DH bought me amazon echo. What to do with it!

[DidntWeAlmost]

I'm breastfeeding atm and lovely DH bought me amazon echo so I can do things without having to move with baby attached to boob.

Can anyone tell me some cool stuff I can use it for that I may not have thought of?

Your parrot can order treats for itself on it - see youtube

Have you put the Alexa app on your phone/tablet? If you open the app you can then browse through the ‘Skills’ and see which ones you think you might like (they’re free).
The most useful thing for me is the shopping list function. I have a memory like a sieve and three high needs kids. Yes, I own a pen and paper, but the shopping list function is one million times easier and practically fool proof.
I use it for timers when cooking, I use it to set reminders (I’ve set one for November to remind me to book the car in for its MOT, it reminds me every Tuesday to put the bins out, it’s reminded me this morning to pay the kids’ ballet exam fees, etc. etc.)
I can listen to stations which we can’t get locally on digital radio (Classic fm), the kids use it to play their favourite music, they ask it to translate words into French, ask it how many sleeps until Santa comes. Lots of different things.
I think it really comes into its own when you have more than one Echo. The intercom function is handy. For example, you could ask Alexa to call the room where your husband is sitting and tell him you’ve just sat down to feed, could he bring you a cup of tea ;)
Our Mum has one. We can call each other. We don’t use that function much, but she is frail and it’s reassuring to know that if she was ever to fall she could shout to Alexa to call our Alexas or shout for Alexa to phone us.
Apparently Alexa can also send texts for you. I’ve not tried that one yet.

I think the texts function is still just to another Alexa. So you send a message she reads out on the other side?

I think the calendar function will be good too. DH and I are always in the kitchen discussing dates x or y or we get notes in the kids school bags about dates but don't have our calendars handy to add or check. I just put DD's first day of term in as the letter has been on the fridge for two weeks but I hadn't got around to adding it to my calendar.

I bought it for DH as he never knows where his phone is but likes looking things up a lot. Also he has Parkinson's and his fine motor skills are not good so he can just speak to it instead of looking for his phone and trying to google that way. He also forgets what he wanted to look up so now he can ask Alexa immediately before he has time to forget!! DD and I also enjoyed playing some Christmas music and trying to ask it trick questions

It will fart..........

Just music and radio, dc tell me off for shouting at alexa!

It plays catch up radio too. My favourite instruction is Alexa play the Archers and it will play the previous episode much to the disgust of my family. Trivia hero game is fun.

We have one in kitchen and DP has one in his office. I often use it as an intercom as his office is in the extension and it has really thick walls so he can't hear me shouting up the stairs sometimes!

Mostly we use the kitchen one for listening to music/radio while cooking, setting timers, listening to the news, and asking it the odd bit of trivia while we're disagreeing about something I make shopping lists on it it too when I notice we're out of something while cooking.

It's all good then isn't it didn't we but actually no. Listening to convos and so on, although yes phones capable its not explicit like these devices.

You have your beliefs about how scrupulous these foreign embassies in your own home are.

My partner bought me one despite me saying repeatedly I didn’t like them. My house is very analog and I don’t subscribe to Prime etc, and have no plans to digitise. I’ve kept the box and will be returning it shortly, he can enjoy a third one in his own house.

Veronicat you took the words out of my mouth

Ask it what noise a hamster makes.

We got Alexa at Christmas. So far we have played music (requested by type - play a silly song, play a happy song, play a song for kids to tidy up to). We've used Drop In where we can talk to a different echo/dot in a different room. We've asked it for random facts, or examples of animal sounds. There are a load of games you can play, the kids like playing musical statues. We have plugs and smart bulbs so use alexa to turn them on and off.

I’ve ordered some smart plugs and bulbs should be arriving tomorrow so I can sit and say Alexa turn the light on and turn the light off

Meh. I'm not that paranoid about them.

We use ours for doing lights, dimming them etc, listening to music/ radio, asking weather, our 4 year old loved asking how many sleeps before Christmas as Santa had a message each day, timer in the kitchen, shopping list etc.

As others have said, you don't need it but we don't need Smart Phones, tablets, coffee machines, car radios etc but sometimes things are useful, fun or nice to have.

I just got one and like it.

She plays white noise at night to drown out my DH's Darth Vader breathing.
I’ve only added a few things to the shopping list and I think she struggles with my accent sometimes. I opened the app to find 'human' on my list instead of cumin. 😂
Timer function is handy.
I like Trivia Hero game as I can actually answer the questions.
I’ve a terrible memory for remembering appointments and school stuff so I think she'll be great for that.
I’ve linked her to Spotify and I love that.

I’m definitely going to get some of those plug doodahs. I’m disabled and they sound great for turning lamps and and off and that sort of thing.

I think Alexa’s biggest user group is going to be those with disabilities, OvO. So many possibilities.

Alarm clock

I was a bit paranoid about them, but we stayed somewhere recently that had one and it was great fun.

So I looked into it a bit more and I can't see anything sinister about it and if it's helpful and fun then why not?

I've already got an iPhone and cookies have been recording what I've been doing on the internet since 1997, so I have no reason to be wearing a tin foil hat for an echo.

Mine doesn't arrive until end of jan as I bought it on Black Friday at half price and they sold out.

I can't wait!

I've been stocking up on smart sockets and the odd bulb where helpful too

I've had one for a while plus a Google home; one upstairs and one downstairs. I listen to the radio, get weather reports, add things to my calendar and shopping lists, get the news headlines.

I got a smart plug for Christmas, just set it up with the kettle so in the morning I can ask Alexa to put the kettle on so I don't have to go downstairs to do it. I think I've done it right, I'll report back!

My favourite instruction is Alexa play the Archers and it will play the previous episode

@rose69 mine won't do that :(

Silvercat, try shouting at her - it sometimes works 😂

Nols if it could boil the kettle, make the tea and bring me the tea, then I’d see the benefit!