Amazon added some skills to Alexa last month, introducing a variety of skills related to the Super Bowl and the ability to do home automation on its own, but today the company is telling us about some new alarms and COVID skills that went unnoticed.
For some time now you can set custom alarms and alarm sounds using Alexa devices, but now you can do that with Minion sounds, if you’re not waking up angry enough. Sounds include classics like “Peep Peep Peep”, “Banana” or “Boing Boing Boing!” Charming.
There are now a variety of branded alarms available for Alexa, including sounds from Disney, Spongebob, Jurassic World and Harry Potter. They can be configured by saying “Alexa, wake me up with the Minions / Jurassic World / Spongebob / etc. alarm tone” Some alarm tones are free, some can be expanded with specific purchases, and some cost money, starting at $ 1.99.
Alarm sounds can be added by requesting them on your Alexa device, and you can also browse and add them on the Android version of the Alexa app. If you are using the iOS version of the app, just read the list and ask your smart speaker to install them. It looks like Amazon managed to make a deal with Apple to make Prime video rentals work, but Alexa’s ability payment processing doesn’t.
Turning to skills that could be a little more useful, Alexa can now help you find the nearest COVID test site or help you find vaccine trials. Asking Alexa “where can I take the COVID test” will read a list of nearby places where you can take the test. You can then have Alexa call one of the locations if you want more information.
If you are looking for vaccine tests, you can also order “Alexa find a COVID test”, and it will search for anyone within 30 miles of you, using the research organization IQVIA to search for tests. Of course, this is information that you can find yourself on the Internet, but it can be a convenient option if you don’t mind knowing.