[Nfbf-l] FW: [echo] Some Of the Most Popular Skills For the Echo

Wed Mar 27 13:45:28 UTC 2019

Sharing FYI 

The 60 Most Useful Alexa Skills of  2019  

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A ton of skills come with your Echo devices; some of are fun or silly while
others  are surprisingly useful. Here is a look at more than 60 skills that
can help you as soon  as you get your Echo connected to Wi-Fi and the
internet.  

What's Alexa and What Can It Do?  

Alexa is Amazon's proprietary speech-driven service, similar to what Siri is
for  the  iPhone. Commands to the service are known as skills; these
capabilities run the  gamut from playing a particular song to raising the
temperature on your thermostat.  

The most popular Alexa-enabled device is Amazon Echo, but the voice service
is also  available on the Echo Auto, Fire TV and other select Amazon and
third-party products  such as the Aristotle baby monitor and LG's Hub Robot.

While Alexa can use the thousands and thousands of skills that are
available, there are  a few things  to keep in mind.  

Not all of these skills were developed by Amazon. Developers have access  to
write and publish their own skills for Alexa that then become available to
users like yourself.  

The average Echo/Alexa user can also develop their own skills using the
Alexa Blueprints portal.  

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Some of these skills may not be worth your time, simply because they  aren't
very helpful or enjoyable.  

Certain skills may require additional hardware (i.e., turning on a light
with  Alexa)  

This shouldn't scare you away, however. Alexa-enabled devices are great to
have in  your home and, with a little tweaking, can prove to be very good
companions. I've  hand-picked some of the most useful and unique Alexa
skills from the thousands that  are out there. Many of these skills will not
be enabled by default, so you may need  to follow the proper activation
steps before using each one for the first time.  

How to Get Started Using Alexa's Skills  

For most, simply saying Alexa, enable [skill name] will do the trick. While
some skills  can be set up by following Alexa's voice prompt instructions,
others need to be  activated via the Alexa or on Amazon's website.  

To do so, first search  for the skill name and then select the Enable
button.  

In the  Alexa app, this is achieved by selecting the main menu button (found
in the upper left-hand corner of the screen) and choosing the Skills option.
>From here you can browse Alexa skills by category or other criteria such as
those favored the most by its large user base. You can also search for
skills by keyword or name through this same interface.  

If you're using Amazon's website instead of the app, first ensure that you
are logged into the account that is associated with your Alexa-enabled
device.  

Next, click on the drop-down menu located next to the search bar at the top
of the screen and choose Alexa Skills. From here you can search for skills
by keyword or name. You'll also be taken to the Alexa Skills section of the
website after performing your initial search.  

Once you click the Enable button associated with a particular skill it will
then be activated on all of your Alexa-enabled devices, assuming that
you've registered them with the same Amazon account, and will be ready  for
use.  

You'll notice in the lists below that many Alexa skills are called by using
trigger words  like open, start, play and ask. While select skills require
you to use specific terms,  others consider them to be interchangeable and
will work with some or all of these  

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phrases. Over time you'll begin launching your favorite skills by the words
you feel  most comfortable using. Initially, though, it can be fun to play
around with each.  

I recommend reading How to Make Alexa the Center of Your Smart to learn
more about how the service can be  used on multiple devices.  

The Best Entertainment and Humor-Related Skills  

The following Alexa skills will keep you entertained for hours on end.
Notice each  command is clearly stated with an action, such as open or ask.

Alexa, open the Tonight Show: Missed Jimmy Fallon's monologue last  night?
Want to know who the comedian's upcoming guests are? This skill  has you
covered.  

Alexa, play Beer Goggles: Maybe you should hold off on pouring another
drink. This skill asks a set of questions and then determines whether or not
you've reached your limit based on the responses.  

Alexa, ask Westeros: With the amount of sheer carnage in George R. R.
Martin's Game of Thrones, it can be hard to keep up with who's still alive.
This skill lets you know whether a particular character has been confirmed
dead or not. It's based on the book series, which is not completely in sync
with the HBO drama.  

Alexa, open Geek Humor. A skill that's bound to make your inner nerd
chuckle, Geek Humor tells jokes from a number of science and
technologyrelated categories.  

Alexa, open Radio Mystery Theater. Takes you back in time by playing old
episodes of CBS Radio Mystery Theater, a series that took the airwaves by
storm in the 1970s.  

Useful News, Traffic and Weather Skills  

While saying Alexa, what's the weather? will return the current conditions
in your area,  the majority of news and weather information disseminated by
Alexa is done through  Flash Briefings. This includes the latest headlines
on dozens of wide-ranging topics  from over 2,000 available sources.  

Whenever you say Alexa, what's my Flash Briefing? or Alexa, what's in the
news? updates from each active Flash Briefing provider will be played. To
advance to  the next source simply say Alexa, skip.  

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Your Flash Briefing skills can be managed through the Alexa app by taking
the  following steps.  

01    Select the button, represented by three horizontal lines and  

located in the upper left-hand corner of the app's main window.  

02   When the drop-down menu appears, tap the Settings option.  

03   Alexa's Settings interface should now be visible. In the Accounts
section,  

select Flash Briefing.  

04   A list of the Flash Briefing skills currently associated with your
account  

should now be shown, each designated as on or off. To activate or
deactivate a news source, tap on its accompanying button once.  

05   To modify the priority in which Alexa reads each source during your
Flash  

Briefing, first select the Edit Order button. Next, select and drag each
option until they are displayed in the desired order of preference. Once
complete, tap the Done button to return to the previous screen.  

06   To add additional skills/sources to your Flash Briefing, select the
button  

labeled Get more Flash Briefing content. A searchable and sortable list  of
applicable skills should now be listed. To add one to your list of
information sources, select it from the list and then tap the Enable button.

Top Music, Books and Podcast Skills  

Not surprisingly, Alexa-enabled devices are also great tools for listening
to your  favorite songs and audiobooks. In addition to the capabilities
listed below, there are  also dozens of podcasts available as Alexa skills.
To navigate songs, books and other  audio Alexa honors commands such as
Alexa, pause, Alexa, resume and Alexa,  restart.  

Alexa, play music by [artist name]: Random songs will be played by the
respective artist or group. The source of these songs is dependent on what
services and/or digital assets you have associated with your account.  

Alexa, play [song name]: Plays the song of your choice, assuming that it is
available in your assets or active services (i.e., Amazon Music)  

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Alexa, play [album name] album: Instructs Alexa to play a full album,
starting at the beginning.  

Alexa, play [artist] on Pandora: Streams a station of your choice through
the Alexa-enabled device. NOTE: You first need to register your Pandora
account via the Alexa app for this skill to become available.  

Alexa, play [radio station] on TuneIn: Attempts to play a particular radio
station through the TuneIn broadcast service. If the station you are seeking
cannot be found, Alexa will automatically search for it on  iHeartRadio.  

Alexa, play [radio station] on iHeartRadio: Similar to the skill above, with
the service search order reversed accordingly.  

Alexa, play [book name] on Audible: If you've purchased a book through  this
skill allows you to listen to it through your Alexa-enabled  device.  

School Yourself With Educational and Reference Skills  

This next group of Alexa skills were created to pique your curiosity and
keep your mind  sharp.  

Alexa, open Save Water by Colgate. With this skill, Alexa begins a dialogue
where users can receive water conservation facts and tips while brushing
their teeth. To encourage tooth-scrubbing listeners to turn off the sink
faucet while they brush, Alexa will even play the sound of running water to
replace the sound of actual water coming out of the faucet.  

Alexa, launch This Day In History: Powered by The History Channel, this
skill provides a rundown of noteworthy events that took place on today's
date. You can also specify a different date by saying Alexa, ask This Day In
History what happened on [date].  

Alexa, open NASA Mars: Ask all the questions you want about the Red  Planet,
including details on the Curosity rover's most recent update.  

Alexa, ask Baseball Reference: One of my favorites, this skill allows you to
ask Alexa a limitless number of questions about historical baseball data
including statistics and award winners from past seasons.  

Alexa, open Best Recipes: Suggests recipes based on three ingredients  that
you specify. Requires that you submit your email address to  Hellmann's to
function correctly.  

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Alexa, ask Beer Snob: A hops-infused skill that provides detailed
information about a bevy of beers, including where its brewed and what
approval rating fellow drinkers have assigned to it.  

Alexa, open Ingredient Sub: This skill comes in handy when you're missing  a
particular ingredient, letting you know what options can be used as a
substitute.  

Alexa, ask Mixologist: Acts as a virtual bartender, telling you how to make
the adult beverage of your choice.  

Alexa, open Daily Buzzword: A great way to build your vocabulary, this skill
defines a new word each day from the Merriam-Webster dictionary.  

Alexa, start Poker Pro: Contains interactive tutorials where you're forced
to  make decisions in hypothetical cash game and tournament situations,
after  which Alexa explains why you made the right or wrong call. The detail
in  this skill can  certainly help improve your No Limit Hold'em prowess.  

Alexa, open Myth Buster. This skill recites various myths and then asks you
to guess whether they are true or false, making for an educational and
enjoyable game.  

Alexa, ask Artsy: The Artsy skill offers in-depth information about your
favorite artists along with recommendations for art exhibits  in your area.
You can also listen to the most recent episode of the Artsy podcast.  

Alexa, what's the score of the [team name] game?: Gives you an up-todate
score on an ongoing sports matchup, or the final result of a completed
contest.  

Alexa, ask Edmunds: Returns Edmunds profiles about most car models
including reviews and lease details in your local area.  

Her Most Fun Game Skills  

Despite the fact that Alexa is operated strictly by voice there are some
pretty cool  games available, thanks in part to developer ingenuity and
player imagination.  

Alexa, play Jeopardy: Alexa assumes the role of Alex Trebek by asking a  new
set of questions every weekday, phrased in the parlance of the longrunning
quiz show.  

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Alexa, play RuneScape: Former and current players of the classic  as well as
fans of the turn-based adventure genre will enjoy this  audio-driven murder
mystery. The game even stores your progress so you  can continue where you
left off at a later time.  

Alexa, play Twenty Questions: This skill helps get those brain cells firing
by  pitting  you against Alexa in a classic guessing game.  

Alexa, open The Magic Door. Immerse yourself in a series of interactive
experiences where the choices you make have their own unique  consequences,
reminiscent of the Choose Your Own Adventure books from  decades past.  

Alexa, open The Wayne Investigation: Developed by Warner Brothers, this
skill places you in the middle of Gotham City tasked with solving the murder
of Batman's parents.  

Alexa, ask Magic 8-Ball: A virtual twist on an old favorite, this skill
provides  a random yes or no response to any question; all without having to
turn  your device upright to see your fate.  

All-purpose Health and Wellness Skills  

The skills below are designed to help you live a healthier life, both
physically and  mentally.  

Alexa, open Meditation Timer. Assists in your meditation routine by playing
relaxing sounds for the desired duration, ringing a bell when your time is
up.  

Alexa, ask My Pregnancy: A useful skill for expecting mothers, My  Pregnancy
provides detailed medical information along the way as you  move towards
your due date.  

Alexa, open Healthy Habit: Provides a health-conscious suggestion each  time
you access the skill.  

Alexa, start Cal Pal: Launches a calculator that tells you what level of
exercise is needed to burn off a specific amount of calories.  

Alexa, Inspire Me: Plays inspirational tidbits from one of several famous
speakers from all walks of life.  

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Alexa, open Daily Affirmation: Offers an encouraging and uplifting message
once per day.  

Alexa, open Deep Breath: Steps you through deep breathing exercises and
mental images intended to reduce stress.  

Restful Ambient Noise Skills  

Your Alexa-enabled device can also function as a white noise machine,
playing the  following ambient sounds to set the right mood at the right
time.  

Alexa, open Thunderstorm Sounds  Alexa,  open  Rain Sounds  Alexa,  open
Ocean Sounds  Alexa,  start White Noise  Alexa, open Bird Sounds  

Extremely Savvy Financial Skills  The Alexa skills below can assist in
growing your stock portfolio and bank account.  

Alexa, open Stock Trigger. Not only does this skill provide on-demand  stock
quotes, it also includes the ability to set up not triggers  each time a
particular stock reaches a user-defined threshold.  

Alexa, ask Provides the current value of in USD along  with the percentage
change over the past 24 hours.  

Alexa, ask The Fool: Presents details from The Motley Fool on the stock of
your choice, as well as the latest information from your watchlist.  

Need More? Try These Miscellaneous Skills  

These Alexa skills may not fit into one of the categories above but they're
each good  enough to make the list.  

Alexa, open Johnnie Walker. An interesting skill for whiskey aficionados, or
those wanting to learn more about the distilled beverage.  

Alexa, Ask My Buddy: If you're having a medical issue or other emergency
and can't get to your phone, this skill will alert one or more predesignated
contacts for you. A fully-configured and linked Ask My Buddy account is
required.  

Alexa, ask Fortune Cookie: Cracks open a fortune cookie at any time,
allowing you to hear its infinite wisdom without having to order Chinese
food.  

Alexa, ask Web Analytics: A terrific tool for anyone who monitors their web
traffic through Google Analytics, this skill instructs Alexa to provide the
number of unique visitors, page views, sessions and bounce rate from a
linked account.  

Alexa, Interview Me: Asks a different question that you may hear on a job
interview each time you access this skill, allowing you to better prepare
for  those important meetings.  

Alexa, ask Area Code: Returns location details for any three-digit area
code.  

Alexa, ask Steve Jobs Quotes: Plays famous snippets as well as some
lesser-known quotes from the late Apple co-founder.  

Alexa, open Spin the Wheel: Tired of flipping a coin or seeing who draws
the short straw? This  skill prompts you for between two and ten names and
then picks one out at  random.  

Alexa, open Bedtime Story: This is a neat skill for your kids, as it
incorporates their name into the telling of the story.  

Alexa, open Stopwatch: A basic yet useful skill that turns Alexa into a
stopwatch, allowing you to check duration status and stop at any time.  

Alexa, ask Tweet Reader. The Tweech for Twitter skill causes Alexa to  read
the tweets in your timeline, from newest to oldest.  

Alexa, set an alarm for [time]: Prompts Alexa to  sound an alarm at a
specified time. You can also configure this alert to go off regularly by
saying  Alexa, set a repeating alarm for [weekdays or weekends/time].  

Of Course: Smart Home Skills  

Alexa's skills go far beyond the Echo, Fire TV or similar devices hosting
the  voice service. It can also interact with certain home hardware
including garage  doors, and TVs to name a few. Each platform functions
differently with Alexa, so  consult with your manufacturer's documentation.

And A Few Other Alexa Skills  

There are thousands of additional skills available for Alexa, searchable
within the app  or the Alexa Skills section of Amazon.com.  

These skills fall into a number of different categories, such as sports
trivia specific to  certain teams and up-to-date transportation schedules
for individual cities and transit  systems.  

You can also tasks on Amazon including purchasing  items in your cart and
tracking the package once they're sent. You can have   Alexa manage your
calendar. And you can even order a pie from Pizza Hut or a latte from
Starbucks.  

On top of all of this, don't forget that you can also ask Alexa a free-form
question. If  she doesn't know the answer, she will usually perform a Eno
search based on your  inquiry.  

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