If you have an Amazon Echo smart speaker or any other Alexa-enabled device, you may already enjoy playing your favourite chartbusters or listening to your personalized selection of the daily headlines with Alexa skills by news providers. Alexa has become a great hands-free solution for music and information but did you know that Alexa could be your round the clock assistant!
Alexa can be a helpful, clever, quirky and entertaining assistant with an array of skills ranging from funny delighters like âAlexa, kya bolti tuâ to general knowledge like âAlexa, what is Deja vu?â.
We've rustled up some informative and fun ways in which Alexa can help you and your family at home. Here are some things to ask and say to Alexa:-
#1 Explore music by new ways of asking for it
In addition to asking for songs by its title, actors, movie, genre, or singers you can also ask for songs by lyricists and music directors, just say âAlexa, play songs by Javed Akhtarâ or âAlexa, play songs by Pritamâ. You can also ask for songs by language just say âAlexa, play Tamil songsâ or âAlexa, play Marathi songs by Shankar Mahadevanâ.
You can also listen to popular music across the country by asking âAlexa, play music that is trending in Bangaloreâ; âAlexa, play songs I haven't heard in a whileâ and âAlexa, play songs I heard in Februaryâ to rekindle memories; and âAlexa, who is the singer of this songâ to start exploring other songs by them.
#2 Maximise family-fun time with games
Spending time with your family can be a time of rest and real connection while staying at home. Alexa can help you maximise family-fun time with some fun games. To have a crazy family game time with Alexa just say âAlexa, open Akinatorâ, âAlexa, play impossible bollywood quizâ, âAlexa, open Number Guessing Gameâ or âAlexa, play true or falseâ.
#3 Get your daily comic relief with jokes and Easter eggs
Alexa can help you with your daily dose of laughter with a variety of delighters and Easter eggs. To get started say âAlexa, itâs the time to discoâ, âAlexa, tell me a jokeâ or âAlexa, beatbox for meâ.
To lighten your mood with a good laugh, turn to Hindi Jokes that you can enjoy with everyone around. Just say âAlexa, open Hindi Jokesâ. You can also ask Alexa specific jokes to crack up your family, say âAlexa, tell me a Rajnikant jokeâ or âAlexa, tell me an engineer jokeâ.
#4 Learn something new by asking for facts
Alexa can be your daily gyan guru by teaching you a new fact every day. She can help you with facts about cricket, science, history, space, as well as general knowledge questions. To get started, ask âAlexa, name five movies starring Amitabh Bachchanâ, âAlexa, tell me about the Mughal Dynastyâ, âAlexa, who is the God of cricket?â or âAlexa, give me a science factâ.
If you are not sure about what to ask, just say âAlexa, I'm curiousâ and Alexa will help you learn something new.
#5 Cook with Alexa
Echo devices are even more useful in the kitchen. Simply ask Alexa for step-by-step cooking instructions by saying âAlexa, give me the recipe for Palak Paneerâ or âAlexa, letâs bake cookiesâ, and Alexa will walk you step-by-step through popular recipes curated by star chef, Sanjeev Kapoor.
To get the best experience customers can use instructions like âAlexa, pauseâ, âAlexa, playâ, âAlexa, next stepâ and âAlexa, repeat stepâ â removing the need to manually reference recipes while hands are occupied with food preparation. You can also set a timer or ask for nutrition information of food items, for example "Alexa, what is the nutrition in banana?" or "Alexa, how many calories in a mango".
#6 Wake up to your favourite tunes with music alarms
Waking up to your favourite tunes can boost your mood in the morning and kick start your day with positive energy. Alexa can help you set your favourite song or genre as your alarm tone. Just say âAlexa, wake me up at 6 AM to Kishore Kumar Songsâ, âAlexa, wake me up at 9:30 AM to Please donât stop the music by Rihaanaâ, or "Alexa, set an alarm for 5 AM to devotional songs".
#7 Make Alexa your exercise buddy
Regular exercise is essential for supporting healthy immune function, preventing weight gain, boosting your mood and keeping you as healthy as possible at home. Alexa can help you stay fit, just ask âAlexa, play Bollywood workout playlistâ, âAlexa, help me do yogaâ, âAlexa, open Daily Stretchâ or âAlexa, start five minute plankâ
#8 A Spiritual companion
Remember your grandmother narrating the Ramayana to you? The mega epic that Indians have been holding on to for lessons, inspirations and learnings for years. Mega stars like Nasseruddin Shah, Om Puri, Anupam Kher and Ratna Pathak Shah have recreated the magic of Ramayana in the form of an audio story. To listen just say âAlexa, start Ramayan Kathaâ.
Alexa can also help you summon a spiritual experience at home. To get started just say âAlexa, start Hanuman Chalisaâ, âAlexa, play devotional songsâ or âAlexa, play morning bhajansâ.
#9 Reclaim your peace of mind with relaxing skills
Alexa can help if you are having a stressful time. With the Headspace Alexa skill, you can build a daily meditation practice, create the conditions for a better nightâs sleep, or go on guided walks and runs. To get started just âAlexa, open Headspaceâ and make it an everyday habit, just say âAlexa, tell Headspace I'm ready to meditateâ.
You can also ask âAlexa, help me relaxâ, "Alexa, help me meditateâ, "Alexa, help me sleepâ or Alexa, play soothing musicâ.
#10 Catch up on movies and TV shows on devices with screens
How often do you switch off your TV but still want to catch up on that one last episode before sleeping! Or fight with another family member for the remote! Use your Echo devices with screens to catch up on movies and shows by asking for a movie title, movies of a certain actor, a specific TV show, or a genre of content such as kids. To get started say âAlexa, play Kuch Kuch Hota hai from Prime Videoâ, âAlexa, start the movie Parasiteâ, âAlexa, show Kareena Kapoor moviesâ or âAlexa, play Peppa Pigâ. âAlexa, resume Tom Clancyâs Jack Ryanâ.