Amazon recently announced that the Alexa AI power itsEchoand other hardware has now teach 1,000 “ skills ” ( up from just 135 in January ) . In case you ’re not up to speed with all the new tricks , we ’ve picked out 40 of our favorites — you may discover the other 960 yourself .
Ourprevious Echo guidefocused on some of the built - in voice commands you could use with your computer hardware . Here , we ’re look at the various third - party jade - in ( get it on formally as accomplishment ) added to Alexa — to get them working , deploy the Alexa app forAndroidoriOSand reach the Skills computer menu .
Ask an 8-ball
add the Magic 8 - Ball skill on your Echo then take it anything : “ Alexa , ask Magic 8 - glob if I ’m going to be rich , ” say , or whatever else you want a mystic ( random ) answer to .
Call a cab
Uber integration is perhaps one of the most well - jazz Echo features — say “ Alexa , ask Uber to request a ride ” and a taxicab will be on its fashion to your positioning in moment .
Cash in on daily deals
Woot can bring the skillful daily batch flat to your reverberation : say “ Alexa , ask Woot what the daily deal is ” or set apart a sure product family in your query like electronics or shirt .
Change the temperature
As you might expect , the Amazon Echo shape with the Nest chic thermostat , so you just necessitate to say “ Alexa , chill down the living room ” to start lower the temperature .
Control your SmartThings
Samsung ’s SmartThings works seamlessly with the Echo and Alexa . Once you ’ve got the skill installed and ready you’re able to say “ Alexa , subdued bedroom light to 60 percent ” and so on .
Check the air quality
With the Air Quality Report skill you’re able to appear up the current air quality in any 5 - digit US ZIP code — just say “ Alexa , require Air Quality Report for zip code … ” and then the code you want .
Check your account balance
Stay on top of your monetary resource , if you practice Capital One . severalise Alexa to “ open up Capital One ” then say something like “ what ’s my account balance ? ” or “ make a credit rating card payment . ”
Find a handyman
Your Echo can observe you a odd-job man through the magic of HomeAdvisor , enabling bid like “ Alexa , enquire HomeAdvisor to find me a plumber ” or whatever you need .
Find a trip that fits your budget
hunt dick Kayak is useable as a skill , with queries like “ Alexa , need Kayak where I can go for 500 dollar ” and “ Alexa , expect Kayak how much it costs to fly from New York to Boston . ”
Find decent movies
Are there any current films worth watch out ? Get the Movie Score skill on your Echo then hit it with something along the demarcation of “ Alexa , ask Movie Score for top boxwood office film . ”
Find local events
Ticketing servicing StubHub and your Amazon Echo can help you unveil interesting fishgig and events nearby via “ Alexa , ask StubHub what ’s going on tonight ” or any other dark .
Find out where you left your car
Your Echo plays nicely with car monitoring weapons platform Automatic . “ Alexa , require Automatic where my cable car is ” and “ Alexa , demand Automatic if I need gas ” are two queries that work .
Find the distance between two places
lend the Distance Between acquirement to your Echo , then adjudicate “ Alexa , ask Distance Between ” followed by your two places of option and the mode of transportation you ’re using .
Get golf scores
The PGA Tour skill let you track golfers and tournaments , anything from “ Alexa , expect PGA Tour how Jordan Spieth is doing ” to “ Alexa , require PGA Tour for the leaderboard . ”
Get product reviews
IfGizmodo ’s reviewsdon’t satisfy you , essay the ace from PCMag — say “ Alexa , ask PCMag what ’s the best prison cell earphone , ” for instance , to hear the act one smartphone woof .
Hear a market report
If you ’ve get under one’s skin an account on Fidelity Investments , bestow the relevant skill to the Amazon Echo and then say “ Alexa , inquire Fidelity to get me the securities industry update ” or ask for specific quote .
Hear the Hacker News headlines
There ’s a accomplishment for Hacker News quick and wait to be installed on your Echo . render “ Alexa , secern Hacker News to read new newspaper headline ” or “ Alexa , necessitate Hacker tidings for top write up . ”
Hear your horoscope
One of the Amazon Echo science is regularly updated horoscope from Elle and the Astro Twins . To get at them , say “ Alexa , take horoscope for … ” survey by your star sign of option .
Improve your spelling
With the Spelling Bee accomplishment install you may meliorate your spelling whenever you ’re close to your Echo . Say “ Alexa , launch Spelling Bee ” and then speak out the word to spell .
Know the tide times
If you ’ve got the TideGuide skill installed on your Echo then you’re able to check the tide times for any location with anNOAAstation . Use “ Alexa , ask Tide Guide for the tides in … . ”
Learn from history
Get your “ on this daytime ” fix from your Amazon Echo with the help of the History Bot accomplishment and a spoken query such as “ Alexa , ask story Bot what happened today ” ( or any other date ) .
Listen to a Bible verse
Get a random rhyme read out to you from the NIV Bible with the Bible Verse skill . “ Alexa , ask Bible Verse to secern me a verse ” is the voice command you’re able to subsequently apply .
Locate family and friends
If you ’ve signed up for Glympse then you could use the Glympse skill to keep tabs on family and friends via the spokesperson command “ Alexa , ask Glympse where is … ” stick with by a name .
Look up more skills
With more than 1,000 Alexa acquisition to keep on top of now , find young ones is n’t always easy , so set up the Skill Finder acquirement and say “ Alexa , ask Skill Finder what are the top acquirement . ”
Mix a cocktail
The Bartender science gives you instant memory access to more than 12,000 cocktail recipe and instructions . Say “ Alexa , ask The Bartender what ’s in a … ” then the cocktail of your choice .
Open the garage door
If you ’ve added some extra smarts to your service department with Garageio then the Echo and Alexa can take tutelage of that too with a command like “ Alexa , state Garageio to close up my door . ”
Order a pizza
Domino ’s is on Echo , though it works best if you set up your lodge beforehand in the Domino ’s app . After that , “ Alexa , open Domino ’s and place my Easy Order ” should work .
Plan dinner
Culinary site Campbell ’s Kitchen solve with the Echo , and you may make the most of it with commands such as “ Alexa , take Campbell ’s Kitchen for today ’s top five recipes . ”
Play games
Your Echo can play games too , including Jeopardy!—add the app as a accomplishment then tell your Echo “ Alexa , play Jeopardy ! ” when you ’re in the mood for try out your trivia knowledge .
Protect your property
Got a Scout Alarm system rig up at your home base ? Use your Amazon Echo to ensure it with “ Alexa , take Scout to arm home mode , ” “ Alexa , ask Scout to get activity provender ” and so on .
Pull up your fitness stats
you’re able to integrate your Fitbit account with your Echo . Say “ Alexa , ask Fitbit how I ’m doing today ” or “ Alexa , call for Fitbit how I slept last night ” to have your stats scan out for you .
Search for flights
Skyscanner can be plugged right into the Echo if you want to be able to look for for flights , though you ca n’t actually Word . attempt saying “ Alexa , ask Skyscanner for a flight to … . ”
See how the subway is running
If you ’re in NYC , you’re able to ask your Echo whether it ’s worth assay to get around on the subway . “ Alexa , necessitate subway for the position of all lines ” is perhaps the most utilitarian interrogation .
See what’s on the box
Get details of TV show … if they ’re on Syfy . Your question can be quite detailed as well : “ Alexa , need Syfy what befall on the in style episode of The Magicians ” for example .
Start a conversation
So you ’re sit down around with your dinner party Edgar Guest stick for something to say : establish Conversation Starter then say to your Echo “ Alexa , ask Conversation Starter for a issue . ”
Start a workout
If you ca n’t afford a personal flight simulator then your Echo can fend in . Say “ Alexa , begin seven minute workout ” and you ’ll be guided through the scientifically proven set of exercises .
Track your eating
Food - tracking military service Nutritionix is present and correct on the Amazon Echo and a command like “ Alexa , tell food tracker to lumber a glass of Milk River ” will add to your record .
Translates words and phrases
Get the My translating program skill congeal up on your Echo and you need never be stuck for a word again — say “ Alexa , ask My Translator to translate … ” then a idiomatic expression and a foreign language .
Tune your ukulele
Not getting quite the veracious sound out of your ukulele any more ? Say “ Alexa , necessitate Ukulele Tuner to start tune up ” ( once you ’ve installed the Ukulele Tuner skill of track ) .
Water the garden
If you ’ve got a Rachio chic sprinkler set up , your Echo can control it . Something along the lines of “ Alexa , take Rachio to depart Zone One for six minute ” should do the occupation .
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