You do - and you learn

There is no better way to make these tools an important - and useful - part of our lives than by using them.  And in the case of the Amazon Alexa set of technologies, that's done by trying out various voice commands.

Here are some...

​Basic commands

• Ask for help: "Alexa, help."
• Mute or unmute: "Alexa, mute" or, "Alexa, unmute."
• Stop or pause: "Alexa, stop" or, "Alexa, shut up."
• Change volume: "Alexa, set volume to 5," "Alexa, louder" or, "Alexa, turn up/down the volume."

Media controls

• Play music: "Alexa, play some music."
• Queue specific song or artist: "Alexa, play music by [artist]."
• Play a song based on context: "Alexa, play the latest Avett Brothers album" or, "Alexa, play that song that goes 'Gotta gotta be down, because I want it all.'"
• Play the song of the day: "Alexa, play the song of the day."
• Play Spotify music: "Alexa, play [playlist] on Spotify."
• Play Pandora station: "Alexa, play [artist] station on Pandora."
• Play a radio station: "Alexa, play [radio station] on TuneIn."
• Play an audiobook: "Alexa, play [title] on Audible," "Alexa, read [title]" or, "Alexa, play the book, [title]."
• Resume the last played audiobook: "Alexa, resume my book."
• Skip audiobook chapters: "Alexa, next chapter" or, "Alexa, previous chapter."
• Listen to Alexa read you a Kindle book: "Alexa, read me my Kindle book."
• Set a sleep timer: "Alexa set a sleep timer for 45 minutes" or, "Alexa, stop playing in 45 minutes."
• Song information: "Alexa, what's playing?"
• Music controls: "Alexa, play" or, "Alexa, next."
• Restart song: "Alexa, restart."
• Add a song to your Prime Music library: "Alexa, add this song."
• Like or dislike a song on Pandora and iHeartRadio: "Alexa, I like this song" or, "Alexa, thumbs down."
• Start Amazon Music Unlimited trial: "Alexa, start my free trial of Amazon Music Unlimited."

Time and date

• Set an alarm: "Alexa, set an alarm for 7 a.m." or, "Alexa, wake me up at 7 in the morning."
• Set a repeating alarm: "Alexa, set a repeating alarm for weekdays at 7 a.m."
• Set a timer: "Alexa, timer" or, "Alexa, set a timer for 15 minutes."
• Create a named timer: "Alexa, set a pizza timer for 20 minutes."
• Set multiple timers: "Alexa, set a second timer for five minutes."
• Check timer status: "Alexa, how much time is left on the pizza timer?" or, "Alexa, what are my timers?"
• Cancel a timer: "Alexa, cancel the pizza timer" or, "Alexa, cancel the 15 minute timer."
• Ask the time: "Alexa, what time is it?"
• Ask the date: "Alexa, what's the date?"
• Ask when the next alarm is: "Alexa, when's my next alarm?"
• Cancel an alarm: "Alexa, cancel my alarm for 2 p.m."
• Snooze alarm: "Alexa, snooze."
• Check dates: "Alexa, when is [holiday] this year?"

Calls and messagingIn May 2017, Amazon introduced calling and messaging between users of its Echo speakers. More recently, it enabled another feature, called Drop In, that lets users call different Echo devices throughout their home, intercom style. These features and commands only work with the Amazon Echo, Echo Dot (both generations) and Echo Show. (You can also call and message from the Alexa app, but no commands are needed.)

• Call another Echo user: "Alexa, call [name]."
• Answer an incoming call: "Alexa, answer the call" or, "Alexa, answer."
• Hang up: "Alexa, hang up" or, "Alexa, end the call."
• Message another Echo user: "Alexa, message [name]" or, "Alexa, send [name] a message."
• Play messages: "Alexa, play messages."
• Use Drop In on one of your own devices: "Alexa, drop in on the living room."
• Drop In on another user (requires the other user to allow you to Drop In anytime): "Alexa, drop in on [name]."
• Turn off the video during an ongoing call (only works with Echo Show): "Turn video off."  

To-do and shopping lists

• Add task to to-do list: "Alexa, add 'go to the grocery store' to my to-do list" or, "Alexa, I need to make an appointment with the doctor."
• Create a new to-do item: "Alexa, create a to-do."
• Check calendar events: "Alexa, what's on my calendar for tomorrow?"
• Add an event to a calendar: "Alexa, add [event] to my calendar for [day] at [time]" or, "Alexa, add an event to my calendar."
• Create a shopping list: "Alexa, add eggs to my shopping list" or, "Alexa, I need to buy laundry detergent."
• Check your shopping list: "Alexa, what's on my shopping list?"
• Create a reminder: "Alexa, reminder" or, "Alexa, remind me to check the oven in five minutes."
• Check on existing reminders: "Alexa, what are my reminders this weekend?" or, "Alexa, what reminders do I have tomorrow?"

News and weather

• Ask for your Flash Briefing: "Alexa, what's my Flash Briefing?"
• Check headlines: "Alexa, what's in the news?"
• Check weather: "Alexa, what's the weather like?" or, "Alexa, will it rain today?" or even, "Alexa, will I need an umbrella today?"
• Get a weather forecast: "Alexa, what's the weather going to be like this weekend?
• Get traffic information: "Alexa, what's my commute look like?" or, "Alexa, what's traffic like?"

 
 

• Enable translator (NOTE: “enable” is the command-word to launch a third-party application that Alexa can use. In this example, the “Translator” application (“skill” in Amazon terminology) begins when you issue the command Enable Translator.  When done, simply say STOP, Alexa will say “bye,” and you’re back to regular Alexa commands.  Here, to test this skill, and after enabling Translator, say “where is the third lightswitch” in Italian / French /Spanish
• What movies are playing (local is default)  .. in Spokane Washington…etc
• Restaurants:  find me VIETNAMESE restaurants  (default local) .. in El Cerritto California
• Find business hours (or address or phone) number for BUSINESS NAME
• What was the score of the Yankees game?

 
APPLAINCES  (some manufacturers includeJ
--SmartThings
--Lutron
--Belkin
--WeMO
--Philips Hue
 

• Alexa Turn on the living room lights
• Alexa turn on front door light
• Alexa dim lights to 50%
• Alexa lock my back door
• Alexa discover my devices