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Amazon Echo devices can do a lot of cool things out of the box, but if you want to add some extra features you can turn to the Alexa Skills library. These mini-apps allow you to add new voice commands, connect to third-party apps, and even play games. There’s just one problem: a lot of them aren’t great. To cut it short, we’ve got a list of the best skills worth activating on your Echo.
7 minute workout
Finding time to work out during the day is one of those tasks that can seem more overwhelming than it actually is. A 7 minute workout solves this problem by starting a short, guided workout with a single voice command. Tell Alexa “Start a 7 Minute Workout” and she’ll walk you through a few simple workouts that won’t take a long time to complete.
Headspace: guided meditation
Meditation can have a profound impact on your health, but it’s not easy for most people to do it alone. This is where guided meditation apps like Headspace come in handy. Tell Alexa you’re ready to meditate, and the service will begin teaching you how to relax, focus, and focus. You will need to have a Headspace account in the usual app, but once everything is set up you can start a meditation session without touching your phone.
All Recipes
Speakers and smart displays are great kitchen companions because they can walk you through the process of preparing a recipe. Which makes AllRecipes one of the most useful skills you can activate. This skill will guide you through the recipes she finds online or the ones you have saved in your personal cookbook.
Our grocery stores
A useful companion app for AllRecipes, the OurGroceries skill allows you to track what groceries you currently have in your pantry, add items to your shopping list, and delete things as you go. you use them. If you’re already using Alexa to help you keep track of your recipes and cooking, it’s not too far off the way to track your groceries as well, and you’ll never have to wonder if you’ve ever milk in the refrigerator.
Mixologist
If you want to make a cocktail, but don’t know what to do with what you have in stock, Mixologist can help. It can find cocktails by name, search for drinks that use a specific ingredient you have (like rum or tequila), or find a random drink that you may not have tried before. It’s a convenient way to branch out with your drink menu without much effort.
Uber / Elevator
When you’re about to leave the house and need to call a cab, Alexa can get you an Uber or Lyft with just one command. Both apps allow users to request different types of rides (including economy or premium rides) or check the status of your ride. Lyft even lets you rate your driver after they drop you off. Just make sure Alexa hears that five-star rating correctly.
Ask my boyfriend
Alexa has controls that let you send messages or call people, but they can be finicky. It’s great for everyday communication, but Ask My Buddy is designed to keep things simple with one goal: emergency messages. You can set this skill to text or call a specific person when you say, “Alexa, ask my friend to send help.” This is useful if you have a person who has difficulty moving around the house and who could only call for help but not reach for a phone.
Tint / LIFX
One of the most practical use cases for a smart speaker is being able to control your lights with your voice. With smart lighting skills like those from Philips Hue or LIFX, you can set light brightness levels, change colors, and turn lights on and off using voice commands. Once you’ve turned off your bedroom lights under the comfy blankets, it’s hard to get back to anything else.
Sounds of sleep and relaxation
If you have a Spotify or Amazon Music account, you might already have access to a library of white noise sounds that you can play in the background or while you’re trying to sleep. However, you don’t need to pay for a separate service. Sleep & Relaxation Sounds comes with a library of ambient sounds like rain, cicadas, train rides, or a variety of other soundscapes that you can activate with a command.
Danger!
One of the most popular game shows in television history, Danger has its own Alexa skill which you can use to play around with the episode being broadcast. Each day of the week, the skill offers follow-up questions that match the episode’s categories, so you can play the game.
Skyrim very special edition
In a similar category of fun Alexa skills, Skyrim very special edition is a version of the popular fantasy role-playing game that everyone thought was a joke, until it wasn’t. You can activate the skill and complete quests, fight and explore the land of Skyrim, all using voice commands and verbal descriptions. It has a feel of one of those old school text adventure games, with a modern twist.
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