Alexa- what do you use it for?

[OldMotherHubbardsBigBottom]

I was bought one last year as a present and other than asking it to make rude noises I haven't really used it.

What do you use yours for?

May I please ask a couple of slightly stupid Alexa questions? We as a family have bought my mum the latest Dot for Christmas. She has early onset dementia and I want her to be able to set reminders and timers for things.
A) would the app have to be on her phone, or could I put it on mine to set it up?
B) can you get Alex to tell you what a timer has gone off for e.g. roast potatoes? Or is the trick to always set reminders?
Thanks!

Playing music, playing audio books, asking facts, listening to the radio.

Wow I didn't know I could use one as a Bluetooth speaker. I tried to connect it before but couldn't but have now. That's great, thanks to the posters who mentioned it!

Radio and alarm

Everything! I am embarrassed to say that I quite often ask Alexa something when I'm in the car, forgetting she's not there!

I use her for-
Alarms
Timer
Recipes
Music and radio
Podcasts and audio books
Finding my phone
Operating the hoover
Operating the lights
Operating the firesticks
As an intercom instead of shouting up the stairs.

Placemarking as I'm getting one for Christmas.

She's used every day, mostly for listening to music. Sometimes for setting timers and alarms, or for asking the weather forecast. The kids play games with her, and have been listening to updates from Santa. Oh and DS uses her to cheat on his maths homework if we're not careful!!

I am embarrassed to say that I quite often ask Alexa something when I'm in the car, forgetting she's not there!

Me too!

Can you rename Alexa?

Shopping list is a godsend

I use mine to communicate with DDs in their rooms, listen to music, play quizzes, love the escape room game, magic door is good too. Shopping list, DH likes asking her to fart or make animal noises for some reason. I announce anything that I need to around the house. Somelights are controlled too, but not all so need to get some more bulbs.

Really love my Alexa

@notthenormal yes you can rename Alexa but there's only a small selection of options:

Alexa
Computer
Echo
Amazon

You can give it a custom wake word but not in any easy way only by messing about with other devices (think I've seen it done using a raspberry pi before).

Thanks, I would like to use it for comms so ####### speak etc- maybe Drop In X Office then speak?

We have one that seems to solely be used to pause the tv!

Not the normal - we called ours computer for a while but changed back because it was being activated constantly by people talking about computers in our room or even on tv!

Alarm clock and timer
Time and weather
Streaming music
Playing the radio (excellent quality sound)
Spooking DD4 as she also has one, in her room
Random questions that we can't be bothered googling
Scrabble spellcheck

For those asking about the trumpet fanfare you need to search for My personal fanfare in the skills section on the app. Sad trombone is another favourite of mine and so is Tea Pot Bot - you input everybody's name into it and then you ask Alexa "who's turn is it to make a drink?" And she tells you. I've removed my name from the list without telling DH or DS though so it's never my turn!

DH and the kids like it. DS1 uses it to do quizzes when he is bored. DS2 asks for animal noises. DH uses it to control lights (why? A lightswitch was fine). I tried asking it for the radio but it didn't know what I wanted (we have the google one). I wonder if it would link up with Trello where I put my shopping list.

We were given one last year, but at first could not really find much use for it.
Then we realised we had it in the wrong place. It is now in the kitchen diner.
I use it for cooking timer (much quicker than flaffing about with the oven, which I got wrong anyway)
I also add items to a shopping list. When I realise I need something, so much easier to just say - Alexa, add orange juice to the shopping list, etc.
We have recently bought some smart plugs, which we are going to add in. And our central heating

Last night she was demonstrating farts

Mine can turn the Xmas tree lights on and off with a smart plug and mainly we use it to play the radio or music

Will never have such things in my presence lol.

Seriously are we going nuts or so dependent on this kind of thing?

Ah but each to their own, I am pragmatic. But I still don't get it either!

Timers, alarms, turning the hive heating on and off, lights on and off and plugs on and off.

Radio and amazon music.

Currently asking how many sleeps until christmas.

Just clicked on this thread to check that I was correct in thinking that I don't need Alexa. And nope, I can't see anything on here that I would want to use it for.

I ask her to translate "Boris Johnson 100 carrot" into Welsh on a daily basis. (Not with children around though!)