Yes, these are things that you’d expect from a smart assistant and Echo does that well, but thanks to the Smart Home Skill API, the Echo Dot also boasts of quite a number of third-party skills. So, be it something as trivial as looking for a great holiday recipe or being your personal gym trainer, with the right skills under her wings, Alexa can make your life super easy. Today, we are going to share some essential Alexa skills every Echo user must know. We have tried and tested each of these with our office Alexa and they work just fine.
1. Universal Remote Skills
While it supports a number of remotes, I found the Anymote Smart Remote to work the best. All you have to do is get the app on your Android phone and pair it with Alexa. Once the pairing is complete, you can control a number of appliances with the IR blaster, including AC, TV or set-top boxes. AnyMote also has an Alexa-enabled smart universal remote control hub, which makes pairing devices much easier. It supports 1000+ devices, however, it requires a phone to be present at all times.
2. Workout with Alexa
There are two different types of people on this planet — those who religiously visit the gym and those who don’t. Then there are those who want to go to the gym but are too pressed for time. Alexa is here to help such weary souls. You just need to spare 7 minutes of your time. Echo’s 7-Minute Workout skill is the perfect answer. All you need to do is say, “Alexa, start the 7-minute workout”. The interesting thing about this skill is that Alexa will walk you through each set of exercise and let you know when the time is up for each session. Plus, you can even play or pause the session anytime with voice commands.
3. Calculate with Your Voice
Have a big number to divide? Worry not, the built-in calculator skill of Alexa can help you out. Just ask Alexa to add, divide or subtract and it’ll do so accurately. It can also calculate the square root of numbers!
4. Increase Your Memory Power
It goes without saying that taking care of your mental health is as, if not more, important as your physical health. A stepping stone in that direction is keeping the mind active and strong. These are two sets of simple games. While the math game will fire quick questions at you, the color game will ask you to repeat a set of color in a particular pattern much like the memory game. One wrong answer and you lose, only to start again.
5. Whip up Delicious IFTTT Recipes
Though IFTTT recipes aren’t necessarily built-in Alexa skills in the typical sense, they can go a long way in cutting the long story short. All you have to do is say the wake word, followed by the term and Alexa will take it from there.
6. Meditate with Alexa
Another cool Alexa skill is its ability to play a host of soothing sounds. From the sound of crackling fire and chirping of crickets to the gentle sound of raindrops — the Relaxing Sounds skill has a plethora of soulful audio files.
7. What’s for Dinner?
The Meal Selector skill is an added perk if you’re someone like me who’s always confused about what to have in the next meal. To enable this feature, ask the Alexa app what’s for dinner and it’ll throw random dinner recipes at you.
Best RecipesRandom Recipes
8. Book an Uber
The Uber skill is for those who often travel by cabs. So, if you have an Echo device at your disposal, you can ask it to book an Uber for you.
9. Radio Earplay
In the mood for some good old radio shows? If the answer is yes, let Alexa be your companion, as the Radio Earplay skill narrates a series of interactive storytelling, coupled with the charm of the old world. You can have your pick from the demos or the interactive previews.
10. Track Your Phone
Google’s Find My Device is a pretty good feature when it comes to tracking your missing phone. However, if you’re sure that you have misplaced your smartphone somewhere within the house, you can ask Alexa to give it a ring. The skill that comes to the rescue is Find My Phone by TrackR. You’d also need to have this app on your smartphone and keep it paired with Alexa. So, the next time you misplace your phone, all you need to do is use the voice command and this smart assistant will obey. What’s more? It’ll also tell you the location where your smartphone was last seen. Talk about smart trackers!
11. Turn Alexa into a Bartender
Another cool Alexa skill is The Bartender. With some 12,000 cocktail recipes under its belt, this cool skill can whip up some really tasty cocktails. This skill will not only give you the ingredients but also the instructions on how to make the best cocktails. Plus, you can also ask it to surprise you with a few quirky recipes.
12. Translate Sentences Seamlessly
Want to brush up your foreign languages skills? The Translated skill is here to help. Rated 3.7, this cool feature lets you translate short sentences from English to a number of languages with your Alexa. Just ask Alexa to open Translated and translate a sentence in English to Japanese or any other language and it’ll be done.
13. Get Doubly Smart
Needless to say, Alexa is great with smart devices. Whether it’s the Samsung Smart hub, Nest Thermostat or your Philips Hue lights, the options to pair are immense. If you own any one of these smart devices, be sure to pair them up and reap the benefits of voice control.
Bonus Alexa Skill: Open the Magic Door
Open the Magic Door is a fairly new Alexa-powered interactive adventure game. Ideal for curious toddlers (parent’s discretion required) who are forever on a lookout for their own little adventures, this game can be the perfect starting point. Needless to say, the direction of this game will depend on your input. Apart from the above, it can also double up as your quizmaster or your private jest who cracks jokes on demand. So, now that the holiday season is nigh, try asking Alexa when is Santa coming. Have fun! The above article may contain affiliate links which help support Guiding Tech. However, it does not affect our editorial integrity. The content remains unbiased and authentic.
