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(Continued from page 1) (Siri has been around the longest and appears
to have the largest user base, followed by
the Things to Try page in the Alexa App.” (If Google and Alexa.) All of these can provide an-
you don’t have a device, befriend someone who swers to basic time and weather questions, and
has one and give it a try.) When you go to the even basic information lookup questions. Alexa
Amazon Echo App and choose Things to Try, is unique in that it is accessed by use of the
you will see quite an impressive list headed by Amazon Echo, Echo Dot, or Echo Show devic-
“What’s new?” (new things Alexa can do), and es, not by a computer or smartphone (though
Echo Show (an ad for the new Echo Show de- you need a smartphone to setup many of its ca-
vice). And 28 more topics, alphabetically ar- pabilities). Google’s Assistant, which is like
ranged, starting with “Ask questions,” “Calling Alexa, can be accessed by a smartphone (or
and messaging,” and “Check your calendar.” tablet), and the Google Home device. The
These are many of the things that you can try Google Home device is like the Amazon Echo
after you get over asking: “Alexa, what is the device.
temperature,” “Alexa what time is it,” and
“Alexa, tell me a joke.” Going back to Alexa’s list of “Things to Try,”
there are many things that can be very useful in
A Digital Assistant is a complex piece of soft- your daily routine, such as Control of smart
ware that can perform many tasks or services home devices, Control music, check your calen-
for the user. A Digital Assistant typically in- dar, setting alarms, timers and reminders, Cre-
cludes access to large databases and includes ating ToDo and Shopping lists. Some if these
Artificial Intelligence (AI) capabilities. The Digi- things are inherent and are part of Alexa, and
tal Assistant software runs on a Server, aided some of these require additional support in the
by the App running in the local device form of “skills.” Skills are Amazon’s term for ad-
(smartphone, computer or dedicated device like ditional support from a source other than Alexa
the Echo). Remember Client-Server Technolo- or the Alexa App. To see a comprehensive list
gy? Digital assistants typically are voice con- of these skills, just Google “Amazon Skills,” and
trolled and provide verbal and/ or action results select “Amazon.com: Alexa Skills.”
(like answering a question or turning a light on
or off). Amazon’s Alexa is just one of the digital · Setting a timer is built into Alexa. All you
Assistants that are finding their way into regular have to do is say “Alexa, set a “Name of
use. Others that you may be familiar with are timer” for “number of minutes,” for exam-
Google’s “Ok, Google,” Apple’s “Siri,” Mi- ple: Alexa, set a “Cook the rice” timer for
crosoft’s “Cortana,” and Samsung’s “Bixby.” “15 minutes.” In 15 minutes, Alexa will
announce “Cook the rice timer” is done.”
Alexa will continue to announce it until
you acknowledge it by saying “Alexa,
Stop.” (I know battery operated kitchen
timers are cheap and reliable, but you
typically can’t set them by voice.)
· You can also set Alarms for specific
times, like “Alexa, set an alarm for 7 in
the morning.” The alarm, when it occurs,
is a pleasant sequence of gentle tones.
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