| Cult of Mac

Microsoft Cortana comes to iPad

By

Cortana iPad
Cortana could be reading your emails soon.
Photo: Cult of Mac

Microsoft Cortana is now available on iPad. The smart assistant comes with all the features you’ve been enjoying on iPhone since July, combined with an interface that’s optimized for massive iPad screens. It also promises a much faster experience.

Over half a billion devices now ‘actively’ use Siri

By

Siri
Siri usage is climbing rapidly.
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

Siri is now “actively” used on more than half a billion devices, Apple has revealed. The virtual assistant, which will be used to control HomePod, has been attracting users at a rapid rate despite falling behind its competitors in features and accuracy.

Samsung has no interest in taking on HomePod

By

HomePod
Samsung doesn't want to fight HomePod... yet.
Photo: Apple

Samsung currently has no plans to take on HomePod with a smart speaker of its own.

Recent rumors have claimed the South Korean company is working on a standalone Bixby device, but a source familiar with its plans says the market is too small to be profitable.

Can Google Assistant beat Siri on iPhone? Let’s find out!

By

Virtual Assistant
Which is better? Google Assistant or Siri... check out the battle in today's video.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Google Assistant for iOS was released at Google’s latest I/O event. Having never tried it (being an Apple fanboy and all) I thought it was only fair to put the two virtual assistants head to head.

There’s still a lot Google needs to fix such as being able to open apps other than it’s own. But check out the head to head battle in my video below.

Is Siri still steps behind Google’s virtual assistants? [Friday Night Fights]

By

v2
Which virtual assistant gets your vote?
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Apple has taken big strides to make Siri even greater in recent years, like bringing it to Apple TV and macOS, and opening it up to third-party developers. In that time, Apple’s virtual assistant has also gotten more accurate and more reliable.

Friday Night Fights bug But some might say third-party alternatives — particularly those from Google — are still a step ahead, with greater features and more flexibility. So, is Apple doing enough to make Siri just as stellar as Google Now and the new Google Assistant?

Join us in this week’s Friday Night Fight as we go head-to-head over virtual assistants.

Get an assistant that picks up the slack for Siri [Deals]

By

EasilyDo is a digital assistant that makes sure you're on top of your schedule and correspondence.
EasilyDo is a digital assistant that makes sure you're on top of your schedule and correspondence.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Siri is (usually) great for answering questions, but for helping us stay on task it’s a bit of a dud. EasilyDo on the other hand will make sure you’re on time and on point with all your obligations. It’s a powerful assistant for managing contacts, calendar, email and more that’s just $19.99.