Everything You Can Do With Amazon Alexa
Amazon’s voice assistant Alexa can make it so you never have to lift a finger to perform certain actions.
Not only can Alexa tell you simple things such as the time, set up an alarm and play music, but it's also programmed to do things such as request an Uber pickup and order a pizza.
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Yet people often underestimate Alexa’s abilities -- in fact, it basically has its own personality. Alexa can tell jokes, read books, teach math -- the list goes on and it’s expanding regularly. As of July, the voice platform surpassed 15,000 skills, which is 5,000 more than it had in February. Not only is Alexa accessible through Amazon devices such as the Echo, it can now be used by Android owners with the Alexa app.
Now it can be programmed to sound even more human-like. In April, Amazon announced five new language protocols that allow app builders to incorporate speech patterns such as whispering, bleeping out swear words and changing the speed at which Alexa talks. And in October, the ecommerce giant programmed Alexa to be able to recognize a variety of voices -- whether it’s more family members, a significant other or some close pals -- and reply with personalized responses.
While in the past, these “Alexa skills” would have to be enabled -- meaning a user would have to go into their Amazon Alexa app, search for the skill they wanted and turn it on -- now, a user can bypass this step and simply ask Alexa anything.
To unlock Alexa’s full potential, check out everything the voice assistant can do.
A new update rolled out in June 2017 that allows Amazon Alexa owners to schedule reminders and label any timers they set. From sending a rent check to picking up groceries to checking the oven -- the new update can help users never forget a thing.
And by being able to label timers, users can easily set multiple timers at once and Alexa will know exactly which ones go when. For example, simply say “Alexa, set the pasta timer” or “Alexa, set the chicken timer” and it will set the various labeled timers with their corresponding times.
As of May 2017, Alexa finally gained one of its simplest skills that it had been lacking -- the ability to make calls and send messages. The new addition comes just as the latest version of the Amazon Echo was unveiled and will allow users to ask Alexa to call or message other people with Echo devices or an Alexa app for free -- all you need is an internet connection.
With the new Echo that features a screen, users have the options to voice call, video call or “drop in” -- which lets users instantly connect with the person they are calling if they enable “drop in” permission (kind of like an intercom). However, those who have the original Echo device can still make voice calls and send messages.
There’s no release date for the new calling and messaging features, but according to Amazon, they are “coming soon.”
Lose the pen and paper (or tablet or smartphone) -- you now have your own personal notetaker.
Alexa can help you draft your to do or shopping lists. Just let it know what you need -- “Amazon, add ‘go to the grocery store’ to my to-do list.”
In fact, Alexa can basically act as a personal assistant. It can keep your calendar in order and let you know of any upcoming events or appointments. Just ask, “Alexa, what’s on my calendar for tomorrow?”
Before you even get out of bed to start getting ready for the day, find out what the weather’s like outside. Do you need an umbrella? Alexa has the answer. Ask, “Alexa, will I need an umbrella today?”
If you’re planning ahead, find out from Alexa what this weekend's weather looks like -- “Alexa, what’s the weather going to be this weekend?”
Like the weather, it’s important to be prepared for anything before you head out for the day. Alexa can let you know what the traffic looks like on your morning commute -- “Alexa, what’s my commute look like?” Or, “Alexa, what’s traffic like?”
Many of us have already (sadly) ditched the newspaper, but here's another way to get the news without reaching for your smartphone.
While you’re brushing your teeth or making breakfast, Alexa can give you a morning briefing. Just ask, “Alexa, what’s in the news?”
There’s a lot that Alexa can teach you.
Say you’re thinking about watching a movie but want to find out more before you dedicate your time. Alexa can tell you what the IMDb rating is for a movie, what actors are in it and basically anything else you want to know. You can ask things such as, “Alexa, who plays in the [name of movie]?” Or “Alexa, what is [actor]’s latest movie?”
If you’re curious about any music or artist you’re listening too, that’s also a question for Alexa. To find out who sings a particular song -- “Alexa, who sings the song [title]?" If you want a scoop on an album -- “Alexa, "What year did [band] release [song or album]?"
Alexa can also look up anything online for you. You can ask it to look up something on Wikipedia, or you can ask something such as, “Alexa, how tall is Michael Jordan?”
Once you hook up your Amazon account to Alexa, you can use it to make sure you never run out of anything. From groceries to toiletries to music, Alexa can order all of your necessities with your voice. Out of toilet paper? Not a problem -- “Alexa, buy more toilet paper.”
If you want to know about Amazon's daily deals, Alexa will tell you. Just ask, “Alexa, what are your deals?”
After Alexa places your order, it’ll also help you track it: “Alexa, where’s my stuff?”
Oops -- you burned dinner, now what? Order a pizza.
You’ll have to have a Domino’s “Pizza Profile” already set up to do this. Just enter your name, address and payment info and add in your “Easy Order” preference, and you’ll never have to lift a finger to order a pizza again.
After you’ve got your Domino’s profile ready, you can start asking Alexa, “Alexa, open Domino’s and place my Easy Order.” After you’ve ordered it, you can have Alexa check on its status too -- “Alexa, ask Domino’s to track my order.
Healthtap’s Doctor AI, an artificial intelligence powered service that provides doctor recommended insights and was initially launched for Apple iOS and Android devices, is now available on Amazon Alexa.
The service is especially helpful for people who might have impaired eyesight, difficulty using their hands or simply not used to using screens. With records from more than 107,000 doctors in its network, Doctor AI analyzes the medical records of users, provides a diagnosis and feedback and shares the information in a conversational way.
Doctor AI can also connect users to one of its associated doctors. Some features are available only to premium users.
It turns out Alexa has a comedic side. If you’re feeling down, ask, “Alexa, tell me a joke.”
Alexa doesn’t stop there either. There are a number of “easter eggs” that Alexa has been programmed to respond too. Here’s a list of some of the funniest:
"Alexa, what's the first (or second) rule of Fight Club?"
"Alexa, show me the money."
"Alexa, I want the truth."
"Alexa, my name is Inigo Montoya."
“Alexa, I am your father.”
"Alexa, when am I going to die?"
"Alexa, don't mention the war."
You can connect Alexa to a number of smart appliances in your home. If you own platforms such as SmartThings, Wink, Insteon, Lutron, Belkin WeMo, Philips Hue and others, then you’ll be able to transform your house into a digital maven.
Alexa can turn off lights, lock doors, adjust the thermostat, control your garage door -- needless to say, you won’t have to lift a finger. For example, “Alexa, raise the temperature by one degree.”
“Ask My Buddy” can get you help during any emergency.
By setting up a free account on askmybuddy.net and entering your emergency contacts, you’ll be able to ask Alexa to call for help whenever you need it. Perhaps you’ve injured yourself and need to call a friend for help, simply say, “Alexa, ask my buddy to alert Bob.”
Miller Lite is taking things one step further to cater to people’s laziness.
Partnered with alcohol delivery service Drizly, the new “Miller Lite On-Demand” connects with Amazon Alexa. Users can order Miller Lite products by telling Alexa, “Start Miller Lite time.” Alexa will send the request to Drizly and the order will be completed and delivered in under an hour. To set it up, go to “Miller Time” in the Alexa skills store and enter your drink preferences.
With the number of data breaches today, it feels like no one is safe from hackers. With the ';--have i been pwned? Alexa skill, you can check to see if any of your usernames or emails have been subject to a data breach.
Say, “Alexa, open have I been poned,” and then spell out the email or handle you’d like to get checked.
Use the Stubhub skill with your Amazon Alexa and you can hear about what’s going on in your city. In fact, you don’t have to limit to your city either -- if you’re curious about what’s going on in another place, just ask Alexa.
Say, “Alexa, what’s happening in my city this weekend?” Or, “Alexa, what’s happening in San Francisco this weekend?”
Through the OpenTable skill, you can make a restaurant reservation through Amazon Alexa. After inputting your name, ZIP code, email and phone number, Alexa will share available reservations for the next 2.5 hours. You can also search for a specific restaurant. “Alexa, launch OpenTable.”
If you want to search by local cuisine, you can use Restaurant Explorer, which will list out options for you. All you have to supply is your ZIP code and the type of food you want -- “Alexa, ask Restaurant Explorer to find Indian food near 94901.”
Catch a breather -- Alexa can lead you in a quick meditation session with its 1-Minute Mindfulness skill. It will guide you to close your eyes, focus on your breathing and get into meditation mode. You can also choose between quick meditation, peaceful meditation, river meditation and forest meditation. Simple say, “Alexa, ask mindfulness for a minute meditation.”
If you want a longer meditation session, try the Meditation Timer skill. The skill will help set the right tone for your meditation, where you can choose between forest, rain or ocean surf settings, and set them to play for a certain amount of time. “Alexa, open Meditation Timer.”
If you’re making music or practicing, the Acoustic Metronome skill will help you stay on beat. It has rates ranging between 40 to 199 beats per minute -- just tell Alexa what you need, “Alexa, ask metronome to play 60.”
With the Ditty skill, you can turn anything you speak into a song. Ditty will auto-tune your words and play them back as a catchy tune that you can share with friends on Twitter or save it for yourself. “Alexa, open Ditty.”
Alexa will tell your child a personalized bedtime story. To set this up, create an account on bedtime.webguild.com and link it to your Amazon Alexa. To start, say something like, “Alexa, tell BedTime Story to Suzy.”
Don’t worry, there’s also an Alexa skill for adults too. The Earplay skill will craft a personalized story for you through its “choose-your-own-adventure” option -- “Alexa, start Earplay.”
There are a number of Amazon Alexa skills that can assist in your travels. When it comes to planning trips, using the Kayak skill, you can search for flights, hotels, rental cars and more. It also provides you with potential vacation options if you’re on a budget.
For example, “Alexa, where can I fly to for under $1,000?” Or, “Alexa, ask Kayak how much a flight from New York to Houston is.”
Sure, you can order food with Alexa, but what if you feel like a home-cooked meal? Things just got a bit easier. Amazon recently introduced new Alexa skills that connect the voice assistant to smart microwaves.
Instead of pushing buttons, you can say things such as “Alexa, defrost three pounds of chicken” or “Alexa, microwave for 50 seconds on high.”
The skill will be available soon, first with Whirlpool's connected microwaves.