure it was good for a game, but it wasn't for a assistant. If Microsoft comes back with a digital assistant they should do better.
How isn't it their fault? Poor worldwide release, with availability shrinking instead of growing, and constant removal of features. This is their fault.
On a related note, anyone tapped the top of their Invoke lately? Hope that isn't what is going to happen for the next 4 months.
I just tapped the top of mine. Man, that seems cruel. Like making someone announce their own death as they go to the gallows. "I'm a dead woman walking. Dead woman walking"
You are right, is so sad to hear that, just a constant reminder.
That is pathetic. I'm done with Microsoft. I have a feeling I'm not even going to get the Xbox Series X. if I can't turn it on with my media remote and have it turn on my TV and sound bar, I'll probably stick with my One X.
Wow, damn wow.
Turning on your lights with Alexa is dumb and expensive. Buy a clapper, it's cheaper.
It can't hear your claps from outside
Cortana is the new Clippy and will suffer the same fate. Microsoft has totally turned its back on consumers, and even Windows is destined for the ever growing Microsoft trash heap. Now you can run Android apps on your Windows PC via the link to your Samsung phone, so now there truly is no reason to write apps for Windows anymore. It won't be long before they completely abandon UWP and the Windows Store. They'll probably make a deal with Google to bring the Play Store to Windows. I wonder if Satya Nadella can even see the irony of disabling Cortana integration with Xbox. He is planting the seeds of Microsoft's downfall. The next generation of workers will have never used a Windows device, and they won't start when they become the decision makers.
"He is planting the seeds of Microsoft's downfall. " Actually, he is guaranteeing the future success of MS. Killing products that no one wants - and are losing billions of dollars - is the job of a CEO. He is not supposed to continue funding money-losing products just so you and a few thousand other Windows geeks can control the lights without using the wall switch. "The next generation of workers will have never used a Windows device" So? Windows is now 30 years old. Should people be using Windows forever? Today's workers have never used a rotary dial pay phone either, yet AT&T is doing just fine. Products come and go. Holding on to the past is irrational and pointless. It is even worse for a business. You can't survive by living on past successes. Such as Windows. Microsoft HAD to move beyond Windows. Because Windows is the past. That is why MS is now one of - if not THE - most valuable company in the world.
"Today's workers have never used a rotary dial pay phone either, yet AT&T is doing just fine." Very true. AT&T kept improving and building on their products and growing with the age. I know longer use DOS because MS kept building and improving on their products. They did not throw in the towel after Windows ME or Vista.
You know what AT&T did not do? Say "Oh no. Verizon and T-Mobile are building a 5G networks. Guess there's no need for a third in the market. Let's start gutting our existing cell towers and keep making our products worse and worse. We will then say, since no one is buying, we might as well shut it all down and put all our eggs into one basket and be a one trick pony show."
I am a MS stock holder and have been since sometime in the early 2000's. While I like seeing the stock go up, I do worry about the future when upcoming generations only know Apple and Google products.
How many consumers know about Oracle? The vast majority of the planet runs on Oracle DBs. Do you think Oracle should be selling MP3 players? There is more to business than having a consumer presence. Particularly when trying desperately to have a consumer presence is losing you billions of dollars. Microsoft has never been a consumer company. Yes, they tried recently. Every single MS consumer product failed. Miserably failed. How much money should they lose trying to sell products that no one wants? The fact that MS closed their retail stores tells you all you need to know about their consumer success. Microsoft is far from a one trick pony. Windows Client, Windows Servers, SQL Server, Word, Excel, Teams, Outlook, Powerpoint, Azure, etc. They have tons of apps for iOS and Android. Not to mention a 10 billion dollar U.S. government contract. They are not doomed because Zune and Cortana sucked.
There’s literally no reason for them to have crippled Cortana. It’s always been a productivity assistant, now it just does far less. It is so illogical. 2015 was a much better time than 2020 for Microsoft.
2015 was better? So you were happy when MS was losing billions of dollars on phones and other crap that no one wanted? MS is in WAY better shape now than 5 years ago.
People wanted those things, it is they did not put much effort into them
Not enough people wanted Windows phones, Zunes and Bands. Period. None were big sellers. There were around 120 million Nokia Lumia and Microsoft Lumia Windows phones sold, over the life of the product. Which was about 6 years. At the time, Apple was selling 120 million phones in 6 months. Android probably sells that many in 6 weeks. That is the definition of “no one was buying them”. That is why there was no developer support. That is why Windows phones were killed.
These services were all dead in 2015 too, they just hadn't announced it yet. All these terrible services failed because they were terrible. Microsoft seems to be incapable of putting effort into this sort of stuff. Too bad Google doesn't give them an Assistant so they can stay in this field too.
Microsoft's ongoing strategy of investing millions into something just to drop it a few years later is pretty disheartening. Especially when you know that they are perfectly capable of creating great software and services when they want to. I was happy when Microsoft had "vision" and played a big part in shaping how humans interact with technology and the world. Microsoft isn't a bank. So sucking up as much money as they can in the short term seems short cited. At some point playing it safe all the time just leaves you stagnant. You can argue that fighting the mobile OS battle with Google and Apple might have been a zero sum game, but at the same time they created the Hololens and instead of making people's lives better they sell it to the Army to help kill people.
Killing people before they kill us makes my life better.
Let's see, they want us to use an Android assistant that is "always on." Not on your life. I killed several security systems in my corporate life for just that reason. The "no one will be listening unless they should" is a myth. For me this is just one more failure in the retail space for MSFT. What is next, giving up Windows for Chrome?
Why not buy a company or go into several partnerships & allow them to freely develop Cortana or allow it to be open sourced & see what the community come up with Microsoft scrutinies it.
I've been using Alexa for To Do for months using the Cortana skill. Am I the only one? I say to my Echo, "Alexa open Cortana." "Cortana here!" "Add bagels to my shopping list." "Done. What else can I do for you?"
Being retired, I use Cortana as I always have, reminders, email, calendar. The only thing I do miss is the map integration, but that went away with the Windows Phone anyway.` If I want to listen to music I can set up before I listen as in a play list or something of that nature. No, I don't stream music. Podcasts on occasion. I tried both Alexa and Google and both left me feeling empty.
Microsoft just doesn't have the stamina or drive to be a provider of long term services. They seem to always get bored with or abandon projects after a few years. So tired of trying to invest in anything they provide as they have a propensity to just arbitrarily take it away once you become reliant on it.
Using Microsoft services at all the past decade was silly. It was obvious from the beginning they would last. Very low effort put into them compared to the competition, you should have moved on several years ago when the writing was on the wall.
You are one the negative person on the planet why are you here.
The truth and facts hurts , don't it?
"They seem to always get bored with or abandon projects after a few years." Microsoft only gets bored because no one is buying this stuff. How excited would YOU be, working on a product that no one wants, has no future and the department you are working in is losing money? Are they bored with Windows? Office 365? Azure? Or course not, because these products are driving revenue.
Only because they put some real effort into Windows, Office, and Azure. Everything else has just been half-assed.
Half-assed because no one was buying it. Again, why put effort into a product that is not selling?
There's a couple of factors that I see playing out which should provide some insight as to what direction Microsoft may be heading. The biggest is that Microsoft is getting rather cozy with Google when it comes to application integration. They are allowing Android applications to be ran using the "My phone" application which is substantial. This will increase functionality when it comes to the Surface Duo, which interestingly enough will be running Android. Microsoft Edge will be allowing users to use Chrome themes from the web store. Microsoft looks to be trying to bridge how those who use Android phones and Windows computers (which make up the biggest combined number of users) integrate the two. With that being said, it would appear they would be gravitating more towards using Google Assistant, then Alexa. The question is, why haven't we seen any movement from Microsoft to integrate Google Assistant more? That's an answer I don't have. Maybe it's Google who is working on that piece being as it's Googles mobile operating system. The face that MSFT is designing more interfacing between Android and Windows, perhaps it's to enable an easier digital assistant experience with Google.
This is what is so frustrating about Microsoft and their decisions. They state they're make Cortana more "productivity focused' but they've seriously curtailed my productivity. I used Cortana on my phone and Invokes for productivity (To Do Lists management, verbally check for new work emails, reminders management, etc.). Cortana was much more useful on those platforms than it is in Windows where I'm already sitting in front of a keyboard an monitor and can easily access individual applications. Yeah, I did get the Alexa skill to let me verbally add an item to a To Do Lis, but if I ask it what's on the list I always get "there's nothing on the list" as a response. The Cortana they added to the Outlook app on Android is weak at best (I had to dig to even find how to get it -- it's easier to just read emails, than to find the tiny button to have Cortana engage). I had been expecting to buy a Surface Duo thinking MS would bring this all together like the good old Windows Phone days. But the killing of Cortana has ended my desire to invest in whatever vision MS had for the Surface Duo. I won't be buying one.
It okay 👌 it's simple I just go use my crappy Android smartphone less.
Switch over to PinePhone
It's basically clippy. Embedded at application level. Strictly speaking you can still call something a voice assistant if you can talk to it. However, using something only in an application is not where people use voice assistants. I tend to set alarms, ask about the weather and get news. I have Siri on my phone and alexa in the house. Five years ago I used Cortana. I use Windows every day for work and for productivity. I don't use Microsoft products anywhere else. That's not a bad thing. Microsoft just isn't relevant to me as consumer.
While the Mets have the Wilpons for hopefully not much longer, Microsoft is seemingly stuck with Satya as he destroys what little consumer presence MS has and hands it off to Google. We need a separate consumer focused version of MS.
I've used Cortana for years and love "her" quite a bit. Imo, people confuse Siri & Alexa as assistants with what they really are, namely automators. Who uses an assistant to turn on their lights or to operate their thermostat? Wouldn't that fall under the role of a servant? To me Cortana was a true assistant by comparison. Satya Nedella's primary objective is to make as much money for investors as possible, which he's doing. He has little need of consumer based products. To that end I've decided to stop supporting Microsoft products, even if they're good. Because MS inevitably will decide to stop supporting them. I've been (or felt) burned by them on multiple occasions when they stop supporting a product that I've come to love and depend on. I loved my Windows Phone. After a year and a half since switching to Android, I still miss my Windows Phone. 🙁 Other than the lack of apps, which I acknowledge is a big deal, there is nothing on Android that tops Windows Mobile in any way. As a side note, with lots of apps comes great responsibility. The flip side of having tons of apps is that it's now impossible to properly vet each one. This allows lots of mediocre ones at best and lots of bad ones to slip thru the cracks at worst. Cortana on WM (& Windows 10) was an absolute joy to use. My wife started to think of "her" as "the other woman". Which made what they did to "her" in Android and the latest update to Windows 10 a crying shame. 😭 I've never had abandonment issues before, but thanks to MS I now do.
Wished Microsoft just made cortana open source and allow people to mess with voice commands as much as they want and give it a almost Macro Key setting but with voice commands instead.
There are plenty of open source alternatives.
I prefer Alexa to anything else... Google Really creeps me out sometimes. Case in point: I'm washing dishes while listening to music. Suddenly a google commercial pops up over google smart speaker. Its trying to sell me Dish washing detergent. Ever since, I try to keep the Mic always turned off.
Maybe they could leverage their strong Samsung relationship an make Bixby their default assistenat on Duo / MS Launcher and help them bring it to Windows.
I thought I read Samsung was moving away from Bixby. I prefer Cortana first but I must say Alexa does have a lot more functionality.
I used Cortana because mining my data is not a major source of money for Microsoft. I pay them for Azure, Microsoft 365, Surface. I have Bing ad personalization off. Cortana was the glue that held everything together for Microsoft. Cortana provided the best balance between the privacy of Apple and the integration/feature set of Alexa/Google. I might look into Alexa. Amazon just wants to sell me products and get me to use Prime. That might be a good consolation. Google creeps me out the most. I worked for Apple at the time when Siri came out. For what it was at the time, Siri was pretty good. But a toy. Apple makes money on hardware sales, some subscription services. Not my data. When Cortana came out, I was far more impressed. I had a Lumia Icon as my daily driver, Cortana was my copilot. Problem with Microsoft is they usually will pack up and go home when they fail. I’m familiar with Siri, but General Motors is integrating Alexa into the Chevrolet Bolt. When the pandemic ends, that might be a compelling reason to use only Alexa. I’ll have to see. Honestly it’s asinine they are moving Cortana into only Microsoft 365, making it harder for Microsoft 365 customers to use her in our daily lives. In the end, I’ll still use Microsoft 365 because I have three years of business standard; but I’m not very happy with the changes to Cortana.
I agree she is a joy to use. Further proof that the best software does not win out when the low standards of the masses are choosing the winner. Normal people have no clue what a good user experience actually it.
Yep, Microsoft done fukd up with this idea. How about we create petition to have her saved on mobile?
They killed it with Windows Mobile
MS bought Nokia for Lumia series and ended after their contract ends. So, Win10M abandoned.
MS created Cortana, which was better in Windows 8.1 Mobile, is now in abandoned state. What happened with MSFT devs?
Microsoft devs are doing just fine. They are busy working on business products that have a future.
I guess I am in the minority here but all digital assistants are irrelevant to me, don't use em' at all. We only have an Echo because the in-laws got it for us. All we do is use it as a kitchen timer and occasional Bluetooth speaker.
Q: I use Cortana on my Android phone all the time as a replacement for Google Assistant. Is there a decent replacement I can use when Cortana does go? I'm not sure about Alexa. My son is called Alex so that's going to create a lot of problems if I say to him "Alex, er do you mind washing the dishes?" I have a Huawei phone but the Huawei assistant is a bit rubbish. Can I sideload Bixby?
I'm quite PISSED that my Invokes that I use daily (I have 3 at home and 1 at my store) are having Cortana removed. Yet another thing they screwed up on. Another product that was mismanaged. Look at how they launched her on Xbox. That was horrible. If they would have left basic commands as local processed it wouldn't have been so slow. So many people on Xbox complained about that. Back to the Invokes. I would much rather them work with Amazon and have Alexa pushed to them as an option. I'd take that over the speakers being wired Bluetooth boxes that will now require me to go through and pair when I move through the house instead of just saying Cortana play Spotify and it picks up where the other left off in a song. As the features were being removed the experience definitely was getting bad. Loved controlling my home with Cortana. Was better at controlling some smart home features such as changing entire rooms a single color/on/off whereas Alexa wanted you to select a light in the room. With this change, Invoke owners should get Alexa in its place since they are going to be updating the firmware to remove Cortana. I figure, all Invokes turning into Echos with a firmware update would be great for Amazon. Purchasers are not left with a dumb device they spent $200 on. The credit is nice, but I would have taken an Alexa update over the $200 credit I received for all 4 Invokes I have. This was the easy way out.
I agree with everything you said. COMPLETELY. I have 2 Invokes...one I haven't even opened yet! Simply turning them into dumb BT speakers does nothing for me. I used my Invoke for music, reminders, calendar, and most of all to make calls both personal and business...I dont understand why Microsoft does this...keep the services going for those of us that still use it and invested into their services. Yes, Alexa does work with Windows so I can use her instead, but that does nothing for the devices I already invested in. Microsoft should work out something with Amazon to update the speaker with Alexa instead. Same thing happened with Groove...the best serives for not only internet music but also our own personal music played through OneDrive...killed that too...
“keep the services going for those of us that still use it and invested into their services.” There are not nearly enough people using Cortana on Invoke to make that feasible. Invokes were a total failure. They were dumped on eBay for $40. That’s what I paid for mine, and I have never used Cortana on it.
Not many people were foolish enough to spend $200 on these. They were dumped on eBay for $40, brand new in the box.
Like most other people, I care little for AI assistants; can't use them for much that matters, and my vanity won't suffer me to talk to my phone in the near future anyway...
I have a personal Outlook account as my primary and multiple MS 365 accounts for work. And not being able to simply say 'Hey Cortana, what do I have today..." any longer to my Invoke just sucks. I guess I just add it to the pile of things that were great but are no longer that includes easily and accurately reading/responding to my texts that went away with Windows Phone. Jesus, can't they get the marketing right? I have used the others and Cortana still had the best voice recognition and answers. Then again, so does Bing in many ways but still they just don't know how to get people to know and try and love so much of what they've been doing lately.
Hi Zac, I'm using "Wonder Do It" Alexa skill to add items in To-Do for more than a year and it's working great for me.
It is sooooo freaking frustrating to even bother investing in a Microsoft product. You are likely to be kicked to the curb as soon as they decide to kill it. Zune, windows mobile, windows phone, Kin, Invoke, Cortana, Xbox. The list of things that Microsoft appears willing to kill despite people using them is growing. I bought the invoke speaker and use it all the time. Today Cortana tells me I'm going to die, screw you buddy. I am awaiting the surface duo in hopes of finally getting away from IOS hell. How do I know that Microsoft wont kill that?
While I can not disagree with the comments, I can not use Alexa. It is the same reasons, I do not use Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Amazon (as little as possible). 1. I do not care for all the advertisement focused on manipulating me to buy, sell and produce whatever.... Hi. I am Jeff and worth 200 Billion dollars, but I have to increase Prime pricing, as we are incurring additional costs. its ok though, I am projected to have a net over 1 Trillion dollars by 2025. Same thing can be said of, Apple and Google. These are wants not needs. Cortana, was focused on us, the people... at least originally.
So finally declare cortana as dead, I'm guessing that the editors are no longer able to give the positive spin about the direction that MS takes
I know that I'm late to this conversation, but I agree with you Zac. Microsoft should now embrace Alexa and Google Assistant so they can interact with Microsoft To-Do. I use To-Do a lot. Sad I won't be able to add items to To-Do on my Android phone.

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Goodbye Cortana, Hello Alexa?

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