Amazing Alexa

I saw - or rather heard - 'her' at work over Christmas. My DS has an Echo gadget that picks up all the Alexa commands and executes them promptly- any tune he wants, any radio station and yes, if they say 'Alexa, stop', 'she' does that too. My 13-year-old GS has 'alexa-fied' his bedroom, including control of lights. Need I say that he is the family geek?

If she keeps talking, have you tried shouting 'Alexa, STOP'? Works for us.

Yes, you can ask it to play radio stations, music (that’s available to you) but not sure about TV programmes. You’d have to test that yourself.

I find it most useful if I wake up during the night to ask it what time it is. Unfortunately the GC had been using it last night at full volume in the music room (that’s sound proofed) and I hadn’t thought to change that so the whole street was blasted out of bed at 03.25 am

In order to switch things on and off you need another App. Or a Hive? Not sure as I leave that to the pet IT experts!
Ours doesn’t switch anything off or on, at the moment but you can phone each other as it’s linked to the iPhones.
I did think that if I had teenagers it could do the nagging for me! As in saying, every 15 mins, ‘ have you tidied your room?’
Also you could leave a message on it if you were going out, to be played when OH came in. Such as ‘ could you hang the washing out?’

I admit to being very ignorant when it comes to knowing what Alexa does/can do, and how it works. All these echos/dots/pluses.....not a clue!

I would love to try one, but haven't got enough info yet.

I was given a new kindle fire a few,months ago and immediately disabled Alexa.
If I were convinced of its usefulness I'd reactivate it. It can't cross the room and physically switch off my tree lights!
I'd genuinely like to know just what it can do and how.
Can I say 'Switch on radio 4' or 'Play Manchester by the Sea soundtrack' or 'Get Coronation Street' ??
Is everything through the kindle or does it switch on the TV?
Noone in my family is using one so can't ask them!
Sorry if I sound stupid but I need very basic info.

We bought DS a Kindle Fire for Christmas and the first thing we did was switch off "Alexa" - a fun idea, but quite unnecessary and irritating when all you want is to read books!

All those AI gadgets are linked to GCHQ. Just imagine the poor bloke/lass who has to sit there for hours on end listening to my daughter saying, 'Alexa, switch Christmas lights on'.......'Alexa, switch Christmas lights off'.

We were given an Echo dot for Christmas, it’s great. You can ask it to remind you to do things answer questions, play music and phone people via your mobile.
, also much more.
Brilliant!

GrannySmith, is your device an Amazon Echo? I've had an Echo Dot for a while now, and moved it into the sitting room after getting an Echo Show for Christmas. I've put that in the kitchen. My Dot is sited near the television, and sometimes reacts if it hears it's wake up word, or thinks it does?. Try moving your device to another part of the room, and try not to chat about Alexa in her hearing. I find mine really useful, and fun. I hope you soon get used to it.

Oh right . Sorry if I have the wrong device

I'm confused now sorry.

NannyTee do you mean Alexa on an Amazon fire kindle pad?
I have an Alexa thingy (can't think of proper word) installed on my kindle and is currently disabled.
However I do have a separate Alexa Dot which is controlled by an Alexa app on my kindle fire pad.
And cannot as far I am aware be controlled by the settings on my pad.

I maybe completely wrong, but I thought Grannysmith meant that she had an Alexa either Echo or Dot for Xmas.
But if it is an Amazon fire kindle then your advice would work.

Sounds like my husband but I can't shut him off.

Sorry . Settings then system settings.

Pull down the screen with two fingers. Go on to settings and the voice activation switch will be turned on. Just turn that off.

What does she say?
Are you connected to any family Echo's or dot?
Messages can be sent between.
So as Stansgran suggested maybe DGC at work

Alexa wished me a happy new year this morning

The DGC again?