More people should be aware of and make use of the numerous useful features of Amazon’s Alexa speech assistant.
There is now a tonne of cool, interesting, and even hilarious things that Amazon Echo devices can do thanks to user-created “hacks,” “easter eggs,” and “skills.”
It’s common knowledge that you can ask Alexa to play music, set a timer while cooking, convert units of measure, or place an order for delivery, but there are many other tricks up her bag.
Open the app and change Alexa’s name to anything you like, such as Amazon, Echo, or Computer. Go to Preferences in the Menu. Select the Echo device you’d like to modify, then tap the Wake Word button. Other names to pick from will display in a pull-down menu. Make a selection, then click “Save and Confirm.”
Find out how to save time, have more fun, and generally improve your life as you learn about some awesome Amazon Echo secret capabilities and how to give Alexa hilarious requests.
1. Turn the Tv On And Off.
With a FireTV or Smart TV, you don’t need to hunt around for the remote to switch the TV on or off when you want to. However, the coolest part is that you can simply relax and use voice commands to search for a specific show, switch channels, and manage playback with Alexa.
2. Acquire Location-Based Traffic Alerts
You should probably ask Amazon about traffic conditions before you leave the house rather than risk losing focus on the road by fumbling with your phone while driving. You can then prepare for what is ahead by thoroughly researching the area. Enter your home and business addresses in the respective fields under Menu > Settings >Traffic.
3. Flip a Coin and See What Side Comes Up.
Can’t decide between ordering takeout and making dinner at home? Leave the choice to Alexa. A skill, such as Heads or Tails, must be installed in the Alexa app. Specifically, here’s how it operates: Toss a coin and call heads if this choice or tails if that choice. Take pizza delivery for instance; that’s a “heads” option, whereas cooking pasta from scratch is a “tails” option. Say “Alexa, ask Heads or Tails to flip a coin.” Whether you’re having pizza or pasta depends on the outcome of the coin toss.
Also: Siri Hacks: Try It out On Your Apple Mac or iPhone!
4. Maintain Expenditures Safe
The ability to use your voice to shop is a neat perk of Alexa devices, but you may not want everyone to have access to it. You can either enable voice purchasing with a four-digit voice code or disable it entirely from the Settings menu of the Alexa app.
5. Insist on A Revision.
Amazon routinely pushes out software upgrades for the Echo, but if you’ve somehow missed out on a crucial new feature, you may force an update right now. To silence the microphone, simply click the button on your speaker. Then, after 30 minutes, turn the microphone back on, and the Echo should be up to date.
6. Expect Your Echo to Repeat What You Just Told It to Say.
There is a simple way to hear what was just stated by Amazon’s AI if you asked Alexa an inquiry but missed the response. Using Alexa Cast, you may play music from your phone on a speaker. Say “Alexa, can you repeat that?” to hear Alexa’s most recent response again.
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7. Make an Agenda.
Ask yourself this: how often have you remembered something important, like paper towels or a bill, only to forget it again because you didn’t write it down? A to-do list made with Alexa beats promising yourself you’ll remember or frantically searching for a pen and paper. Simply tell Alexa, “make a list,” and you’ll be on your way. When you’re done, just pull them up on the Alexa app or any of your Echo devices.