Microsoft's new acquisition can enhance Cortana's chat bots

If that sounds familiar, it's because Google and Facebook have since also announced similar plans to integrate chatbots into their messaging apps. Facebook Messenger, for instance, already has bots that let you send flowers, get breaking news and go shopping without leaving the app. Wand Labs would boost Microsoft's ability to offer more in this space, given the former's experience with "third-party developer integration and conversational interfaces," according to Microsoft. Wand has shut down its messaging app, but screenshots on its website show its ability to pull up third-party services such as Yelp and YouTube from its keyboard. With the Wand application, you could even share access to apps such as Nest's smart thermostat app so the friends you're chatting with can change the temperature for themselves.