Over the past few weeks, we've has been slowly uncovering Windows Threshold with tidbits about its distinctive new interface, virtual desktops, Charms bar overhaul and now we are learning a little bit more about Cortana.
Previously, we had mentioned that Cortana was up and running inside Threshold, and that was true, but the good news here is that Cortana has 'graduated', if you want to call it that, from engineering builds to a more stable release. What this means is that Cortana is no longer in the phase where it's 'let us see if this works' to a 'let us push this forward and see if we can ship it' stage.
While it is still early in development, Cortana's performance on the desktop is improving and looks to be targeted for inclusion in the final release. Obviously at this point, it could still be cut, but the first big hurdle has been overcome.
But how does Cortana work? As of right now, Cortana is an app; it's a simple app that opens up the personal digital assistant where you can then either type in your question or ask verbally inside a smallish window. It's not a full screen experience like you see on Windows Phone.
Read more about how Cortana is integrated with Windows Threshold.