A SKILL FOR HOME USE

The simplest skill template is “Custom Q&A”. It’s so simple, it doesn’t even require a name: you can invoke your custom skill by simply asking Alexa a predefined question, which will be answered with a preset response. You can thus create memos for things such as Wi-Fi passwords, cooking temperatures, birthdays and so on – and by default the skill is limited to your Amazon account, so you don’t need to worry about other Echo users finding out your information. 01 BBLRUOEWPRSEINTTO THE

When creating any skill, the first step is to log in to the account that manages your Amazon Echo devices. Once that’s done, point your browser at blueprints.

amazon.co.uk – if your account is registered in a different country then use the appropriate domain – then click “Custom Q&A” and select “Make your own”.

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Type in a lead question: this is what your skill users will have to say in order to receive the programmed response. In our case, we’ve chosen “What is the WiFi password?” You can’t include special characters or hyphens (which is why we couldn’t write “Wi-Fi”) and the question must be ten words or fewer.

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Try to think of any other ways you could phrase the same query – such as “What is the internet password?” – and add them on the lines below the lead question. You can update these later if you find family members are using a phrase you haven’t included. Finally, enter the answer that Alexa should provide when asked.

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You can add up to ten questions, with alternative phrasings for each. For the moment, delete the placeholder questions and click “Next: Create skill”. It will take a few seconds to add the skill to your account. You can test it by saying “Alexa, open my questions”, followed by any of your defined questions.