It’s been a year since I was gifted by Amazon Echo, and I’ve found that my smart speaker is really just a glorified kitchen timer.
Sure, I use it to stream 101WKQX when I’m not near a radio (and here’s a reminder on how you can make THAT happen). Listening to music is what Americans do most with smart speakers, it turns out. But besides being a witness to my hypothetical future murder, what else can we really make these things do?
I decided to find out. And here’s what I found:
ALEXA CAN BE YOUR TRANSLATOR.
When you say “Alexa, open Translated,” you now can speak a zillion different languages — or, you know…at least you can ask where the library is the next time you are vacationing in Mexico. (Donde está la biblioteca. It’s the only thing I retain from two years of high school Spanish class.)
ALEXA CAN WAKE YOU UP TO SOMETHING OTHER THAN AN ANNOYING BEEPING SOUND.
Just say — “Alexa, wake me up to 101WKQX at 7:15AM.” And you can wake up to a battle of wits with Know-It-Ali Trivia with the KQX Morning Crew.
ALEXA CAN HELP YOU FIGURE OUT WHAT TO EAT.
Do you have a half bag of rice, a can of peaches, & those fried onion thingies hanging out in your cupboard? Say “Alexa, open Meal Idea,” tell her at least three items you have laying around, and she will suggest a recipe. (By the way, if you can make a meal out THOSE three items, you are officially a kitchen GOD.)
ALEXA CAN TELL YOU WHAT THE TEMPERATURE REALLY IS IN CHICAGO.
No surprise that you can ask smart speakers what the weather outside, but in Chicago — wind chill is one of the most important pieces of information. So just ask “Alexa, what is the wind chill?” Now you’ll know how bad you will freeze today.
ALEXA CAN HELP YOU FIGURE OUT A SONG BASED ON JUST THE LYRICS.
Do you have problems remembering song titles? When you say “Alexa, play that song that goes ‘nobody likes you when you’re 23′” — Echo will figure out that you want to hear Blink-182’s “What’s My Age Again” and start playing it.
ALEXA CAN REMIND YOU WHERE YOU PUT THINGS.
Maybe you are like me and do a REALLY good job of hiding important things — so good, that remembering where they are later is an issue? Say “Alexa, remember that my passport is in the bottom drawer of the desk.” Then just before your mad scramble to O’Hare, you can ask “Alexa, where is my passport?” — and you won’t be late for your flight.
These are just a few things that you might not know Alexa can handle. You can always check in on CNET’s complete list of Alexa commands, which is ever-expanding. — [eric]
