Microsoft's digital assistant, Cortana has been in Android in beta last month, and now the apps is in the Google Play Store.

Though it was kind of astonishing that a firm like Microsoft could introduce its digital assistant as a third party app in a platform that is highly-integrated with Google Now, it comes handy as it can be activated in the Home button shortcut, said 9to5Google.

Microsoft's Cortana on the Android land may not be full blast in terms of functionality as the space is dominated by Google's own digital assistant Google Now while Cortana is simply an app. Android consumers can at least now try on how Microsoft's intelligent assistant answers questions.

9to5Google has the comparison of Google Now and Cortana beta in a video that may help anyone decide if the Cortana app is worth downloading on Android or not.

Microsoft announced Cortana is now available on Android as an app since it has to be in whatever device the consumer carries. Microsoft finds it important to have Cortana available not only in the Windows OS but also in other platforms, like select phones of Android, one of the dominating platforms of today, as well as in select iPhones and Cyanogen OS devices.

As it is Microsoft's intention to have its new platform Windows 10 run across devices, it also plans to bring Cortana to other platforms - from PC to smartphones and vice versa.

Cortana can be a reminder that travels with the consumer. When set with a location-based reminder, it will pop up on the device when the consumer arrives at the set location.

This holiday season, one can set a reminder of the to-dos and holiday gift lists, like picking up a package from the nearby grocery store. The next time the user is at the location, Cortana will remind him to pick up the package.