It’s one thing to be able to play music out of your Amazon Echo, but that’s just the surface of what you can do with Alexa. Other commands allow you to do things like stave off boredom or start your day off right, and Routines let you perform multiple functions with a single voice command. To create one, open up the Amazon Alexa app on your phone and tap the menu icon in the top left corner, then tap Routine and hit the plus icon to get started.
Things become even more impressive when you add a smart home gadget or two to the mix – but to be used in a Routine, they will need to have an accompanying Alexa Skill. To get you started, here are 10 command and Routine ideas to smoothen out the kinks in your day, plus five advanced tricks for the more adventurous.
Stay up-to-date
Sometimes you just want the news summed up without having to turn on the TV or scroll through social media. Alexa can help you with that. Set a voice command such as “Alexa, what’s going on?” and programme your Echo to give you an update from your favourite news sources, so you could hear your local weather report followed by news from the BBC and then an overview of the Guardian’s top stories for that day. On your Alexa app, go to Settings and then Flash Briefing to customise where your news is coming from and change what topics are included in your briefing.
Ease into your morning
Pick the time you want your wake-up to begin and choose any type of music from your preferred streaming service – for example, just say: “Alexa, wake me up at 7am to pop music.” If you’re feeling snazzy, you can even programme a routine where an Alexa-enabled coffee machine gets your morning cappuccino brewing and a smart bulb switches on at the same time. Much better than fumbling around in the dark while your phone honks at you, no?
Get some dinnertime inspiration
If the thought of yet another frozen pizza after work makes you want to cry, but you haven’t the energy to leaf through a recipe book, this one’s for you. Say: “Alexa, open BBC Good Food” and it will ask you to name an ingredient you’d like to use before providing a whole range of user-reviewed options based around that ingredient. Perfect for when you’ve got spare asparagus to use and no idea what to do with it. It will even take you through the steps you need to make the dish perfectly.
Beat your boredom
There are loads of ways to pass the time with Alexa, all with a voice command. The Audible skill will read you your favourite book, while, if you want to burn a calorie or two in your spare time, the 7-Minute Workout skill will have you breaking into a sweat in no time. If you fancy yourself as a bit of a gameshow fan, the Pointless skill will let you live out your contestant fantasies with a special smart-speaker version of the TV show. (Just remember, you’ll need to ask Alexa to open the skill to get started).
Switch on the romance
With the right smart bulb, such as Philips Hue, you can create and name a routine that allows you to dim the lights and play your favourite romantic song or playlist when the situation calls for it. Suggested voice command: “Alexa, let’s get it on.”
Warm things up
With a smart thermostat and a simple “Alexa, I’m cold” command that triggers a routine you’ve set up, you can have your house heating up with nothing but an utterance. Add a smart electric blanket (yes, they really do exist) and your bed will soon be nice and toasty.
Shut down the house
Perfect for when you need to leave in a hurry, create a routine with the voice command “Alexa, I’m off” and programme your smart bulbs and plugs to switch off. If you have smart cameras, you can programme these to switch on at the same time, so you can keep an eye on things while you’re out.
Sleep soundly
Add a routine with the voice command “Alexa, good night” and programme a sleep-inducing skill such as Ocean Sounds to be carried off to the land of slumber. If you’re feeling needy you can even programme Alexa to say something sweet before you go to bed. Get a smart bulb and a smart thermostat involved and you can turn off the lights and get your room nice and toasty with the same command.
Keep an eye on the kids
With an Amazon Echo Show and Alexa-enabled smart cameras, you can programme your Echo to allow you to check in on your little darlings without disturbing them. Simply name the camera in their room, so when you say something like: “Alexa, show me the kids’ playroom”, you can see what’s going on without interrupting them.
Test out some movie easter eggs
OK, so these won’t save you any time, but they are a lot of fun. Try saying: “Alexa, may the force be with you”, “Alexa, what’s the first rule of Fight Club?” and, for the kids, “Alexa, do you want to build a snowman?” and see how she responds. There are dozens of quotes that Alexa will respond to, so try some of your favourites and see if you can discover all her movie easter eggs.
Ready for an advanced lesson?
You can create even more complex automation with If This Then That (IFTTT). This free-to-use service has a whole host of ready-made “Applets” that you can set to perform impressive functions. Here are five of the most useful:
Find your phone with ease
With this Applet, you can make your Echo turn your phone to maximum volume and play your ringtone. You’ll need to have the IFTTT app installed on your phone to make the magic happen
Merge your calendars
You can already create handy to-do lists with your Amazon Echo, but with this handy Applet you can merge it with your Google calendar – no more switching between diaries to get a handle on your day’s activities.
DJ Alexa
This Applet, created by Spotify, automatically creates a playlist from the songs Alexa plays. So if she unearths a hitherto unheard gem, you’ll never have to worry about not being able to find it.
Don’t worry about your shopping list
Add to your shopping list during the week by telling Alexa what you need to buy. Then, with this Applet, Alexa will send the list to you via either text, iOS Reminders or Evernote.
Cut off your child’s internet
With the Circle with Disney device app and this Applet you can put a stop to your kid using the internet with a voice command. That’ll teach them for not flushing the loo.
