Now it’s time to see what Alexa can really do. Most users know how to select songs and search the internet for information. These skills are handy, but they’re only the tip of the digital iceberg. If you’re looking to upgrade your entire household with smart technology, tap or click here to see all the ways you can control your home with Echo. But if you want to rely on the speaker system itself, thousands of sophisticated skills can enhance your Alexa experience.
1. Automated actions with “Routines”
In real life, a human assistant doesn’t require separate requests. When you walk into the office, you don’t have to say, “Pat, can I have a cup of coffee?” Then say, “Pat, could you answer the phone?” Assistants already know your morning routine, and they know what you need (well, the best ones do) without you having to ask for every little thing. Alexa can now imitate this behavior, thanks to its “routines” feature. For instance, you can say “Alexa, I’m home!” and Alexa can greet you, turn on your living room smart lights, read the daily news and play a specific music playlist. Or you can say “Alexa, good night,” and she may reply, “Sweet dreams,” lock your doors, set your thermostat to a set temperature, turn off all your lights then play binaural white noise to lull you to sleep. The list of possible combinations is extensive. Tap or click here for a comprehensive list of commands you didn’t even know you could use. To create a Routine in the Alexa app, go to the Menu then tap Routines. Tap the Plus Sign (+) to start a new sequence. Select When this happens, then choose your trigger. The trigger can be a phrase, a schedule or a motion sensor event. Next, select Add Action to start building the Routine. To wrap it up, choose the device you want to trigger the routine from, then tap Create.
2. Make announcements
For example, you can say, “Alexa, announce that dinner is ready,” and Alexa will record your voice and repeat your announcement on every Echo in your home. 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.
3. Free phone calls
Much like the Bluetooth speaker in your car, you can use Alexa to place hands-free phone calls. Just link your mobile number to your Echo, and it will let you call anyone from your contacts list. To make a call from your compatible Echo devices, ask Alexa to call the person or contact you want to reach by name. Using voice-activated commands does make some users wary, as it’s well known that the Echo records every command you give. Tap or click here to review all of Alexa’s recordings of your voice.
4. Translate languages
For decades, futurists have dreamed of a universal translator. The idea of speaking into a computer and receiving an instantaneous transcription in English has always seemed like a distant dream. But Echo can now do precisely that — which is a paradigm shift for meetings, foreign exchange students or Couchsurfing hosts. Echo requires a skill called Translated to interpret one language to another. After enabling this skill, you can say “Alexa, open Translated,” then ask how to speak English words and phrases in a specific language. The Translated skill currently supports more than 35 languages.
5. Control your TV
To set this up, open your Alexa app, then select 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, 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.
6. Multi-room audio
If you have multiple Echos in your home (including Echo Dot and Show), you can set them up to play the same music simultaneously, much like having a centralized speaker system in your house. If you’re familiar with Apple’s Airplay or the Sonos system, the system works similarly. Once you have your groups set up, tell Alexa the song, artist, album, station or genre you want to play followed by your group name. What digital lifestyle questions do you have? Call my national radio show and click here to find it on your local radio station. You can listen to the Kim Komando Show on your phone, tablet or computer. From buying advice to digital life issues, click here for my free podcasts.
