Alexa - what do you use yours for?

I don't have one but DS and DiL use theirs all the time. They add things to their shopping list while cooking, use as a timer, also while cooking, and play music. Sometimes my young grandson tells it to turn the music up louder or change it when he wants something different. Personally I wouldn't want one but I'm techno;ogically inept..

My GC asked it to singt the Dog Song - oh dear! But they loved it. It is to the tune of Colonel Bogey - I knew entirely different words!

At the moment mine is mainly being used as a better loudspeaker than my laptop!

How do I stop Alexa from listening to my conversations?
To prevent Alexa from listening to your personal conversations, you can turn off the microphones. Simply press the microphone off button on your smart speaker, like an Amazon Echo™ or Dot®. A red light (normally a blue light) will appear on the device—that's how you know the microphones have been disconnected.
By the way if you look up something like a dishwasher on your I-Pad almost at once you get dishwasher adds on Facebook . Your I-Pad did not " hear" about didhwashers .

Blue Bell, I understand what you are saying but I didn’t buy my two Alexas. They were a gift from my son. When I get engrossed in my iPad selling stuff on eBay or writing my many blogs, I totally forget the stuff simmering on the cooker so find Alexa an easy option. I’ve just set Alexa up to listen to the Archers. Haven’t listened for over 50 years but have decided to give it a go when cooking. I’m aware that big brother is all around but I haven’t joined Only Fans.

teaching the kids their times tables

Just found it will read my kindle books out loud. Not all of them, but many.

We have 5 Alexas and recently took one on holiday and linked it to the Internet there as we can’t bear quietness especially as we both have tinnitus.

I sometimes play Spa Music if I want a relaxing background noise. If I am stuck on a crossword question such as the capital of a country it gives me the answer.

We take one away with us, too, Kate for DH's tinnitus.

After you have added items to the shopping list do you simply ask alexa to read it out and you write it out?

Great minds Kitty 😀

When I wake up in the middle of the night and can't see the time I whisper "Alexa, what's the time?" and she tells you the time with a whisper! Quite amusing.

BlueBelle

Never had one can I carry on living without one ?

Ditto. I've never had it and no plans to get.
cf I don't have any sight problems other than spectacles at present . I understand that it would be very useful for people with sight problems.
I've always thought that using Alexa would make me lazy but I have to say that I quite fancy a "Bot" that would do all the housework.
Then I wouldn't feel lazy at all.