Top 15 And Best Alexa Skills That Every Echo User Should Know

The research by voicebots says skills of Alexa worldwide number is beyond 70,000 now. These skills are spread across different categories which may include Wellness, Family, Games, Create-Your-Own and Daily Habit among others. The extensive capabilities and versatile strengths make Alexa the most popular smart speaker assistant today.

Alexa has the largest market share in the smart speaker market segment worldwide and has approx. 64.5 percent of the total market share in the USA. Amazon also boosted developments in Alexa by opening the platform to all developers, which can create innumerable APIs, and by hosting the competitions that have large monetary prizes. With a great number of skills of Alexa available, users may find it hard to pinpoint the best of them.

Here are 15 best Alexa skills that you should try on Amazon Echo.

1. Find Your Exclusive Deals

You can use Alexa and your Echo speaker to get to know about the exclusive deals that are available to you as an Amazon Prime member. These can only be assessed and ordered through Alexa. If you want to know more about the offer, you should speak for triggering the command for Alexa, or you can also visit the shopping page of Amazon.

2. Stream Audio by Using Bluetooth

The Echo speakers and Alexa connect swiftly with audio applications including the TuneIn radio, iHeart radio, Amazon Prime music, Spotify and Pandora through a default connection setup. The new speakers and the upgraded versions are also connected with Apple music. But streaming and playing of music on Alexa and the Echo speakers is not limited to these options only. Any audio including Google Play Music and others can also be streamed through Alexa on the wish of the user.

3. Use Alexa for Controlling the IoT Devices

You can easily pair the Amazon Echo smart speakers and assistant Alexa with the other IoT (Internet of things) devices including Link Amp, Echo Show, Smart Plug, Voice Remote, and the Fire TV Stick among others. Innumerable consumers are now also using other devices and make their life easier by controlling them through Alexa.

4. Reminders

The individual Alexa users can use the assistant for setting up a timer for alarms, reminders, and to-do lists. You can also create the reminders for a reminder may be guided by the perfect voice assistant at the right moment of time. In the same way, you can be aware of your to-do list and the alarms at any exact day and date, by using the Echo speakers and Alexa.

5. Use Different Voice Profiles

People having different accounts on Amazon may use the same Echo speaker along with the voice assistant Alexa. Alexa also has the voice profiles feature through which it can distinguish between the different command providers and give more personalized results to the individuals. For instance, Alexa will inform you of your own calendar events and meetings, and not of the other user. If your spouse asks Alexa to play music from iTunes, Alexa will use the account of your spouse and not you, thereby providing desired and customized results.

6. Exploit Amazon Prime Better

Apart from giving you instant access your Prime account’s special and exclusive deals, Alexa also helps you to use your Amazon Prime membership to a greater extent. You can use Alexa directly for shopping or for tracking the delivery status of your packages.

Must read: Amazon Alexa vs Google Home – which voice controlled speaker is best for you

Alexa provides you delivery related notifications as well as gives you auto access to Amazon Prime music. Amazon music alone has more than 2 million songs for you and these can be recognized easily by Alexa when you mention a few of the lyrics.

Prime photos have been made available on Alexa. If you have the fire TV or Echo show, you can ask Alexa to show the photos on the basis of a subject. Alexa may use Artificial Intelligence and facial recognition for finding and displaying photos in accordance with your command, say a Beach for a Birthday.

7. Go Back in Time and Get Nostalgic Through Yester Years

Alexa also has its own in-built time machine through which you can go back in time. For instance, you can ask Alexa to tell you the news that happened on the same day, last year. This feature gives you a feeling of going back in time and can also be used for other useful tasks, for example finding out of trends.

8. Translation

Alexa has expertise and skills that may even be used professionally for learning, productive and official purposes. The Translated skill of Alexa can be used for translating any sentence of English sentences into 37 different languages of the world. But as of now, only English sentences can be translated into other languages and no reverse or parallel processes are available. Alexa can also be given the command to narrate the translations slowly or to repeat them any number of times.

9. Let Ambient Noise Soothe Your Senses

Amazon has aimed to solve the problem of stress and anxiety that is faced by millions worldwide through this innovative and new skills of the virtual assistant Alexa that is called Ambient Noise. All the user needs to say is “Alexa. open ambient noise” and the speakers will play the sound loops that will soothe the senses of the users.

The music will offer relief from anxiety and will help you sleep easily and in less time period. It may also be used for downing/overcoming sound pollution or undesired and distracting noises. Ask Alexa for a list of the ambient noises and play any of them as per your wishes. This skill and function also come along with the timer so that you can ask the assistant to stop playing the music automatically after, say 2 hours.

10. Flash briefing

The users can also get the latest news updates from the different news applications and online news sources through the feature of Alexa by the name Flash Briefing. The news sources can and be BBC, CNN, NPR, and others. The user is only required to ask is “Alexa what is my news briefing?” or “Alexa what’s the latest news?” and he or she gets all the information through the Echo speakers.

11. Play YouTube Videos

For all the users of Alexa who own and use Eco Show (2nd Gen), it is very easy to play the videos on YouTube. For instance, a user can watch a YouTube video on a given food recipe in the kitchen by just giving a simple command. While Google removed YouTube from Eco Show in the year 2017, the new browser makes it available and accessible again.

12. Night Light Convenience

With Alexa nearby, you need not get up from your bed at night for switching on the lights. Just give the command to your voice assistant Alexa “Open the night light for 10 minutes” and you will see that the light ring of the echo speakers starts to Pulse for the specified time period.

13. Call or Message

Alexa can be used for calling as well as messaging people you know, but only Alexa users can be assessed by the voice assistant as of now. The Alexa app can be installed on your phone as well, and can also provide for calling as well as messaging of acquaintances. Apart from this, Alexa also has the “Drop-in” feature, which can be used for making the video for voice calls to people who are very close to you.

14. Adding Skills

You can enable and add any skill in Alexa by just giving the command” Alexa, enable  ‘the name of the skill’ ”.There is also the Skill Finder feature which you can use to find the new or the highly rated skills.

15. Announcements

Alexa can be also used as an intercom. The message gets shared with the Eco-Smart speakers within the house. For instance, you can give the command “Alexa, announce the breakfast” and all the other connected speakers get the command and message.

Related read: Integrating Alexa skills for IoT Mobile Solutions (iOS)

The skills and features of Alexa and the speakers are not limited to these best 15 functionalities. With time and the launch of subsequent generations, we will find many new and useful features with the word class assistant.

If you’re looking for a leading Alexa Skill Development company, contact Cumulations

 FAQs 

Q1: How many Alexa skills are currently available worldwide?  

A1: Alexa has over 70,000 skills available worldwide, covering a wide range of categories such as Wellness, Family, Games, Create-Your-Own, and Daily Habit.

Q2: What makes Alexa the most popular smart speaker assistant?  

A2: Alexa’s popularity is attributed to its extensive capabilities, versatile strengths, and the fact that it holds the largest market share in the smart speaker market segment. It has approximately 64.5% of the market share in the USA.

Q3: How can I find exclusive deals using Alexa?  

A3: As an Amazon Prime member, you can use Alexa and your Echo speaker to discover exclusive deals available only through Alexa. You can trigger the command for Alexa to learn more about these offers or visit Amazon’s shopping page.

Q4: What audio streaming options are available on Alexa?  

A4: Alexa connects with various audio applications like TuneIn Radio, iHeart Radio, Amazon Prime Music, Spotify, Pandora, and even Apple Music. Additionally, you can stream audio from other sources, including Google Play Music, using Alexa.

Q5: Can Alexa control IoT devices?  

A5: Yes, Alexa can easily pair with and control a variety of IoT devices such as Link Amp, Echo Show, Smart Plug, Voice Remote, and Fire TV Stick, among others.

Q6: How can I set up reminders and alarms using Alexa?  

A6: You can set up timers, alarms, reminders, and to-do lists using Alexa. These reminders can be voice-guided, and Alexa will notify you at the appropriate time.

Q7: Can multiple people use the same Echo speaker with personalized responses?  

A7: Yes, Alexa supports different voice profiles, allowing multiple users to receive personalized responses based on their individual Amazon accounts.

Q8: How does Alexa enhance the use of an Amazon Prime membership?  

A8: Alexa allows you to shop, track package deliveries, access Amazon Prime Music, and view Prime Photos on devices like Fire TV or Echo Show. Alexa also recognizes songs based on lyrics and can find and display photos using AI and facial recognition.

Q9: What is the ‘Time Machine’ feature in Alexa?  

A9: The ‘Time Machine’ feature allows you to ask Alexa for news and events that occurred on the same day in previous years, offering a nostalgic experience.

Q10: Can Alexa translate languages?  

A10: Yes, Alexa can translate English sentences into 37 different languages, although it currently does not support reverse translation or translation from other languages into English.

Q11: What is the Ambient Noise skill on Alexa?  

A11: The Ambient Noise skill plays soothing sound loops to help alleviate stress, reduce anxiety, and aid in sleep. You can also set a timer for how long the ambient noise should play.

Q12: How can I get news updates through Alexa?  

A12: You can get the latest news updates by asking Alexa for your “Flash Briefing” or the “latest news.” Alexa will then provide updates from sources like BBC, CNN, NPR, and others.

Q13: Can I watch YouTube videos on Alexa?  

A13: Yes, users of the Echo Show (2nd Gen) can watch YouTube videos by giving a simple voice command to Alexa.

Q14: How does the Night Light feature work on Alexa?  

A14: You can command Alexa to activate the night light for a specific period (e.g., “Open the night light for 10 minutes”), and the light ring on the Echo speaker will pulse during that time.

Q15: Can Alexa be used for calling and messaging?  

A15: Yes, Alexa can call and message other Alexa users. You can also install the Alexa app on your phone for this purpose. The “Drop-in” feature allows for voice or video calls to close contacts.

Q16: How can I enable new Alexa skills?  

A16: You can enable new skills by saying, “Alexa, enable [the name of the skill].” You can also use the Skill Finder feature to discover new or highly rated skills.

Q17: Can Alexa be used as an intercom?  

A17: Yes, you can use Alexa as an intercom to broadcast messages across all connected Echo devices in your home by using commands like “Alexa, announce [your message].”

Q18: Are there more features beyond the 15 listed skills?  

A18: Yes, Alexa’s capabilities are continuously expanding, with new features and skills being introduced with each generation of the Echo speakers and Alexa software.