- Jul 12, 2014
- 1,143
Cortana has been available on Windows Phone 8.1 for some time in various parts of the world, but Microsoft's digital 'personal assistant' is becoming far more widely available with this week's launch of Windows 10.
To interact with Cortana, you can either tap the Search button on your PC or phone, or set up your device with 'Hey Cortana' voice activation. But there will soon be a new option available, allowing you to get the assistant's attention at the push of a standalone hardware button.
Satechi's new BT Cortana Button is designed to offer an alternative to the Hey Cortana feature, which actively listens for users to call out 'Hey Cortana', and adds to battery drain on mobile devices. The new accessory instead connects to a device via Bluetooth 4.0 LE (low energy), with a range of up to 40 feet, and when you need to interact with Cortana, you simply push the button, opening the assistant on the Windows 10 device.
When it goes on sale next month, the button will come with a 3M sticker and a tiny mount, to make it easy to attach it to the steering wheel in your car, or even the handlebars of your bike, for hands-free voice interaction. Satechi says that the button's battery should last for up to two years.
Compatible with Windows 10 PCs and phones, the BT Cortana Button will go on sale in "late August 2015", priced at $22.99, and will be sold via Amazon.com and Satechi.net.
To interact with Cortana, you can either tap the Search button on your PC or phone, or set up your device with 'Hey Cortana' voice activation. But there will soon be a new option available, allowing you to get the assistant's attention at the push of a standalone hardware button.
Satechi's new BT Cortana Button is designed to offer an alternative to the Hey Cortana feature, which actively listens for users to call out 'Hey Cortana', and adds to battery drain on mobile devices. The new accessory instead connects to a device via Bluetooth 4.0 LE (low energy), with a range of up to 40 feet, and when you need to interact with Cortana, you simply push the button, opening the assistant on the Windows 10 device.
When it goes on sale next month, the button will come with a 3M sticker and a tiny mount, to make it easy to attach it to the steering wheel in your car, or even the handlebars of your bike, for hands-free voice interaction. Satechi says that the button's battery should last for up to two years.
Compatible with Windows 10 PCs and phones, the BT Cortana Button will go on sale in "late August 2015", priced at $22.99, and will be sold via Amazon.com and Satechi.net.
