I don’t understand what you’re saying, but I fully support your right to say it!
What’s a “pretzel”?
Is it a chip (microchip?)
I need to resurrect this thread as my daughter has bought me an ‘Alexa’ Echo Dot Fourth Generation.
Ted, l have just requested it to play Radio 2 and it is the English station…
I would like some tips on the various things l can use it for, besides, music, reminders, weather, news and recipes.
I was a bit concerned where l read it listens into your conversation and it could be used on the dark web!!!
It also states that you must not keep ‘Alexa’ by a window as it is risking your privacy. It can enable intruders to access your smart speaker and other smart home devices from outside. They may even be able to unlock your car and start it!
Yes, I may have mentioned it earlier but nevertheless:
you can ask Alexa to fart - and it is an English fart.
I wouldn’t be too concerned about supposed security issues because Amazon really, really wouldn’t want to get a bad reputation (and so ruin years of work to get where they are now) so they go above & beyond to ensure your safety.
In our home Alexa is basically a toy and other than shopping lists there’s nothing I can think of that I would add to your list.
One of Amazon’s best uses (Guard, an app to listen for problems in your home whilst you are out) sadly isn’t available here.
But reconizing that everybody is different, here’s a few UK-specific ideas from Which:
Does so many things, Art, my list would be:-
-
I fall down when alone, anywhere in my house, and shout “Alexa Get help”. Alexa has been given several numbers and will call them in emergency.
(Tested & works) -
Reminders - everything from cooking times to prescription taking times, to almost any other time you want to set up.
(tested & works- used every day.)
-
Answer to questions - about geography, weather, calculations, etc.
-
Plays music, various radio stations, etc.
-
Using adapters can control lights, heating, etc.
6)A recipe for dinner? yes!
- Bus & train times.
I could go on.
Security is not an issue- except when people can hear what you are saying to Alexa. Some say that they see the light come and and that means it’s listening - wrong, but it knows when you are in the room .
I have a huge music collection on my PC and via a thing called PLEX I can have Alexa play my music on ONE device only. It’s “OK” but if anyone comes across a better solution I’m keen to know if there is one. Amazon music (free) doesn’t seem to have half the music I already bought and store on my PC.
All the above although I must say that Echo isn’t as good as Google’s gadget when it comes to finding info or answering questions.
Very strange a while ago when Alexa reminded me I was going riding at 10am , I’ve never ridden a horse in my life .
Asked her to remind me of my shopping list and she told me to buy carrots bread milk and TOES
One oddity, Susan, is that sometimes a radio or TV speaker might say the magic word “Alexa” and the device starts trying to work with what he said next.
Jeremy Vine (Radio 2) did it a few times, a week or three ago, I think he does it as a little joke - not that the BBC is in competition!
Must be horrible if someone in your house is called Alex or Alexa!
:shock::shock:
I just reminded Alexa that today is Green bin emptying day!
You would never believe it, but the device got up, off the side table, and took the bin down to the roadside!
Brilliant Device!
Does your pc need to be on when playing music via your Alexa? You could have all your music on a NAS drive instead so you never run out of storage space on your pc. Can also be used to keep your photos and, of course, view them on your tv. Depends what you want really. What exactly do you want to do? Is your music in mp3 or flac format?
:shock::shock::shock: Get outa here…:surprised:
Thank You for all your suggestions.
I think l need to send my Alexa to Obedience Classes. She doesn’t always obey what l ask and l can feel my voice getting louder and louder as l repeat the command.
She can be so exasperating!! 
If you want my suggestion Arty, you need a lump hammer and a plastic sheet…
Oooh Foxy, wouldn’t l hurt your head doing that to you? 
That’s why I laugh at suggestion that Alexa could be used to spy on people.
I suspect that the quality of the microphone (i.e. poor) is at least partly to blame because there are times when it takes multiple attempts to get even a simple word recognized in the experiences across multiple devices here.
It can get quite comical.
Oh don’t worry about raising your voice - I’m always yelling at mine and saying she is thick as mince. She just shuts off in a beepy huff 
Art,
You should change Alexa to a male responder.
Men always do exactly as they are told!
At last, a fix (Thanks Computer Active Magazine), I can now play Radio 2, synced on all Alexas at once, using the “Everywhere” group.
And in the correct language!
(Magazine dated 30 June -13th July.)
This one is - used to go orienteering in my youth!