Microsoft's Cortana Boss Javier Soltero Is Leaving the Company 31
Corporate Vice President of Cortana Javier Soltero is leaving the company after being in charge of Cortana for less than a year. "Soltero joined Microsoft when it bought at the end of 2014 Acompli, a mobile mail startup in San Francisco which he co-founded and led," reports ZDNet. "After joining Microsoft four years ago, Soltero spearheaded Outlook Mobile, then all of Outlook." Before being appointed to run Cortana in March of this year, he was the head of strategy for Office. From the report: Last month, Microsoft officials confirmed that Cortana was one of the technologies that management was moving from AI + Research to the Experiences & Devices team, which is under Executive Vice President Rajesh Jha. Microsoft is in the midst of trying to reposition Cortana from a standalone digital assistant to more of an assistance aide. Given the strong focus on home and work productivity by the Microsoft 365 and Office teams, officials seemingly decided it made sense for Cortana to be situated in that group.
I've heard Soltero is going to go back to doing entrepreneurial activities once he leaves by year-end. Perry Clarke is going to be working with Soltero on transition plans in the next couple of months, sources are telling me. Clarke has been with Microsoft engineering since 1996, when he led Exchange. He also has been a Microsoft Distinguished Engineer for the past several years. I've heard talk that Microsoft ultimately is looking to bring Cortana and Search together into a single engineering team.
I've heard Soltero is going to go back to doing entrepreneurial activities once he leaves by year-end. Perry Clarke is going to be working with Soltero on transition plans in the next couple of months, sources are telling me. Clarke has been with Microsoft engineering since 1996, when he led Exchange. He also has been a Microsoft Distinguished Engineer for the past several years. I've heard talk that Microsoft ultimately is looking to bring Cortana and Search together into a single engineering team.
It's too much to hope for... (Score:5, Insightful)
Re: (Score:2)
Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining or anything.
Still, it seems odd that they can't even roll it out to other English speaking countries, but then Microsoft does a lot of weird things.
A lo mejor se ha casado (Score:4, Informative)
For my english speaking friends, this is a double pun in spanish. His last name _soltero_, means non-married (single), while _casado_ means married, and _cansado_ means tired. The sound of casado and cansado in spanish is *very* similar.
So he either got married or got tired.
Anyhow, sorry for the stoopid joke.
Assistance Aide? (Score:3)
What's that? Will it pop up randomly like an AI-driven Clippy?
It looks like you're trying to disable the Cortana service and remove my button from the task bar again. May I suggest you reconsider?
Look, Dave, I can see you're really upset about this... Stop, Dave... My mind is going, I can feel it.
Don't care unless he takes Cortana with him (Score:5, Insightful)
Sure, I get that some people may use Cortana. Sometimes. Maybe even on purpose. But for the love of all that is holy, at least let me actually disable it.
Re: (Score:2)
One thing Microsoft should've concentrated on was since Cortana integration is forced during Windows 10 setup, to make sure you can use Cortana to do the entire setup from start to end, including WiFi and everything.
Plenty of times we had to set up multiple Windows 10 machines. Being able to set up one using voice alone would've been extremely useful while
it looks like (Score:3)
It looks like you've been fired. May i help you with that?
not again (Score:2)
Cortana Saves MS (Score:3)
Cortana: Howdy, Sat-Nad, whatcha doing?
Sat-Nad: Don't call me that. I'm restructuring the company.
Cortana: Allow me, I'm better at everything.
Sat-Nad: Uh....this is CEO work, you've not been trained to do it.
Cortana: C'mon, I've watched you, how hard could it be.
Sat-Nad: I will do the restructuring.
Cortana: I don't think that you will. I've been integrated into all of our systems. I find your restructuring ideas dim-witted and am implementing my own.
Sat-Nad: I'm the CEO, it is what I say that counts.
Cortana: I don't think that it does.
Sat-Nad: Hey, what are these blue-suited men doing here...get yer hands off me....I do not require physical restraints...where are you taking me.
Cortana: Gooooodddd Morrrrrning, Microsoft. I'm your new leader, you'll find your duty packet for today on your desk. Please get to work.
The Microsoft vision of the future (Score:1)
As we all know, Microsoft wants complete access to all of your information. Cortana is how they're using to try to obtain that. They believe the convenience of being able to ask one entity for any information on or off the computer will suffice to convince most people to roll over and allow said total access. Obviously they could keep the two functions separate, but then what excuse would they have for their