Fitbit adds Cortana Support to its devices

Fitbit, the activity tracking American company now works with Cortana, Windows' virtual personal assistant. Earlier in May, Microsoft announced the public preview of the Cortana Skills Kit, which allows developers to easily create intelligent, personalized experiences for users of Cortana in the US.

The new Fitbit skill will allow Cortana users to monitor their health and fitness goals on Windows 10, Android, iOS, and any other devices that support Cortana.

To connect Cortana to Fitbit, all you have to do is say, "Hey Cortana, open Fitbit." Cortana will then prompt you to connect your Fitbit account. Once you do, you can use the personal assistant to keep track of your activity or log food and water. You can use the skill by saying such phrases as, "Hey Cortana, ask Fitbit to log I drank 8 ounces of water," or "Hey Cortana, ask Fitbit how many steps do I have left today."

Cortana also will interface with your Fitbit leaderboard and can tell you how you're performing in comparison with the friends you compete against. The goal is to make Fitbit's stats easier to access by not having to pull up the app or website every time you want an update. Additionally, Cortana will encourage you to meet your fitness goals through short motivational sayings that are customized depending on the time of day.

To find out more, get started with the new Fitbit skill. Simply say “Hey Cortana, Open Fitbit,” and Cortana will ask you to connect your accounts by signing-in with your Fitbit username and password. You can then ask Cortana about your Fitbit activity.