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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask for Alexa tips?

92 replies

Chipsahoy82 · 29/12/2017 12:18

Got an Amazon Echo for Christmas. What do you guys mainly use it for? I only really use it for listening to Spotify at the moment and am struggling to find other practical uses! I’m sure Alexa can make my life easier but I’m not quite sure how, so I’m looking for some good tips!

OP posts:
MagentaRocks · 29/12/2017 12:20

Me too. Watching with interest.

TitusAndromedon · 29/12/2017 12:21

I don’t think we’ve even scratched the surface with it, but we have smart switch things so can control all the lights. I also use it for setting timers when I’m cooking and for making shopping lists. In the mornings we have it set to give us a news briefing and weather forecast. If you go into the Alexa app it will also give you lots of suggestions of things to do.

caffeine99 · 29/12/2017 12:31

I have one in the bedroom and use it for alarms in the morning.

I also always ask Alexa what the weather is today.

My other main use is to ask the time if I’m rushing about. And we use it a lot for setting timers.

Alexa tells jokes if you ask her.

Another great feature is that you can set it up to find your (mobile) phone.

Others probably make more use of theirs but these are the things I’ve found myself using most.

RocketPockets · 29/12/2017 12:31

I use it for my shopping list, lights, timer for cooking, alarms if I need one, games, music, news, weather, there are loads of things you can enable on the Alexa app, recipes etc... you can have all sorts of smart things too like heating etc and you can make phone calls I believe as well but I haven’t done that so no idea how it works!

LittleLights · 29/12/2017 17:34

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

foodfrax · 29/12/2017 17:37

Turning the lights on, listening to music, weather, sports scores. Random conversations when lonely Grin

foodfrax · 29/12/2017 17:37

I should have been more specific - we say ‘turn lights to 50%’ for ambience etc GrinGrin

BlueNeighbourhood1 · 29/12/2017 18:02

I got a Google Home Mini for Christmas and love it. Admittedly I don't use it to its full capacity but I do ask it random questions, it plays any song immediately through Google play music and to set an alarm. Also for the weather.

jelliebelly · 29/12/2017 18:07

Got dh one for his birthday on 22nd December so just beginners really. So far we have used it to-
Create shopping lists
Add items to our ocado order
Add appointments to google calendar
Weather
Music
Cinema times
Switching lights on/off
Telling jokes and rapping ( thanks to dcs)
Playing music
Timer
Amazon order
Sports scores
Play audiobooks

Kids got a great book called 933 funniest things to ask Alexa

4yoniD · 29/12/2017 18:07

Don't forget reading Audible books (which you can buy if you don't want to subscribe, although there is a massive price variation) and if your quick you can have A Christmas Carol for free until the 4th. I've just finished it and it's an excellent reading.

SantaTheChristmasElfSlayer · 29/12/2017 18:10

We have four dots, two Shows and an Alexa enabled fire stick in the house (were pretty dedicated!)
We ask her anything and everything, get her to do stuff; set timers while cooking, turn lights on/off, turn the heating on, turn on/off smart plugs etc. She's connected to Spotify and amazon music so we can get her to play any music. She has tons of skills enabled so it's worth looking through all the skills and seeing what appeals to you.
We "drop in" to other areas of the house to talk to other people in different rooms, for example:
Me in bedroom "Alexa, drop into the kitchen"
Alexa drops in
Me "Hey, hubs, wotcha up to? Fancy making me some toast?"
Hubs "s'pose"

You can call other people who have an echo device or the Alexa app.
"Alexa, call DS/Mum/FIL etc"

I'm sure there's so much more we do with her. We've had echos in the house for a year now and she's part of our everyday life now!
You'll start off wondering what to do with her but after a while you'll get used to asking her stuff!

Valerrie · 29/12/2017 18:10

Loads. Reminders are the best. Time, quiz of the day, music, weather, alarm. If you go into the Skills section of the app there are loads of ideas. DD enjoys making hers miaow and fart. Loads of games and quizzes on there.

DamnDeDoubtanceIsSpartacus · 29/12/2017 18:12

There are loads of podcasts on Spotify worth a listen. We use it for radio and. as 4yoniD said, Audible. Just bought a load of ghost stories and it's a great alternative to the tv. If you have hive you can sink.

Mumsymcmumface · 29/12/2017 18:14

Alexa - “turn on five minutes” when I am I the kitchen about to plate up.

Lights flash once in every room, the speakers round the house announce “food, five minutes”

Five minutes later the PlayStation, all the TVs and al the music in rooms other than kitchen/dining turns off whether the little shits have finished and saved their games or not.

booksandcoffee · 29/12/2017 18:14

Beware all Alexa owners. This is the thin edge of a bad wedge. Think of HAL in 2001: A Space Odyssey.

RainbowDashed · 29/12/2017 18:16

DH has ordered an echo dot for me, it arrives next week sometime so this thread has come at a good time for me, good to see all the tips as I had no idea what to do with it!

Valerrie · 29/12/2017 18:22

How do you do the 5 minute thing?

MrsRhubarb · 29/12/2017 18:40

Alexa meow is a fave here. It really pisses DH off which amuses me even more.

Alexa, may the force be with you.

Alexa, what is your quest?

Alexa, what is the meaning of life, the universe and everything?

Or if you are my 4 yo. Alexa, spell Christmas tree. Alexa, how many days until Christmas? Alexa, how tall are giraffes?

On a more serious note we had it for disabled MIL. She can't use her hands anymore, so being able to voice control things has been amazing for her. We have her bedroom light hooked up to it, and are thinking about getting the TV hub in future so she doesn't need to shout us every time she wants to change channel. Hub is very expensive though, so might be a while before we can stretch to that.

Linus33 · 29/12/2017 18:52

@Mumsy that is brilliant GrinGrin! We've just become new Alexa owners (or that might be the other way around Confused). Please share the 5 minute warning and then 'everything off' trick. That's going to make my day if I can get that to work!!!

VeganIan · 29/12/2017 18:56

Ask her to reverse the polarity of the neutron flow.

Go into the Alexa app and turn on as many skills as you can think of.

Also activate the texting other people with Alexa thing - you can say "send message to X" then it will record a message and the Alexa you send it to will glow green until they ask for Alexa to give them the message. My DC have been messaging Grandad whether he likes it or not and I've been abusing my brother.

BuzzKillington · 29/12/2017 18:59

We use ours for Spotify, TuneIn radio, timer when oven timer is in use, switching on/off lights including Christmas lights at the mo, as an intercom between rooms and general nonsense.

Mumsymcmumface · 29/12/2017 19:10

@Mumsy that is brilliant gringrin! We've just become new Alexa owners (or that might be the other way around confused). Please share the 5 minute warning and then 'everything off' trick. That's going to make my day if I can get that to work!!!
You need more kit obviously. We use a control system called Control4, but you could achieve similar with smart bulbs, smart sockets and a bit of patience I would imagine

ShakeShakeTheMuffin · 29/12/2017 19:26

Speaking of HAL.... Ask Alexa to 'open the pod bay doors'

I also asked her who farted once and got a good response! Grin

HLBug · 29/12/2017 20:55

Following this thread with interest as Alexa came (via Sonos) into our life this Christmas.