Having a personal assistant is a luxury many people can only dream about. Who wouldn’t want someone to screen calls, schedule appointments, and send reminders. Personal assistants take on many of your daily tasks so you can spend your time doing other things, like being with your family or focusing on the things you need to.  Your personal assistant can help you make the most of effective time management.

Advances in artificial intelligence have made it possible for anyone to have their own virtual personal assistant.  Voice-controlled technology like Amazon Alexa has a variety of uses in school, at work, and  home. Alexa can set your thermostat, dim your lights, and even take care of voice purchasing. Many people, however, aren’t using the technology to its fullest.

Have you asked Amazon Alexa for help with these skills?

Information services

Suggest a new subject

When the discussion at a gathering becomes heated, it may be time to change the subject to something less incendiary. If you need help redirecting the conversation, turn to Amazon Alexa, and say, “Change the subject.”

Check the news and weather

Staying up with current events and knowing the weather predictions helps you feel connected and ready. Taking the time to scan current events or look up the weather for the next few days can be time-consuming, but Alexa can do that for you while you’re doing something else.

Grab a recipe

No time – or desire – to flip through dozens of recipes in the hopes you’ll be able to throw together a meal without running to the grocery? Tell Amazon Alexa what you have on hand, and she’ll suggest a recipe.

Discuss symptoms; get help

Enable Amazon’s MyPetDoc to discuss your pet’s symptoms. If you need more specific assistance, Alexa will connect you to one of the veterinarians on call. The 24/7 service is free to enable, but veterinarians services charge a fee.

Entertainment

Most people know that their Amazon Alexa will stream music. The machine will even activate your playlist or play a specific piece of music. Can’t remember the beginning of Pachelbel’s Canon in D? Just ask Alexa.

Read aloud

Amazon Alexa will also play audiobooks for you. The function is useful for anyone who wants to listen to a book, but it’s a tremendous benefit for students who would benefit from listening to the words being said while they read them in a book.

Play games

Your virtual assistant is always ready for a game like The Magic Door. Ask Alexa to “Open the magic door,” and you’ll find yourself in an adventure game that is as interactive as it is imaginative.

Communication

Alexa in multilingual, and that’s a benefit for families who speak more than one language in the home.  In Multilingual Mode, Alexa will understand English and Spanish or English and Canadian-French. Alexa will also talk to you with a British accent or in Samuel Jackson’s voice. Amazon has plans to add more celebrity voices in the future.

Alexa can’t go pick up your dry cleaning or take the car for an oil change, but they are plenty of tasks your virtual assistant  can handle. What can Amazon Alexa do for you?