1. Multi-room audio
Do you have multiple Echos in your home? You can set them up to play the same music simultaneously! It’s like having a full centralized speaker system in your house. If you’re familiar with Apple’s Airplay or the Sonos system, it works similarly. Once you have your groups set up, just tell Alexa the song, artist, album, station or genre you want to play followed by your group name.
2. TV control
Setting this up is easy! Just open your Alexa app » Music, Video & Books. Select Fire TV » Link Your Alexa Device then follow the on-screen instructions to select the devices you want to link. To confirm the link, tap on Link Devices. To use your voice as a remote control, just say “Alexa,” followed by a playback command, such as pause, fast-forward or skip an episode. You can also tell Alexa to search for a specific video and open other apps on your smart TV.
3. Wikipedia
Aside from answering basic questions, Alexa can also expand her answers with more information about a topic with information from Wikipedia. Just say “Wikipedia” followed by the name of the topic then say “More, “Hear more” or “Tell me more” to have Alexa read more information from the topic’s Wikipedia page.
4. Intercom
Another thing you can try with multiple Echos is setting up a multi-room intercom. You can then use your Echos to Drop In or call another Echo. To set this up, open your Alexa app, go to Settings then select the desired Echo device and tap Drop In. Now, select either On or Only my household to enable Drop In conversations. To call an Echo, just say “Alexa, Drop in” followed by the name of the Echo you want to call.
5. Make phone calls
To make a call from your compatible Echo devices, just ask Alexa to call the person or contact you want to reach by name.
6. Timers
The named timers feature is pretty intuitive to use. You set a timer by using phrases like “Alexa, set an oven timer for one hour” or “Alexa, set a nap timer for 20 minutes” or “Alexa, set a timer for watering for 15 minutes.” She will announce back to you the name of the timer, so you will know if she got it right.
7. Reminders
It’s easier than ever to set up reminders using your Echo. Just say “Alexa, remind me to go to my dentist appointment at 3 p.m. today” or “Alexa, remind me to call my mom on Friday.” If you don’t mention a time, then Alexa will ask you for specifics. When the reminder comes due, Alexa will glow, sound a gentle alert, and say, “Here’s your reminder. Call my mom.” She will continue to remind you until you ask her to stop.
8. Cooking assistant
Some of Alexa’s best kitchen features don’t require you to activate a new skill. You can add items to your grocery list by saying “Alexa, add hot dogs to my shopping list.” You can then check the Alexa app on your phone to access your shopping list while you’re at the store. Alexa is also a quick way to get conversions. Just ask, “Alexa, how many tablespoons are in a cup?” Alexa will quickly tell you the answer is “16.” Alexa’s named-timers feature will help you manage everything you have cooking. Say, “Alexa, set a pizza timer for 20 minutes.”
9. Tell a joke
Here’s a fun command you can try, ask Alexa to “tell a joke” and she’ll try to make you laugh with a random quick riddle. Try this too – say “Alexa, sound like a cat” and she’ll “meow.”
10. Ask about Alexa’s competition
Another light-hearted request you can try is to ask Alexa about her rivals like Google Home, Siri or Cortana. Ask her “Alexa, what do you think of Siri?” or “Alexa, are you better than Cortana?” and you might be surprised by her answers.
Bonus: Alexa gets first celebrity voice
Just in time for the holidays, Alexa is getting its first celebrity voice and it’s Oprah Winfrey! To hear Oprah’s voice, just say, “Alexa, let’s shop Oprah’s favorite things.” Oprah will then pick one of her favorite products and talk about why she picked the item this year. Of course, at the end, Alexa will then ask you if you’d like to buy the item.
List of Alexa commands you’re not using but should be
Need more helpful Alexa commands? Click here to learn more!
