Better Together 2: More apps that work better with Cortana
If you’re looking for more Windows Phone apps that work seamlessly with Cortana, you’ve come to the right place.
Last month, we shone a spotlight on a selection of great apps that work better with Cortana, your personal digital assistant. (Cortana is available in select regions on Lumia and other Windows Phone smartphones, as well as Windows 10-enabled PCs and tablets.)
Now we’ve found more free apps that benefit from integrated Cortana support. To activate Cortana, tap the magnifying glass button at the bottom of your Lumia phone. If you have Hey Cortana enabled, simply say “Hey Cortana” to wake her up.
How do you know if an app on your Lumia supports Cortana? Activate Cortana and tap the “see more” link under her welcome message. You’ll be taken to a list of installed apps that work with her. Then, tap an app name to get sample commands.
Uber
Getting a ride home just got a lot easier. Try saying “Uber, get me an UberX” and Cortana will open the Uber app and find your location via GPS.
Hulu Plus
Catch up on your favorite TV shows without navigating the menu screen. Say something like, “Hulu, watch the latest episode of ‘Empire’” to enjoy some sudsy drama. Or say, “Hulu, add ‘Gotham’ to my favorites” to add a show to your list of favorite shows.
Netflix
Jump to the movie or TV show you want and skip the cumbersome search screen. Say “Netflix, find ‘Orange is the New Black’” and you’ll be off to prison in no time.
Twitter
Send tweets without typing a single word. Just say “Twitter, new tweet” and Cortana will open the Twitter app to the new tweet screen. The app’s voice recognition software will take over, allowing you to dictate your message.
USA Today
Stay on top of the latest news using Cortana and the USA Today app. Say “USA Today, show me sports” to be taken to the latest sports stories, or “USA Today, what is the weather?” to see the forecast.
Dictionary (free)
Not sure what a word means? Open Cortana and say, “Dictionary, what is ‘acrimonious?’” to discover that the word is “marked by strong resentment or cynicism.”