Amazon Echo devices can do a lot of cool things out of the box, but if you want to add extra features, you can use the Alexa Skills library. These applets allow you to add new voice commands, connect to third-party applications and even play games. There is only one problem: many of them are not great. To cut the chaff, we have a list of the best skills that are really worth activating on your Echo.
7-minute workout
Finding time to work out during the day is one of those tasks that can seem more overwhelming than it really is. The 7-minute workout helps to correct this problem by starting a short, guided workout with a single voice command. Tell Alexa “Start a 7-minute workout” and she will guide you through some simple exercises that won’t take time to complete.
Headspace: Guided Meditation
Meditation can have a profound impact on your health, but it is not easy for most people to do on their own. That’s where guided meditation apps, like Headspace, come in handy. Tell Alexa that you are ready to meditate, and the service will begin to guide you on how to relax, focus and concentrate. You will need to have a Headspace account in the usual app, but once everything is set up, you can start a meditation session without touching the phone.
AllRecipes
Smart speakers and monitors are excellent kitchen companions, as they can help you prepare a recipe. Which makes AllRecipes one of the most useful skills you can activate. This skill will guide you through the recipes found online or those you have saved in your personal cookbook.
OurGroceries
A useful companion app for AllRecipes, the OurGroceries skill allows you to monitor the groceries you currently have in your pantry, add items to your shopping list and remove items as you use them. If you’re already using Alexa to help you keep track of your recipes and cook, it’s not too difficult to track your groceries too, so you never have to wonder if there’s milk in the fridge.
Mixologist
If you want to prepare a cocktail, but are not sure what you can do with what you have in stock, Mixologist can help. He can find cocktails by name, search for drinks that use a specific ingredient you have (like rum or tequila), or find a random drink that you might not have tried before. It is a practical way to diversify your drink menu without much effort.
Uber / Lyft
When you’re getting ready to leave the house and need to call a ride, Alexa can get an Uber or Lyft with a single command. Both applications allow users to request different types of travel (including economy or premium travel) or check the status of the trip. Lyft even allows you to rate your driver after he leaves you. Just make sure that Alexa hears the five-star rating correctly.
Ask my friend
Alexa is equipped with commands that allow you to send messages or call other people, but they can be meticulous. This is good for everyday communication, but Ask My Buddy was designed to simplify things for one simple purpose: emergency messages. You can configure this ability to send a text message or call a specific person when you say, “Alexa, ask my friend to send help”. This is useful if you have someone who has trouble getting around the house and may only be able to call for help, but cannot get a phone.
Hue / LIFX
One of the most convenient use cases for a smart speaker is being able to control your lights with your voice. With intelligent light skills, such as those of Philips Hue or LIFX, you can set light brightness levels, change colors and turn lights on and off with voice commands. After you turn off your bedroom lights under the covers, it’s hard to go back to anything else.
Sleep and relaxation sounds
If you have a Spotify or Amazon Music account, you may already have access to a library of white noise sounds that you can play in the background or while trying to sleep. However, you do not have to pay for a separate service. Sleep & Relaxation Sounds comes with a library of environmental noises like rain, cicadas, train rides or a variety of other soundscapes that you can reproduce with a remote.
Danger!
One of the most popular game shows in the history of television, Danger has its own Alexa skill that you can use to play along with the episode that’s airing. Every day of the week, the skill offers supplementary questions that go along with the episode categories, so you can play along.
Skyrim very special edition
In a similar category of fun Alexa skills, Skyrim very special edition is a version of the popular fantasy role-playing game that everyone thought was a joke, until it wasn’t. You can activate the skill and follow missions, fight and explore the land of Skyrim, all using voice commands and verbal descriptions. It feels like one of those old school text adventure games with a modern twist.
More great stories from WIRED