Latest Windows 10 Preview build hints to expansion of Cortana to much more than asking boring questions
A new Windows 10 build was released over the weekend, which seems to hint at the possibility that Cortana could become increasingly more powerful in the near future.
At present, Microsoft Cortana’s primary task has been to provide information that could be gathered easily through a web search, or to find files and apps on your computer.
System tasks such as running a virus scan, turning the PC off, or accessing some particular settings, have been largely out of reach, mostly amid concerns that giving Cortana too much power would allow malicious users to operate other people’s computers, without ever touching the keyboard.
With that said, there are safeguards in place, such as Windows Hello, and the ability to set Cortana to only receive commands from the owner’s voice. Additionally, No commands affecting system-wide operations can be carried out without being logged into a Windows 10 PC, and that cannot be done by asking Cortana.
This week, Microsoft has released an update designed to work with a new “Cortana Show Me” app, available from the Windows Store: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/store/r/cortana-follow-me/9pl1gmkcxm8c. The app is a Cortana-narrated interactive presentation that shows you how to perform various tasks, including:
- Update Windows
- Check if an app is installed
- Uninstall an app
- Change your desktop background
- Use Airplane Mode
- Change your display brightness
- Add nearby printers or scanners
- Change your default programs
- Change your screen resolution
- Turn off Windows Defender Security Center
- Run a security scan
- Change Wi-Fi settings
- Change your power settings
- Discover Bluetooth devices
- Check your version of Windows
The great thing about this app is that Cortana doesn’t just show how to get to certain screens and panels: it actually opens the apps and settings for you, which is as close to getting Cortana to execute a system command as it gets.
Of course, it would be nice to be able to simply tell Cortana to do each of the above tasks directly, but considering the possibility that “Cortana Show Me” offers, future further integration of these commands in your Windows 10 experience isn’t completely out of the question.
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