Cortana app isn't exactly a talker for Apple, Android devices

Video game fans are familiar with the name Cortana. Now, Microsoft is hoping iOS and Android phone owners in search of a personal assistant app will get to know her, too.

Microsoft's voice-enabled assistant Cortana — named after the artificial intelligence featured in the Xbox franchise Halo — launched for Apple and Android smartphones, giving users a way to quickly look up information or set reminders with simple voice commands.

At times, Cortana is useful. But it appears clear it works best on its native home on a Windows device. Apple and Android smartphone owners will discover better results from their native digital assistants: Siri and Google Now.

Setup is straightforward, so long as you have a Windows or Outlook account. Once you log in, Cortana will provide some basic information: news headlines, weather forecasts and stock prices. The layout is similar to Google Now with its cards filled with helpful tidbits.

Tapping the menu at the top left can pull up a Notebook, where you can add different card types to Cortana's main screen. Users can include the basics, or other important info such as restaurant recommendations, fresh movie trailers or details on when a package you've ordered might arrive.

Users can also set reminders, either by a specific time or when you reach a destination. For example, if I need to remember to buy paper towels at Target, I can set a reminder to go off when I'm close to a store.

Of course, the real draw of these digital assistants is their ability to deliver information, either through a typed or vocal request. This is where Cortana's results come in mixed.

Some cases, Cortana does her job well. Need a weather forecast? She'll spit out the five-day outlook for whichever city you choose. Want to know when the San Antonio Spurs play next? She'll dig up the schedule and share their next game. Cortana has fun as well. She'll sing and tell jokes. She'll even answer whether she plays Halo: "Not yet. Maybe in 500 years."

In other situations, Cortana will share a Bing page, whereas other assistants would offer better info. For example, I throw out the question "When does the next Star Wars movie come out?" Cortana offers a Bing page. Siri follows up by asking "which one?" Then Siri offers the appropriate answer based on your choice. Google Now quickly responded with The Force Awakens and its release date. However, when I specifically asked for Star Wars: The Force Awakens, all three offered better answers.

Also, because Cortana isn't native to iOS or Android, there are limits to what it provides. Try to send a text in Cortana on an iPhone and you only get an option to type. With Siri, you can do this by voice. It applies to other functions as well, such as taking down notes or launching apps.

Naturally, Cortana will work best with Windows. They're both from Microsoft, after all. And while Cortana is a solid option for iOS and Android, users are better off sticking with those native assistants as Microsoft adds more support.

Follow Brett Molina on Twitter: @brettmolina23.