Voice assistant: Alexa do this, Alexa do that
Alexa is Amazon’s virtual voice assistant, released in November 2014. You have to pay for the hardware, but the service is free.
The system is controlled by speaking commands to Amazon’s Echo Bluetooth speaker. I’m using an Echo Plus, and if I were grading it on the sound alone, it’s outstanding.
Setting it up is simple, especially since you get written instructions along with Alexa speaking instructions.
Obviously, since it’s driven by Amazon, you do have to have an account to log into the Amazon Alexa app on your smartphone. After logging into the app, it’s pretty straightforward; set up the app, connect your home Wi-Fi to Alexa and start talking to your new friend.
The voice assistant system can do a lot of things; control your smart home devices to unlock doors, change a thermostat and turn an appliance on or off.
You can also make phone calls, send messages, get the news of the day and weather reports and even go shopping, to name just a sampling of the features. Your choices are endless.
I already have Alexa compatible Nest thermostats installed in my house, so I added them with the app. So now when my wife is cold, all she has to say is “Alexa, raise the temperature by 5 degrees.”
One feature I find amazing is voice-controlled shopping, which is only available to Amazon Prime members.
So if you’re out of detergent, coffee or other Prime products, just tell Alexa what you need. Since she is already connected to your account, your credit card will be charged and whatever you asked for is on the way.
I finished by asking Alexa if I can now have a margarita since my holiday/vacation week has begun. She replied that she doesn’t have an opinion on that, so I made the decision on my own.