Cortana joins the mile high club -- Microsoft takes your travel plans to new heights
While Windows Phone is not the best mobile operating system, Cortana is the best overall digital assistant. Google Now is very useful, but cold and heartless. Siri is just... a pleasant way to get the weather -- I'm only half-joking here. Microsoft's offering is a mix of personality and usefulness that truly makes life better; I cannot wait until she is available on iOS and Android.
Today, Cortana joins the mile high club. No, she is not doing anything naughty (I hope); she is making air travel a better experience for Windows Phone users. In other words, she is almost like a nagging mom or wife (or dad, husband) that gets you to the airport on time!
"With summer just around the corner, air travel will pick up as holiday travelers crowd the terminals. It can add stress to an activity intended to help you unwind. With your well-being in mind, Cortana can now help you with your air travels. Cortana’s always tracked your flights, but like any great personal assistant, Cortana now goes above and beyond to help you with your trip", says Microsoft.
As soon as you receive a flight confirmation in your inbox, Cortana gets to work. She gleans the content of the communication and stores the pertinent information in your Notebook.
Now that it is stored, you can just tell her to "show me my flights". Unlike a human, you do not have to say please or thank you and she will happily supply it. If you are like me, you wait until the last minute to pack. Hell, you may even forget you are traveling altogether! Cortana will alert you the day before so you won't forget. You can use this as an opportunity to shove some socks and underwear into a garbage bag (luggage).
She will even tell you the weather for the day of your travels, which can be good or bad. It is beneficial for planning how to dress, but those with anxiety may not want to know about wind, snow or rain.
The coolest feature, however, is for international travelers. Cortana will detect the country to which you are traveling and offer a currency convertor. This will prevent you from being taken advantage of by dishonest locals.
Photo Credit: Puhach Andrei/Shutterstock