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We are in a new year and Amazon Alexa is still the superior smart home ecosystem. Alexa has truly invaded our homes when it comes to speakers, TVs, and microwaves and we can’t forget the Echo wall clock. Alexa is pretty much everywhere.
So, if you are thinking about purchasing an Echo, then you have come to the right post. This is a full post on the 30+Useful Amazon Alexa skills and features for new and current users.
So, with no further delays here we go!
Useful Amazon Alexa Skills and Features
1. Use Routine
Amazon routines allow you to combine a bunch of actions in one command. Your companion app will let you get started with two preset routines, a Goodnight, and a Good morning routine. But you can create any routine you like and customize any routine with specific actions that happen upon your command.
2. What’s in the News?
I created my favorite news sources for this one, so now when Alexa is asked, I get a news overview every morning.
3. Control Your Smart Home
Use your echo device to control any smart home device you have connected. I do this a lot with our Smart TV, so I don’t have to stop what I’m doing to just change the channel or turn the volume down.
4. Ask Your Echo, what’s up!
This is a fun useful Amazon Alexa skill to get your assistant to tell you something new and random.
5. Stream Radio & Podcast
Your Echo gives you access to a ton of radio stations and podcast, all you have to do is ask Alexa to play your favorite station or podcast. This is a bonus; you can also listen to your Kindle books.
6. Better Audio Controls
Get deeper with your audio controls. The companion app allows you to further adjust the volume on any device you have. You can tweet the bass, mid and treble.
7. Connect Your Phone
Just simply ask your, assistant, to “connect my phone” and it will use Bluetooth to do so. If you haven’t set it up yet, just follow prompts to easily do so. Now you can listen to your tunes on a better speaker than your smartphone. Don’t forget to say “disconnect from my phone” when you are done.
8. Audio and Video Calls
This also requires your phone connection so your assistance can make calls to most mobile and landline numbers in the US, Canada, and Mexico at no additional cost. Plus, if you have an Echo display, you will be able to make a video call.
9. Enable Notifications
Yes, you can receive notifications via your Echo device. If you have a speaker it can light up to inform you that a package has shipped or arrived and if you have an Echo display the screen will show you a notification.
This is all set up in the settings section of your companion app.
10. Hail A Ride
This useful Amazon Alexa skill enables the Lyft or Uber skill to simply ask your assistance for a ride. You are also able to ask for a ride estimate and leave driving ratings too.
11. Shush My Baby
If you have a newborn at home Shush my baby will probably be your favorite skill out all on the list. Shush my baby actually does what it called; it shushes your baby back to sleep. Giving you enough time to get a little bit more rest in the middle of the night or the middle of the day.
All you need to say is “Alexa, shush my baby.”
12. Relaxation and Productivity
The best useful Amazon Alexa skill for relaxation and productivity is Headspace.
Headspace is a guided meditation application that will provide you with a new meditation each day, along with a sleep exercise. It really provides a lot of different methods for helping you to relax and center yourself.
To use Headspace, just say “Alexa, open Headspace.”
13. Allrecipes
This skill has over 60,000 recipes and reads the instructions to you. All you have to do to get started is say “Alexa, open Allrecipes.”
I can say this is a great Amazon Alexa useful skill for me as I am a horrible cook! 🤣
14. Home Security
Guard Dog
Has a classic sound of a barking dog that you can do on command or you can have it bark randomly why you are away. To use this skill all you have to say is “Alexa, open Guard Dog.”
Ring
The Ring allows you to arm and disarms your home security system using your voice and even Livestream your home security cameras when using the Amazon Echo Show or Echo Show 8.
To use this skill, I can simply ask Ring to show me anyone of my home security cameras.
15. Uber Transportation
Sometimes you may have your hands full trying to get your hair ready or tie your shoes but you still need that Uber to be on the way. Fortunately, you can do so by using just your voice with Amazon Alexa.
To use this skill, you just need to say “Alexa, call me an Uber.” It’s super convenient and easy to use Uber with your Amazon Alexa.
16. Chair Yoga for Fitness
This skill walks you through easy poses that you can do when sitting at your desk or waiting at an Airport. To use this skill, say “Alexa, Chair Yoga.”
It has a lot of different exercises and walks you through them calmly to really help adjust that spine and feel better throughout your day,
17. Big Sky
Big Sky gives you the weather free for your exact address, hour to hour, updates and even let you customize the alerts you will receive. To use this skill, say is “Alexa, open Big Sky.”
18. Calculator
Now, we all have to do some type of calculations at some point and its great if you can just use your voice and get the answers that you need.
To use this skill, you just say, “Alexa, open Calculator.
19. Rosetta Stone
This skill helps you pick up basics multiple languages such as German, Japanese, Chinese, Creole and much more.
To use this skill, just say, “Alexa, open Rosetta Stone.”
20. Deep Sleep Sound
This skill provides you with a number of options to give you those optimal conditions to sleeping like crickets, rain, or even a box fan. These sounds will help you really get that nice sleep that you deserved.
To use this skill, say “Alexa, Open Deep Sleep Sounds.”
21. Change Alexa wake word
Now, this is not a skill but if you had Alexa for while you are probably tired of calling out the same name.
To change wake word, first, go in the settings.
Go in device settings and find the Alexa device you want to change the wake word for.
Tap the device and scroll all the way down until you see wake word, then tap.
Here you will see a list of names. Choose the one you prefer then tap.
22. Flash Briefing
When you wake up in the morning from a long night’s sleep and would like to know the important news for the day. Just say Alexa, give me my flash briefing
Here is how to set up Flash briefing, go to settings and scroll down until you see Flash briefing, then tap.
Now you can add exactly what you want.
23. Starbucks Reorder
You can reorder your favorite coffee by using Starbuck skills. You don’t have to pull out your phone to the Starbucks app to order your favorite drink. Instead, you can ask Alexa to preorder your drink and skip the line when you get to Starbucks.
Here is how to set up Starbucks, first you enable the skill. Next sign up to your Starbuck account. Then you give it permission to use your Starbuck account, pick your store and drink and you good to reorder!
24. Hulu
This is probably the second-best app on our streaming devices next to Disney plus in our home.
The Hulu skill is a great way to watch TV on your Echo show. With the Hulu skill, you link your Hulu account, then you can ask Alexa to open up Hulu to call up a show or play pause, forward, rewind, and use more using your voice.
When you open up Hulu you will see the home screen and see the Hulu menu to pick which one to watch. If you have Hulu live you can ask Alexa to tune in the channel to watch live TV.
25. Games
Jeopardy
If you like games I have two to share, the first is the Jeopardy skill. Jeopardy is playing just like the game on TV. You hear answers based on the topic and respond with what you think the question is.
Song Quiz
Song Quiz you could play with one or two players to guess the name and artist of a song that’s playing. You get points for both the artist and song name if you get them correct.
If you play a single-player, the game will pair you up with an unknown person who’s playing the game too.
26. Calling
When you set-up the echo you can give permission to allow Alexa to use your contacts.
If you give permission to use your contacts, you can make calls from your Echo. If you set up a voice profile it will know your voice and contact when you ask to call your mom.
You can also make a call by saying the number in the phone numbers. Saying you want to call a business you can just say the numbers.
Another great calling option is Skype. You can use Skype to contact other Skype users through there Skype app or their Echo.
If using something like the Echo Show, you can use voice and video.
27. Alexa Guard
When it comes down to protecting your home this Amazon Alexa useful skill Alexa guard can give you an extra little peace of mind when activated. Home guards such as smoke alarms or Co Alarms and also glass breaking.
When any of those things happen, an alert will be sent to your phone. Alexa Guard can also give you that live home look by turning on and off your lights at random times after sunset.
It uses your zip code to determine when sunset is set. You can pick which lights you want to use with guard and now when you armed it, anyone who is up to know no good, won’t know that you are not home because they will see lights come on at random times.
Also, great with Alex Guard you can use it to trigger routines. It can turn off the lights accept a couple of lights in the house and all the devices when you leave and turn on Alexa Guard.
Then when you disarm Alexa guard, it can turn on other lights in the house and start another routine. This is one of those features that are created and interested in addition to the Echo.
28. Timers and Alarms
Timers
This feature has been around since the beginning but unlike a lot of other devices, you can set multiple alarms. You can keep adding them as long as you need them.
Alarm
You can set an alarm every day of the week that wake you up to a regular alarm sound or you can be woken up to a genre of music, artist or a particular song even.
If you want to cancel all your alarms just say, “Alexa, cancel all my alarms.”
29. Multi-Room Audio
This useful feature is a great option to put your devices in multiple groups so you can listen to music. For example, upstairs, downstairs, or everywhere and any other combination you want to make.
Multi-Room Audio is great for listening to all your music across all your devices.
30. This day in History
This skill was created by the History Channel, and it will tell you on today, for example, on what happened today in history. You can go in more detail about the event or you can choose to hear additional events that happen today in history.
Also, events from other days in history. It’s really cool skill. All you have to say is “Alexa, launch this day in history.”
This is a great skill if you are a history nerd if you want to hear some stuff that happened.
31. 7-Minute Workout
Now, the 7-minute workout is based on The scientific 7-Minute Workout that was created which is supposed to help maximize that 7 minute time to burn the most calories and energy possible.
The 7-minute Workout is scientifically a very good workout.
This skill tells you the exercise, gives you a count down and you suppose to exercise continually during that countdown.
It will stop and tell you when the next one is and when you are ready, you will continue on and do that exercise. This routine will go on for the entire 7 minutes.
This skill is good for someone who doesn’t have a lot of time or want to start a new workout routine and you want something that’s guided and structure, this could be good for you.
Just keep in mind, to get a good workout you can’t take long breaks because its 7 minutes, and you have to keep it moving.
Also, if you want, you can launch some music beforehand and then launch this skill. Now, you can have some music playing in the background.
Final Note
I hope you find these top 30+ useful Amazon Alexa skills and features as helpful as we did. As Amazon continues to update Alexa skills, I will be sure to update this post with the top useful skills.
Please, don’t forget to check out our recommended gadgets for the best tech for your buck.
For more useful tips and tricks with Home automation, please continue to check out AutomateYourCrib.com.
Please e-mail me (rodney@automateyourcrib.com) your opinion, comment or if you have any ideas for a future post you would like to read, drop me a line or two as I appreciate my audience. Thank you again for reading this post.
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It's great to see that you have come across my website. I hope you explore it thoroughly. The website caters to regular consumers who have an interest in home automation. I am based in the Tri-state area and enjoy the latest smart tech along with my wonderful wife and three energetic boys.
