20 Ways Amazon's Alexa Can Make Your Life Easier

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World, meet Amazon's Alexa. Alexa is a personal assistant that comes with the Amazon Echo Dot, Echo Tap, and Echo devices. It works similarly to Siri and can be the assistant you never knew you needed.

What Can Alexa Do?

The smart wireless speaker offers a number of valuable services through Alexa that can really make your life easier. By simplifying daily tasks with Alexa, you can get out the door faster and focus on more important things.

With more than 3,000 available skills, it can take some time to determine which skills are right for your needs. That's why we've highlighted some of the best ways to use Alexa to streamline your life.

1. Check the Traffic and Weather

By being able to check the traffic and weather with ease, you can better prepare for the day ahead.

2. Manage Your Calendar

You can edit your calendar and get reminders of upcoming events with voice commands. You can also create tasks on your favorite to-do app.

3. Find Your Phone

If you've lost your phone, TrackR will help you find it. Simply instruct Alexa to find your phone or ring your phone so you can quickly determine its location.

4. Set a Timer or Alarm

Along with quickly checking the time, you can also set a timer or alarm on the device. You can also set your phone to ring anytime the alarm goes off.

5. Play Music

You can play a song through Alexa or connect to a paid music service like Spotify. You can even instruct it to play certain types of music (such as, "Alexa, play Christmas music") to perfectly set the mood.

6. Get the News

Alexa can read the news or your favorite audiobook to you. She can also answer questions so you can always stay informed.

7. Find Local Hotspots

Alexa can help you find local businesses or restaurants based on Yelp reviews. This can help you get more acquainted with your new neighborhood in no time.

8. Control the Lights

If you have smart lights, you can use Alexa to turn them on and off with your voice.

9. Control the Thermostat

If you have a smart thermostat (like a Nest thermostat), Alexa can adjust the temperature via voice command.

10. Control Your GE Appliances

Once you've connected your GE appliances, you can tell Alexa to do things like preheat the oven when you're ready to cook a meal.

11. Control Your Smart Devices

Once you connect your smart devices (like your TV), you can start controlling them with Alexa. You can turn on the TV, launch Netflix, change the channel, and more. Companies like Ford, Hyundai, and LG have also released smart home appliances, cars, phones, and other electronics that can connect with Alexa to further simplify your life. With the Automatic car adapter addition, you can even track information on your car, such as how much you drove and when you'll need gas.

12. Improve Home Safety

With Alexa, you can lock your doors or turn your home security system on.

13. Update Your Shopping List

By being able to verbally edit your shopping list, you'll never have to worry about forgetting anything again.

14. Buy Something

Of course, you can instruct Alexa to purchase something and she will complete the order on Amazon for you.

15. Order a Ride

You can connect your device with apps like Uber or Lyft to request a ride.

16. Plan a Trip

You can quickly plan and track a trip through the Kayak skill. Who needs a personal assistant when Alexa can do the hard work for you?

17. Find Recipes

Alexa connects to Food Network, My Chef, and All Recipes to help you find the perfect recipes for food or cocktails, so you can plan a tasty meal on the fly.

18. Order Food

Some food companies, like Domino's, have partnered with the Amazon Echo, allowing you to do things like reorder your most recent order, send a new order, or track your current order. You'll always know where your pizza is.

19. Get Fit

Simply instruct Alexa to start a seven-minute workout and she will walk you through the routine. Now, you'll never have an excuse to skip a workout again. You can also connect your Fitbit to better monitor your fitness. And you can get detailed nutritional information from the Food Tracker skill to more efficiently monitor your calorie intake.

20. Connect With Amazon Prime

If you have Amazon Prime, then Alexa makes it seamless for you to take advantage of all the services you are paying for with your subscription, so you get the best value for the money with Prime music, two-day shipping, and a lot more.

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