Alexa

The weather, a flash briefing, the time, I use it as a multiple timer when cooking, I use my echo in my bedroom as an alarm, The weather in other countries are some of the things I ask her.

"Alexa, ask the question of the day", a general knowledge quiz, so far I've amassed 875 points.
Ask for a Flash briefing, and you get the news headlines. I play the radio through my Echo devices as the radio reception here is almost non existent. I subscribe to Amazon music unlimited to take full advantage of their music library, it's £3:99 per month on one device only.
I like the night sky, so have enabled the Stellar skill. It tells you what you can see in the sky at any given time.
The DGC like 20 Questions, the Magic Door, (an interactive story), and Ditty.
You'll have to give them a try, to find out which ones you like. All the skills are on the Alexa app.

DS and DIL are being driven insane because GC keep asking Alexa to play Baby Shark!

I still don’t understand how it works

We use it to control lights and I can contact Alexa through the app to tell DS that dinner's ready when he's upstairs. We also love the music quiz.

DD and DS have Echoes, I can send messages or call them, and it's free.
Alexa also wakes me up in the morning and lulls me to sleep (sleep sounds) at night.

MiniMoon I do not pay for any music I ask to be played.

I love it- I do not use it to switch on the lights because I am not sure what to do. I need somebody to come here for half a day and show me how my smart TV and phone work!

DH had one this Christmas. All three grandchildren were here. First they asked her to do a fart. Each one was slightly different, she has a great repertoire. Then they asked her to play The Fart Song by Sebastian. They were in fits, it was lovely to see. You probably think we are awful grandparents now......

What I don’t understand , does all these things like a quiz have to be put into it ?

No annie, they are just on the web.

I think you can see them fly past if you look out of the window.

We were given an Alexa and an Echo dot at Christmas.
It kept DH very happy for hours setting it up and playing with it.
He must remember to call her properly, but will keep saying Alexia! I’m sure it takes time to work out what to do with it/her.
DH and SIL are here tomorrow, I daresay DH and SIL will have lots to discuss Alexa wise, while DD and I organise the food for expected guests.
Now, if I could get her to give me a suggested menu, then serve it all up, I would be a happy bunny.

Fat finger syndrome. I meant to say DD and SIL will be here

You can change the "wake" word Auntieflo. Your husband might prefer Echo, or Computer if he's a Star Trek geek.?

My granddaughter loves alexa and always asks for it to play her favourite music in the room she’s in and dances away. All this at 4.
She asks Alexa for to play music in my house and is surprised that it doesn’t happen. I’ve had to explain,that I don’t have Alexa.?

I asked her to play music on my new fire HD, and she couldn't. Why, please?

I don't subscribe to anything.

My 9year old grandson has Alexa in his bedroom and is always asking questions. It failed with a definition of “stout” other than a drink! We decided that stout meaning fat was an “olden days word”!

I like the shopping list. If you run out of things you just say "Alexa put bread on shopping list" and she keeps a running list. When you are ready to shop you just ask her to recite the list
You can also add things remotely on the Alexa App on a smartphone. Great fun yesterday- I went to work and added "sex toys" to the list on the App. I knew husband would be asking Aĺexa to read out the shopping list and she would list sex toys as well as the food shopping. Great laughs!

Sorry I have no desire to own one, can't see the point. DD has one, DGS1 can't communicate with it (he's 8). it doesn't understand his accent, it's not as if he speaks broad Devonian, now me with my broad Yorkshire .

I will now go & hide in the corner

@seacliff you need to sync it to your hd fire, usually via Bluetooth. I had a Google Home thingy but I had to create playlists before it would play anything from my iPod. Way too much kerfuffle for me, I’m afraid

My friend has one...l asked "Alexa...who is the fairest of them all?" ....try it

Just acquired my 2nd Alexa Dot. She plays the radio and Spotify music. Makes my shopping list, which then goes onto my phone and I can tell her when I discover I'm out of something instead of having to remember to write it down. Times my cooking and gives reminders which is really useful. Wakes me in the morning if I have an appointment.
Thanks for the Flash Briefing hint, I do like to listen to the news.
Really like my Alexas but might change their names.

This morning I asked Alexa to take down the Christmas decorations. She quipped back that Santas little helpers would be better to help with that!

I received one for Christmas. Your posts have been very helpful especially Charleygirl5 and Minimoon. I use it to play Radio Solent ( top local channel , no adverts) and Classic FM when I need to chill out.I wished her good morning and she wished me a Happy New Year. I must be mad conversing with a machine?

Never have I spoken to a computer. Nor do I intend to start.

Fortunately I still have both hands and all my fingers and with a keyboard they are perfectly adequate.

I cannot imagine anything worse than an office, home or car of several people talking to their devices.

And I am no technophobe. Indeed, I work as a computer buddy at several of my local libraries.

One day, though, I expect to develop a healthy working relationship with my robotic carer.

Meanwhile let us mark the day when the first of these plastic devices ends up in landfill or that incinerator we campaigned against.