Alexa For Dummies

Make your every wish Alexa’s command with this in-depth guide to the wildly popular Amazon smart speaker 

You might be thinking, “All I have to do is plug in my Echo device and start using it!” And you’d be right. But if you really want to explore what that compact little device can do, then Alexa For Dummies is your go-to resource. This book shows you how to customize your device to respond to your requests and enhance your life. 

Alexa For Dummies takes you on a tour of all things Alexa: its capabilities, tools, settings, and skills. Go beyond the basics of playing music, calling friends, reading the news, and checking the weather. You’ll learn how to make Alexa private and secure, connect it to your smart home devices, and even make it sound like Samuel L. Jackson, if you feel like it. You can also extend its capabilities by adding new skills. 

• Customize your device to respond to your voice 
• Troubleshoot when a light is signaling something’s wrong 
• Add skills to play music and audiobooks 
• Create routines to turn on lights, adjust the thermostat, set your security alarm, and lock your doors 
• Sync your smart devices throughout your home 
• Use Alexa to connect to a Zoom meeting or phone call with your friends or family 

No matter which device you have—Echo, Echo Dot, Echo Show, Echo Studio, Echo Flex, Echo Loop, Echo Buds, or Echo Frames—Alexa For Dummies is the perfect companion. Ready to get started? Say “Hey, Alexa, order Alexa For Dummies!” 

Paul McFedries has been writing about computers and technology for nearly 30 years. He has authored more than 100 books that have sold more than four million copies worldwide.

Introduction 1

Part 1: Getting Started with Alexa 5

Chapter 1: Getting to Know Alexa 7

Chapter 2: Setting Up Alexa and Your Devices 21

Chapter 3: Learning Alexa Basics 43

Part 2: Having Fun with Alexa 59

Chapter 4: Playing Media 61

Chapter 5: Communicating with Alexa 89

Chapter 6: Using Alexa at Home 111

Chapter 7: Being More Productive 131

Part 3: Getting More out of Your Relationship with Alexa 149

Chapter 8: Asking Alexa Questions 151

Chapter 9: Adding Skills to Alexa 161

Chapter 10: Making Alexa Accessible 177

Part 4: Controlling Your Smart Home 191

Chapter 11: Setting Up Your Smart Home 193

Chapter 12: Uncovering Some Smarter Smart-Home Techniques 215

Part 5: The Part of Tens 237

Chapter 13: Ten (Times Ten) Ridiculously Fun Alexa Tricks 239

Chapter 14: Ten Things That Can Go Wrong (and How to Fix Them) 247

Chapter 15: Ten Ways to Beef Up Security and Privacy 263

Index

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The Used, Rental and eBook copies of this book are not guaranteed to include any supplemental materials. Typically, only the book itself is included. This is true even if the title states it includes any access cards, study guides, lab manuals, CDs, etc.