Microsoft rumored to be developing a Cortana-based hearable device called Clip

By John Callaham
published

Microsoft may be creating another small hardware device that could work with its Cortana digital assistant. A new report claims the product is called Clip and will be made as a hearable device that will be placed either inside the ear or clipped on the ear.

According to Wareable's unnamed sources, the Clip project is still in its early stages:

"Chances are we won't see the Cortana wearable until at least 2016, though prototypes will be ready by the end of 2015. Microsoft is doing research into how people would use this type of a device to hear messages and interact with a virtual assistant via voice. For instance, one use case that Microsoft is looking into is letting parents quickly set and receive reminders about their kids."

What do you think about the prospect of a hearable device from Microsoft? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!

Source: Wareable

John Callaham
John Callaham
89 Comments
  • Clippy returns!
  • The Los Angeles Clippys
    I want a clipper jersey with clippy
  • Hahaha you rule
  • If there isn't one like that out there, it needs to be made.
  • Have you noticed how much the new Surface pin looks like Clippy?... Look at it.
  • I bet it will look like Clippy. :P
  • Its cortana, so it needs to be shaped like the chip in master chiefs helmet. Posted via the Windows Central App for Android
  • That's cool.
  • Well, sort of, but isn't just the same as a current bt earpiece but without the ability to make calls? Also, ~90% of my Cortana requests result in a web search. How would that work with this earpiece? I doubt it'd be worth wearing all day, so I'd have to put it on to use it. Easier to just yell Hey Cortana.
  • This is more like the movie "her"
  • Exactly what i though
  • The return of clippy - part 1.
    Cool
  • Guess why ... http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=b4taIpALfAo
  • Star Trek communicator!!!! Cortana!... 2 to beem up!  :)
  • Up your shaft
  • Was just going to say....
  • Not bad!
  • I also heard they are secretly developing a Lumia 950 and 950XL. It must be a secret because their stores don't have them.
  • Classic!! :)
  • All I need is a drone to do bank deposit / pick up lunch and my assistant is out of work
  • Lmfho!
  • OMG..!! It would make lagdroid & so caled other OS's disappear.
  • "Made For Woman" Lol... Wut?
  • The source article says that that is actually Microsoft's focus, but it's not mentioned in the slightest in the blog post here, making the quote you point out seem randomly sexist.
  • Randomly sexist it might be, which is probably why the blog post skirts around that MS comment.
  • If it looks like jewelry that statistically more women wear, an earing, then it can be designed for women mainly as the focus and not be sexist.
  • Need a lip ring to whishper shweet shomethingsh to Cortana, after training her with the new lip ring lishp of courshe.
  • Right, but then why even bother to put "Made for Women" in the tag above the headline?  If that is going to be kept in, then it needs to be explained.  Or if they want to skirt around that on WindowsCentral, don't mention it in the tag.
  • So stupid - women (and men) aren't as homogenous that they can be designed for as a massive, 2.5bn-strong group.
  • Isn't that just a specialized Bluetooth earpiece?
  • I assume to an extent yes. Though I am not sure if any BT right now has active listening and I assume that is a must for this. As well, Cortana now just activates on the phone and I wonder if Cortana would actually be on this device and using the phone solely for data.
  • That's what I was thinking. But perhaps there is a version for PC with a USB transeiver instead of Bluetooth? Perhaps a Wi-Fi version would allow you to communicate and keep up with your PC from anywhere in the house?
  • That would be awesome, I really hope microsoft makes something along the lines of "Amazon Echo" but with Cortana instead and it's linked right up to your PC or has the option to so it can control your PC and Media software etc. The possibilties to what microsoft can do right now with all this intergration between console, PC and phone is ENDLESS.
  • Yes.
  •   Clips onto your ear or, placed in your ear?  Personally, I would never consider such a device. When I saw the article I thought MS was building a device similar to Amazon's Echo.  That, I would consider. YMMV.  
  • i would get a Cortana ver. of the Echo
  • I would too. Though my hope is that the Xbox Cortana serves that purpose.
  • And for the kitchen, a cheap tablet mounted to the wall will do the trick. One of the many things on my list of home improvement projects. :-)
  • I agree.  This type of voice driven interactive computer is the future of home computing.
  • What is Cortana? Will it be available to most markets when it launches?
  • It will be available in the ONLY market.
  • MS sell to many markets, not just Europe and India. Weirdly they seem to focus on the one place with few keen MS customers, the US. Not sure why, perhaps they like the echoes every time they speak.
  • Cortana-centric, so of no use to so many of us...
  • Depends how you look at it really, Cortana is growing every day so more and more use cases will come up. Personally I wouldn't use something like that, have never even used a Bluetooth headset for my phone but if this had a good use case for me personally then I would consider it. P.s. Have to laugh at this "hearable" device phrase, I thought it was meant to be wearable and just a spelling mistake until I read the article lol
  • You misunderstand... Cortana isn't available to a whole lot of us. MS seems to think the world consists of about ten countries. Unlike Apple and Google, mind you...!
  • Well, Apple didn't for many years. Just last year Siri is available here. Also still not in many contries. Like Google. So it really depends where you live. Do I want cortana in my language? Sure. Can't come soon enough. For now we speak UK english.
  • This actually sounds like something that could change that completely... If this wearable just works, it will give Cortana much more access to your daily lives. 
  • very interesting - definitely would be wanting to see one to buy it....
  • Or something like this would be easy to implement into vehicles, machinery and things like that, fire hands free communication.
  • This sounds (possibly) interesting but would rather have an Amazon Echo style device that could work independently but also relay commands to my PC, Phone, and Xbox
  • Exactly... But, who knows.. Maybe they're working on that as well...
  • It will be inserted in the brain, the new cell phone...
  • That's what I'm waiting for lol
  • The new eyePhone From Mom
  • I'd need to get a better idea of what this would do. Seems like a redundant Hey, Cortana accessory.
  • It doesn't have an Apple logo on it... it will fail
  • In the US. Outside the US not so much.
  • I hope this rumor turns out to be true, I've been wanting to try something like this for a while. I suppose it would be a lot like the Moto Hint, but better.
  • Sounds like a blue tooth device.. It's been invented
  • Just like the movie"Her". I can't wait!
  • Looking forward to date my OS.
  • We'll all be walking around like the master chief before long :)
  • Clippy 2016 Edition?
  • I'm surprised the tin foil hat people aren't complaining about how the government/aliens/reptile overlords will listen to everything.
    This is nice.
  • No news about this?   http://www.ageofempires.com/news/2015/11/02/african-kingdoms-launches-no...    
  • Hell yeah no one can beat Microsoft
  • Yes, that's what I wanted that Cortana button to do in the first place,I need Cortana in my bath
  • Just gimme the damn 950xl.
  • Nice idea! Cortana should be everywhere. I'd love to have Cortana in a standalone device like that Amazon thingy.
  • More innovation to come!
  • Awesome thing.
  • So a Bluetooth headset? Wow that's a game changer.
  • Like the communicators from the other universe on Fringe?
  • Cortana is now marry clip. Interesting
  • That's good
  • Kind of reminds me of the movie 'Her'....... Posted via the Windows Central App for Android
  • Me too! Cortana just needs to me more natural and conversational. At the moment nota all we can do with Cortana.
  • I think this would be really cool and where I personally foresee Windows in the future.  The only thing that needs to happen is for Cortana to gain some more capabilities, much like a real assistant.  We still need Cortana to handle the reading of emails and the handling of phone calls through bluetooth (i.e. ringtone, caller ID), for example.  And like others have mentioned, Cortana will hopefully become a real world "Samantha".
  • Clippy!
  • Band 3.0 gets a speaker. And bt to a headset....solved
  • Definitely yes with the kid reminder thing. Hate it when my dad forgets to pick me up from school
  • Se ve algo muy interesante, me gustaría ver tiene mas reconocimento de voz para el usuario. Yo espero que Microsoft no deje esto por alado como la mayoría de sus proyectos.
  • I want that so badly.
  • Cool.
  • How can I take take this accessory serious when Cortana doesn't even understand me in my language (Dutch) and Cortana still not supported in my country. ​
  • This reminds me that we're going to have similar from Her movie. Now we just need Cortana to be more conversational and not just telling jokes....also global availability.
  • Microsoft might have watched the movie "Her"
  • It will be surgically placed in our ears.
  • Jane?