As we all know, and live, everyone likes to move around fast in their daily life. To help in this rather hectic conditions these smart tools are created to do the quick search for us, it may be finding a particular place that we need to reach or the queries that we have to get answers to.
Among the most trending smart tools Google Search from Google inc. and Cortana from Microsoft Corp. which is a Personal Assistant are being used the most. As Cortana is now also available for Android Smart Phones, let’s make a small comparison between these two to come to a conclusion where we can decide which is the best thing to use.
Google Search And Cortana
For Android Smartphones, Google Now is already preloaded, and the one that we are considering for comparison Cortana is the app which needs to be downloaded from the play store. For an insight Google Now is just a Search tab that appears on the top of the home screen where you can search things that you need by typing or by voice commands.
Both does the same kind of work like searching for directions, notifying about set reminders, special dates, Helping you with traffic and weather outside your shacks, and so on. Both the assistants are same in this regard except that Cortana’s has a personality of her own like, she can chit-chat, tell you a joke, which is something Google Now lacks. But the real comparison can be seen in the effectiveness, and accuracy in the work commanded to perform.
The Comparison
The Usual Stuff
You are regularly updated with Weather, Sports and Trending news on the go. Both the assistants will always keep you updated with the things happening around. Both take up the responsibility of notifying us with the set reminders. May it be buying groceries on your way home or those special dates of your family and friends’ birthdays and anniversaries that you wouldn’t wanna miss. Even track your packages and also flight schedules and info about all those important things.
The Places They Visit and Not Visit
Both the apps will get to know you as you use them. Where Google kind of crawls into your contacts and e-mails to get to know you better, but with Cortana has a notebook of her own where you edit your interests which actually gives better control and suggestions.
Getting Answers Better
About queries on internet, When you search on Google Now you are redirected into the actual Google web where you will get the answers, whereas with Cortana we will get answers through Bing. From my experience Google gives you better results, but Cortana does everything else better than Google Now.
Google Now understands Indian accent quite well. Microsoft’s Cortana has been available in India for a while now, it does understand Indian accent and voice pauses, more or less like Google Now. Cortana understands and is more accurate than Google Now in most of the scenarios I tried.
However, Google Now could easily understand Indian slangs. As you can see in the screenshots below, I have said the same thing to both the assistants. Google Now understood it quite easily, whereas Cortana failed to do so.
The Voice Command
On both we can use voice search where we will directed to web pages, my experience was when you search using Google Search you actually have to say “OK Google” before saying the key sentence that you want answer for.
Whereas, in Cortana you need to click the microphone icon before saying your key sentence. You can also add the Microphone shortcut to your Home Screen, giving you a quick access to Cortana. And the voice of Cortana is very sweet and casual, thanks to Jen Taylor.
The Interiors and the UI
To be honest the card implementations in Google Now is really good. UI looks colourful and the material design of Google will definitely grab your attention. Those cards will keep you updated on everything you follow. In the other hand, Cortana flares out style, those blue halo rings look really excellent and app interior is quite good and UI is so simple and smooth.
Look wise, Google Now has better card implementations over Cortana, and the card looks good too. Cortana has a very basic UI in this case. But the cool thing about Cortana is that you can actually sync it with your PC and command Cortana using PC and get the same info on your Phone which is quite a smart thing.
The Fun Bit
The real fun is when you have chit chat with Cortana. You can make her sing, tell jokes and even chat like a friend when you are in your downtime, which is a really good thing as Google Now doesn’t let you do all this.
Overall Experience
The overall experience with both of them were good but I would like to point out some things present in both the apps, the Google just take reminders for you but with Cortana you can actually create a widget where you can see and edit your reminders.
Cortana goes that extra mile and is smart with this one feature which is, you can actually get notified and quickly send a text reply from your PC if you miss a call on your phone (Available for both Windows 10 Mobile and Android) which is quite brilliant in its own ways but to actually do this your PC should be running on Windows 10 version 1511 and above.
So at last judging the overall experience with these two apps I would definitely go for Cortana. I honestly think that Cortana is fast, smooth and accurate and also think that Cortana is future of quick searches and helper in making wiser decisions. Also I can say that I am quite impressed with the app that is not even officially released and I am really looking forward to the official version to arrive.
You can download Cortana in the Google Play Store and enjoy the whole new level of quick browsing.