Alexa

It can, does and will, spy on you. Covert surveillance or what?
www.which.co.uk/news/2020/01/are-alexa-and-google-assistant-spying-on-us/

Great for timers , weather forecast , silly games , latest news . I get mine to read to me the books I have on my kindle while I do other things like cooking . Great for radio stations too .

There is a section on this subject already which gives you good information.

I am partially sighted so I use it as an alarm clock, a food timer, what the weather is in my region, the news, She is very good at additions etc. playing music, making a shopping list, remind you at eg 6 pm tonight to ring X.

I love mine and you will also one you get used to it.

I woke up the other morning to ask Alexa the time. She obviously did not understand my croaky voice so told me that men and women shop differently- really?

She warns me when an Amazon parcel is en route and tells me the contents but unfortunately cannot tell me it is very close or will arrive between 4-6 pm.

I hope this has been of some use- others may come on board to help you.

Be warned she may tell you that you will have to pay x to play music- there is very little she will not play for free. Good luck.

I love my echoes. I've got three dots, a large show and a small show.
My favourite thing is to link it to Audible, which of course is separate.

I'm not sure why Jeff Bezos wants to spy on me or DH.

I like the question of the day. Google what can Alexa do, it gives fun things and suggestions you may not have thought of.

As for "it is spying on you", no more than tailored ads on any sites you go on or when you use a debit card.

You can play Trivial Pursuit Tap with two to four people. Say "Alexa, open Trivial Pursuit Tap." Alexa explains how to play and then asks you which category pack you wish to use. Alexa then kicks off with the first category and question.

I love the question of the day quiz and most of the other suggestions given up thread.

Thanks Floradora9 I didnt know about Alexa reading me my kindle books. Will be useful for some book group items I'm not keen on.

My 8y old grandson loves to ask ‘tell me a knock-knock joke’.
Except he says ‘please would you ...’
?

I play my Spotify playlist on my phone through Alexa, when I'm pottering about in the kitchen.

I also use it to speak to DH downstairs, when I'm in bed unwell and need something.
I just say, Alexa drop into the living room and issue my orders!!!

Marydoll are your orders carried out?!

Have had my little dot in my bedroom for over a year now and really love it. It is the best bedside clock I have very had, - neat, fades when lights go out. Superb as an alarm and just needs to tell it when you want the alarm on for. Plays my audible books to me. Can control the volume just by telling it to up or down, plays radio stations, tell me the weather for the day, etc. etc.

Mine answers to the name of Computer (I am an old time Treekie), The main Alex in my living room has to answer to name of Alexa as it is positioned under my tv there and got itself into confusion whenever I played any Star Episodes and characters were giving their 'Computer' instructions.

So taken with Alexa that my Chrissie pressie this year from my kids was one that goes into my car (fitting carried out by SiL). So, now, I can - by voice - instruct it to read book, play radio, even control my google maps . I really do love these great gadgets.

Charleygirl, of course not. I end up standing at the top of the stairs shouting down! That doesn't work either. ?

I use it all the time. I have a regular reminder to feed the cats their evening meal — like Pavlov’s dogs they rush to their food dishes when she pings.

I use her as a radio. As a food timer she is brilliant. When there are several things on the go: she can tell me which item needs attention.

As for surveillance, I don’t worry too much. My mobile has GPS built in. If the government really wants to know what I am doing on my landline, it can listen in. They have records of my birth, medical history, work history, income tax, bank accounts ( if they want it). I must remember not to speak out loud any passwords.

The danger comes, if course if a hostile government gains access to the information stored on these devices.

Download the Alexa app to your phone. There you will find all the "skills" that Alexa has. Skills are like apps, you enable them (you can do it with your voice). I like playing Pointless, twenty questions, and I listen to the radio. She will play any radio station that you have ever heard of. Current Christmas sounds is playing on mine,

Yesterday I signed up to the free trial of Audible and listened for three hours to Barak Obama reading his new book - he has such a great voice!

My problem is how do I get Alexa to resume the book - it doesn't respond to obvious instructions so I had to go to the App to request resume.

We have 4 Alexas as we like music or the radio all over the house.

I like to listen to Tibetan Bells when I want a half hour rest. DH scurries off as he doesn’t like them. Pan Pipes are very relaxing too, listening now.

I should have said that our Alexas are linked to our Sonos system and we can play music through both system devices at the same time in different rooms.

What a multi-tasking family you are Mary ?

I am a woman, Kate, did you expect anything less?

We had Christmas playing in every room, when we were putting up the trees, It felt like being in a shopping mall. Whatever that is!

We love ours . We have 5 all over the house and we were given an Echo show for Christmas.

We have an apple music subscription linked to our phones and iPads. So we can play music all over the house , even out in my studio at the bottom of the garden.

Our Alexa's are linked to smart bulbs or plugs too so no scrabbling on the floor behind the sofas to turn things on, we just ask Alexa to do it.

Our show lets us video chat with out children and grandchildren too.

We love them!

I created a group for my Echos and play the radio or a music play list on the Echos in my living room, kitchen and bedroom simultaneously. Currently Scala radio is playing all round the house.

My grandson gave us a Portal for Christmas with the promise of coming to set it up when ,if ever, visiting is allowed again, this afternoon I decided to open the box and read the very brief instructions; after about 4 hours, lots of swearing, and mobile phone messing about, I got it working???. Spoke to grandson, very impressed, and several friends also impressed,
Lately I’ve had a few worries about my mental health, memory and general confusion so I feel very pleased with myself and think I can still cope a bit.
Don’t want to show off but needed to unload to someone who has no real interest.??‍???‍?
Maybe inthe new year Imay have something to look forward .to.
Happy New Year everyone, Stay in ,Stay safe.

Kudos to you Megs ?