I love it for music, weather and time. You can ask her just about anything. And loves to be thanked LOL Some of her responses are so cute.

I will follow this thread with interest because I find Alexa only useful for the things you mentioned. The only other thing I sometimes use it for is to read my latest Kindle book aloud when my eyes are tired. It's a text-to-speech function so it can sound a bit weird, but it's acceptable for a few minutes before sleep.

Can it look up recipes?

Give proper internal temps for food?

I look those up all the time online

I bought some Phillips Hue Smart bulbs for my living room and bedroom.

I have routines set up to turn on bedroom (dimmed 50%) and living room lights (full brightness) one hour before sunset. Living room lights are programmed to turn off at 10:00 p.m., and bedroom lights turn off at 11:30 p.m.

I can still turn lights on and off, and change the brightness with an Alexa command.

I also like being able to set timers for different things.

Oh, and if I need to set a wake-up alarm, I tell Alexa to "set alarm for gentle music at 6:30" (or whatever). I don't like to be awakened with a blaring alarm so this is a nice alternative.

Is Alexa always active and listens in to all conversations, but it only responds when you mention its name? Ask it...... call me cynical, nyuk.

I just asked Alexa for the internal temp for mashed potatoes: 145 degrees F. she tells me.

"Alexa: call my phone." Then I can track it down in the house.

She also announces when an amazon delivery has arrived.

Vgkg, yes--Alexa hears everything we say. If that weren't true, it would be hard for the device to know when we've summoned her. I live alone, so she doesn't hear much. But occasionally I've asked her to erase what she heard that day. There are other ways of dealing with this on an ongoing basis.

Thanks for all the suggestions! Keep 'em coming. :-)

Handy to have the Alexa app on one’s cell phone.

Shopping lists.

”Alexa add eggs”

Alexa responds;

”Eggs added to your shopping list”

Easy to use shopping list is available on the phone.

I don't have Alexa but I have had Google Home and Siri on my phone and watch for years now. I ask Google for the weather, when it will rain, the timer, what the temp is in other places, how to cook something, how long to keep something in the refrigerator, and play music. The timer I use the most. With Siri I ask her stuff all the time... how to spell words, how old some actor is, when a movie was released, she helps me with Wordle, just answers ANY question. However, Siri is always listening to me because in phone conversations she pips up and says what? I don't understand, or sorry I didn't catch that. Hmmm? I better not plan to rob a bank.

My Siri is a young British man. 🤭

I haven't asked her a single question since she's still in the box. Last summer I received two Echos from the appliance store when I bought a new washer and dryer. I'm not even sure what ones they are - except there was an $89.99 price label.

I planned on giving one to DD. Maybe this thread will inspire me to open the box and figure out what it can do.

I like having one in the bathroom in case I fall. I will be able to call for help.

Alexa/Seri/Echo is all about learning the wants of consumers. Friend was talking on the phone, before the end of the day advertising for things they discussed was popping up on their phone. I hear people talk they are great for a cheap laugh. Farting noises are huge I understand. Thus far none of the 'skills' seems worth it to me.

I use mine for BBC World News every morning, set multiple concurrent cooking timers for different dishes, ask random things previously mentioned.

Yeah, she's always listening. But so is your smartphone. And probably your TV.

Hey google, tell me a joke, sound like an elephant, etc are fun for the kids.

I haven't found any really good reason to have one yet. I don't like background noise so I don't need the music and I prefer getting up and down to check things etc. I also like to do things manually. For me, it's a case of if you don't use it you lose it. Writing lists, thinking about what needs to be done and doing it, actively getting up and down to check on things, looking up information, turning things on and off, figuring things out on my own are all both physical and brain activities.

I would probably feel differently if I was more chair bound or whatever. But for now I enjoy good health and the ability to do things myself and I'd like to keep it that way as long as possible.

I asked: "What's the best price on gasoline within a mile of me?"

Or..."Alexa, tell a joke"

" Arcy no one i know has used theirs for the purposes you mention. You must live and move in different circles from the rest of us. "

Hard to disagree.

I have it on my Firestick and only use it to find tv shows. ;) I never think to use it for anything else. I use my phone and ask Siri questions. Sometimes. Mostly I'm old school and just google.

But if you want a good laugh, ask Alexa or Siri to tell you a bedtime story.

I am scared of Alexa, Siri, and Bixby. They are not enabled in any of our devices. They are way too nosy.

I had a Google Home for a while, and I found it good for turning on the radio in the kitchen when my hands were full or messy. Otherwise, I never used it, and I ended up giving it away. I can see some great advantages for people with limited mobility or dexterity, and in those cases I think the cost (of having a marketing computer eavesdrop on everything) would be worth the benefits. Otherwise, I'll stick to looking things up manually on my computer or phone, and writing notes by hand (which is better for your memory anyway). .

I have Cortana/Siri and et cetera turned off on phones, tablets and PCs. When I want to do voice entry, it's easy enough to start it on any of them. The other capabilities are not of use to me or my wife. Music and radio (music on often, radio on only rarely) come through our music systems.

Kitchen timer, alarm clock, play music or radio station, shopping list (great to have on my phone while shopping), temperature/weather check (local or elsewhere) and answers to random questions, are my most frequently used Alexa skills.

Okay...I told Siri on my phone to add milk to my shopping list. She said I didn't have a shopping list and asked if I wanted to make one. So she made one and put milk on it. Now the big question is how do I find my shopping list!? Aske Siri and she said milk is on my shopping list?

Listen to babbling brook sounds for sleeping

While I have Siri on my watch and probably also on my phone I do not consciously use it. When I am cleaning myself after going to the bathroom for whatever reason it gives me the outside temperature. Will keep it active for falling so it can call for help but the first time it gave me the temperature was a "What the" moment.

Thanks, everyone! You've given me some new ideas. For instance, I didn't know gentle music could be substituted for the usual alarm. Thanks, Pugga! And that babbling brook sounds like a great idea, Glenda.

Wish I could answer your question about the shopping list, Kathyg, but my phone skills are lacking. :-)