Cortana gets bikini ready with Fitbit skill

While the wearable market hasn't exploded as many manufacturers had hoped, it is definitely popular for fitness. Although accuracy is sometimes in question, these devices can help people count steps, monitor heart rate, and more. It is not magic, however -- you must put in the effort to get in shape. In other words, the wearable can't do the exercise for you; trust me, I know...

One of the most popular fitness wearable brands is Fitbit, and today, its devices are getting even better. You see, Microsoft's virtual assistant, Cortana, can now work bidirectionally with a Fitbit account. You can ask the assistant for data from the account and she (her gender is a woman) will tell it to you. Conversely, you can tell Cortana to update your account with accomplishments. Very cool.

"With the new Fitbit skill for Cortana, it's now easier than ever for Fitbit users to monitor their health and fitness goals, sleep, stats and progress. Once you have connected your Fitbit account to Cortana, simply ask Cortana to get the information you need to stay inspired without having to pull up the Fitbit app or website. And because Cortana works across your Windows 10, Android and iOS devices, you can easily do so on the device closest to you," says Gurpreet Singh Pall, Microsoft.

Pall further explains, "Cortana understands natural language and makes it very easy to update Fitbit about your beverage and food intake without having to manually log the information.  You can say, 'Hey Cortana, Tell Fitbit to log I had an omelet for breakfast,' or 'Hey Cortana, Ask Fitbit to log I drank 12 ounces of water,' and Cortana will update your Fitbit account accordingly. Cortana provides you with the convenience of being able to log these activities through voice, helping you maintain a fuller view of your calorie intake -- along with the impact on your overall health and fitness stats."

Microsoft shares some example commands below.

• "Hey Cortana, ask Fitbit how much water I've had today."
• "Hey Cortana, ask Fitbit how many calories do I have left to eat."
• "Hey Cortana, ask Fitbit how many steps do I have left."
• "Hey Cortana, ask Fitbit how many workouts I need to do this week."

While some Windows 10 users might find Cortana insufferable -- almost as annoying as the infamous "Clippy" -- it is undoubtedly cool that she can be linked to a Fitbit account. Thanks to Cortana's cross-platform nature, many people will be able to take advantage of the skill, even when they aren't near their Windows 10 PC. Hell, if you start leveraging this skill now, you might be able to have a better bathing suit body for summer 2018!

Are you a Fitbit user? Will you use this Cortana skill? Please tell us in the comments below.

Photo credit: Glenn Price / Shutterstock