Microsoft’s Cortana now available for Android in beta

After announcing in May that the Microsoft’s personal assistant, Cortana, will be coming to Android and iOS devices. Android users are now the first to get the beta version of Cortana as it’s available for general public.

This personal assistant from Microsoft is a direct competitor to Google Now in Android and Siri in iOS devices. While the iOS version is not yet released, the Android version of Cortana can now have direct face to face comparison with the Google Now in Android devices.

Some highlighted features from Play Store are as below

• Use Cortana as a voice assistant by speaking naturally or even by typing, and she’ll find answers from the web or help you get things done.
• Find answers using Bing including the latest sports scores, movie show times, local restaurants, facts and references, and more.
• Set reminders with Cortana and get the reminders at a specific or recurring time, or when you arrive/leave a certain location.
• Set alarms.
• Place calls to your contacts using voice.
• Voice texting: dictate your SMS/text to Cortana using voice.

Availability

Just like in Microsoft devices Cortana first hit the U.S. devices and later expanded its reach. Microsoft has started with the same partial roll-out of Cortana on Android in U.S. only, having plans to roll it out to other markets as well.

Download Cortana beta for Android

Users can access the Cortana app for Android by visiting this invitation link to be the part of beta tester program.