If you’re unfamiliar with Alexa routines, they’re a series of tasks that Alexa can do by only saying one phrase. For instance, instead of telling Alexa to turn off lights, turn on music, and turn on ...

Luckily it's super easy. All you have to do is say, "Alexa, enable Halloween Routine." Once the routine is enabled, you can start it by saying "Start Halloween." If you want to adjust your Alexa ...

Amanda Blum is a freelancer who writes about smart home technology, gardening, and food preservation. Previously, Amanda has worked as a technology strategist specializing in problem solving and ...

My neighborhood's pretty safe. Crime isn't really a thing here. But I'm still not leaving my front porch open season for package thieves, and I'm definitely not rolling the dice on a break-in. The ...

Dim the lights, lock the door, and play some tunes with a simple voice command (or even your dog’s bark). Dim the lights, lock the door, and play some tunes with a simple voice command (or even your ...

If you're old enough to remember cartoons like The Jetsons, you probably remember a vision of the future where our lives are fully automated. All it takes are a few verbal commands, and your whole ...

Emily Long is a freelance writer based in Salt Lake City. After graduating from Duke University, she spent several years reporting on the federal workforce for Government Executive, a publication of ...

Hagop is passionate about smart home products, especially when it comes to making life easier. He's always eager to try out new technologies to make life easier, in terms of cleaning, automation, and ...

Now, however, you can add multiple voice phrases to an Alexa routine, so instead of having to say “Alexa, let’s watch a movie” verbatim, you can also add alternate phrases such as “Alexa, let’s watch ...

I have a morning Alexa routine that gives me a weather report, some good news, and (of course) a rooster crow when I say “Alexa, good morning.” The only problem? I rarely use it, and it’s my own dang ...