Reluctant Amazon Alexa owner -- can it be useful?

esuhl

My sister received a device with Amazon's "Alexa" for Christmas (I'm not sure which one). It's not the kind of thing she would buy herself, so asked me if there's anything she might actually be able to use it for.

She's not interested in music (weird!) or news updates, and doesn't have any other "smart devices" that Alexa could control. She and hubby use iPhones and iPads, have a smart TV, and two young (6 and 8 year-old) kids.

I'm struggling to think of any way that it might actually be useful for them. But I'm not really sure what these devices are capable of, or how people actually use them...

Any ideas...?

[Deleted User]

Do you really want an Alexa review ?
Here's what Wikipedia has to say:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amazon_Alexa

John_Gray

She could use it to order takeaway food from Just Eat.
Just like using her own voice!

Another solution in search of a problem... :rotfl:

Norman_Castle

esuhl wrote: »

Any ideas...?

Ask Alexa

flashg67

With my mrs being the forgetful type, I'm tempted by one just to set alarms/reminders for her. Whether your sister will like being reminded it's time to make dinner though?

I've resisted for the same reasons your sister has - I own/buy the music I like, and I'm still capable of turning lights on/off myself at the moment, so can't really think of a use, beyond the initial novelty value

Tigsteroonie

She can use it to get answers to all the 'why?' questions that her children ask ...

PDC

The main use I found for it was that it was useful as a radio, our dab signal isn't that great on some stations and its instant to switch stations, turn up/down without having to go over to it.

RumRat

I don't use Amazon products, but, have a house full of Google home and Google minis.
I would hazard that your Sister may be a lost cause..With all of these 'Assistants', the key is to get it for one core use that you could expand on.
For example, I got into google for the music side and have expanded it to control lighting and heating so far.
If your sister isn't into music or radio and doesn't need timers and alarms, there isn't much of a starting point.
I guess the kids will end up using it more.
She could try having a running shopping list,
Ordering an Uber.
Ordering a takeaway.

As someone suggested 'Ask Alexa' I'm sure you'll get some ideas...:)
Good luck....

SandraX

Norman_Castle wrote: »

Ask Alexa

:rotfl::rotfl:

Dear OP

One of our children has the bigger Alea, sound is fantastic and IMO it's a gimmick.

My hubby got me a Google mini sound not as great we knew that but easier to use the search engine via vice and set alarm, askk weather, that is all i use it for, oh, use it to listen to radio at night time can jump easily between stations and turn off by voice, toehr than that, not for me - but they can do lots inc diary, phoning, ordering and controlling lights/cctv

onomatopoeia99

Try doing what my parents do and talk about Alexa rather than to it. You then get a lot of "I'm sorry, I didn't understand that" randomly being interjected into the conversation :rotfl:.

Le_Kirk

onomatopoeia99 wrote: »

Try doing what my parents do and talk about Alexa rather than to it. You then get a lot of "I'm sorry, I didn't understand that" randomly being interjected into the conversation :rotfl:.

........... and don't place it too near the TV or other device outputting sounds. Mrs. Le_Kirk and I were looking after our daughter's flat recently and kept hearing the ubiquitous "I'm sorry, I didn't understand that" then realised it only happened if TV was on!