Microsoft's Cortana will soon scan all Windows 10 email accounts to create automatic reminders for promises that users made in emails. The Windows 10 Insider build will create a reminder card in the virtual assistant's main menu to remind people about commitments such as picking up movie tickets or sending sales reports, for example.
Cortana's new email reminder feature works very similar to Microsoft's flight and package tracking, according to Engadget. It results from a partnership between the OS giant and Microsoft Research (MSR).
The Verge points out that the process of creating reminders is not totally automated. In order to prevent the creation of unwanted reminders users must set the reminder by clicking a button found in Cortana's menu.
Cortana does the scanning locally on the PC or mobile device. This means that Microsoft will only store email information when users click on the Set Reminder button.
Users can also disable the new Cortana reminder feature, according to PC World. This will prevent the reminder cards from showing up.
Microsoft's personal assistant is also getting updates for calendar appointments. Users will receive alerts if a request is outside the user's regular working times, or for last-minute meeting requests. The user can tweak their schedule based on the requests.
The new Windows 10 features have been available for the desktop version since last year. Cortana also allows desktop users to get notifications for missed text messages and calls.
Microsoft's Gabe Aul explains in the Windows blog that people often forget about promises they have made in emails as time goes by and their inbox fills up. This challenged MSR to make Cortana upgrades to solve the problem.
PC World points out that Cortana is focusing on productivity to make the virtual assistant more like a real-life one. It will help to make it unique from Apple's Siri and Google Now.
Cortana's email reminders are rolling out in the United States on January 25, Monday for Windows 10 Insiders. Meanwhile, the new calendar alerts are launching in the U.S. and United Kingdom.
Microsoft is figuring out how the new features can be modified for iOS and Android. It will then be rolled out for all Windows 10 users.