However, you may be looking for something in particular. Maybe you want a trivia game about your family, a fairy tale where your child is the star character or a guide to your home and neighborhood for a houseguest. 

Well, guess what? You can make your own skill using Alexa blueprints. Here’s how!

Browse Alexa Skill Blueprints

You can view and choose a blueprint on the Blueprints.Amazon.com website as well as in the Alexa mobile app. This makes it easy to create a skill on almost any device because a blueprint is basically a template.

Browse through the categories for At Home, Amazon Kids Recommended, Learning & Knowledge, Fun & Games, Storyteller, Greetings & Occasions, Communities & Organizations, and Business.

Select a blueprint to view more details and check out examples. This helps you see how the babysitter blueprint can help when you’re away, or the family jokes blueprint can liven up quality time.

If you find one you want, pick Make Your Own on the skill information screen.

Create a Skill

The steps are the same whether you’re creating a skill with a blueprint on the web or on your mobile device. However, those steps may differ depending on the type of blueprint you select. 

For instance, you’ll enter different information for a birthday trivia skill compared to one for flashcards, the pet sitter, or bedtime stories. You can see these steps when you select a blueprint to view its details. 

To show you just how easy it is, we’ll create one on each device.

Make a Chore Chart Skill on the Web

For this first example, we’ll use the Chore Chart blueprint to create a skill on the website. This skill helps keep track of household chores and who is responsible for each one.

1. Visit the Alexa Blueprints website, sign into your Amazon account, and choose a blueprint.
2. As described above, select Make Your Own directly below the skill name. If you see a short tutorial for building the skill, choose Start Now when you get to the end.
3. Next, you’ll be prompted to replace the details for the skill with your own. For the Chore Chart, we’ll fill in the names of our household members and chores.

4. Select Next on the top right to move to the next step.
5. Here again, you may be asked to enter more details for the skill. For the Chore Chart blueprint, we assign the chores to the household members. Just keep in mind that the number of prompts and requested details depend on the exact skill and blueprint.

6. Select Next to continue.
7. One step that you’ll find in most blueprints is for customizing the experience. This refers to how you interact with Alexa for that particular skill. For instance, you can enter introduction phrases for when someone opens the skill and then other phrases for when someone completes a chore. These are the phrases Alexa uses for that specific skill.

8. Select Next to finish entering the details.
9. The final step in creating a skill is to give it a name. Try to use something meaningful that you’ll remember but also something simple enough for Alexa to recognize.

10. Select Next one last time to create the skill.

After a few moments to process all the information, your skill should be ready to use!

Make a Whose Turn Skill in the Mobile App

For this next example, we’ll use the Whose Turn blueprint to create a skill in the Alexa app. This skill prompts Alexa to choose whose turn it is to do something.

1. Open the Alexa app on Android or iOS and select the More tab.
2. Pick See More in the top section and choose Blueprints.
3. Browse the options by category, just like on the website. Then, select the one you want to use and tap Make Your Own.

4. Replace the details for the skill with your own. For the Whose Turn skill, we’ll add the names for Alexa’s choices.
5. Tap Next on the top right to continue.
6. The next step for the Whose Turn skill is to personalize the experience. This allows you to customize how Alexa picks a name. After you ask a question, Alexa uses the phrases and sound effects you select in this section. Optionally, you can scroll down for additional customization options.
7. Tap Next to name your custom skill.
8. Select the text on the name line to edit it or enter your own. Again, pick a meaningful name and one that’s easy for Alexa to recognize.
9. Tap Next to create the skill.

You’ll see the progress as your skill is created and a confirmation when the process completes. You can tap the X on the top right to exit when you finish reviewing your skill.

Edit Skills You Create

Once you create a skill using Alexa Blueprints, you may want to make adjustments to it. You can do this on the web and in the mobile app too.

Your Skills on the Web

1. Visit the Alexa Blueprints website and sign in. Select Skills You’ve Made at the top.
2. You’ll see a list of your skills. Choose Details to the right to open the one you want to edit.

3. On the right side, select Edit or Delete. You’ll notice you can also pick Share With Others to make it easy for your family or friends to access or Publish to Skills Store for other Alexa users.

Your Skills in the Mobile App

You can edit your custom skills easily in the Alexa mobile app as well. 

1. Go to the Menu tab.
2. Select See More > Blueprints.
3. On the Your Skills tab, select the blueprint you want to edit. 
4. Use the buttons at the bottom to make your changes.

Take Advantage of Alexa Blueprints

Even though there are many premade skills you can pick from, creating your own Alexa skills gives you great ways to personalize the experience on your Alexa devices, get tasks done, or have a little fun!

So, what’ll it be? Family trivia with your Amazon Echo, a custom Q&A on your Echo Dot, a sci-fi story in the Alexa mobile app, or something totally different? Let us know!

The best part is that these smart lights can pull you deeper into whatever you’re doing, whether watching a movie or playing your favorite game; all it takes is the Philips Hue Sync app. While it’s called the PC Sync App, it works on Mac devices just as well as on Windows. Here’s how to set it up and how it transforms your entertainment experience.

How The Hue Sync Desktop App Affects Your Entertainment Experience

Imagine that you’re watching a colorful movie (perhaps something from Wes Anderson.) You have Hue lights throughout your living room. You might be used to reaching for the light switch when you start watching a movie, but this time, enable Hue Sync and leave the lights on. 

As the screen shifts from one color to another, so too will your lights. A light strip around your monitor might shift to reflect the colors on the screen, while the individual bulbs throughout your living room change to produce an ambiance that pulls you deeper into the movie. 

The same works for video games, too. If you want greater, more fine-tuned control, an accessory called the Hue Play HDMI Sync Box connects directly to your TV. You can even connect a game console like the Xbox. Rather than using the colors of your computer monitor, the Hue Play HDMI Sync Box takes inputs directly from the console or TV and displays them on your lights.

It’s the ultimate in ambient light effects, but it comes at a cost. You can purchase one of these devices on Amazon for just under $300.

The Philips Hue smart home lighting system is a powerful option if you want to invest in high-end smart lights, but it isn’t budget-friendly. It also requires Wi-Fi to work, so if you prefer to hardwire everything and you don’t have a wireless network, the lights will not work. You can control your Hue with smart assistants like Alexa for even more convenience, too – but unfortunately, you can’t activate entertainment areas with a smart assistant. You have to do this through your phone or computer. 

What You Need to Use Philips Hue Sync

The application is free, but there are specific hardware requirements. First, you’ll need a computer running macOS or Windows. 

You’ll also need a set of Philips Hue lights and a Philips Hue bridge. You can get both at once by purchasing a Hue Starter Kit. While any of Hue’s lineup of connected smart lights will work, color Hue bulbs are the best option. If you plan to use the Hue Sync app to enhance the ambiance of your living room, a light strip with several individual lights will have a greater effect than just a single lightbulb.

How to Set Up And Use Philips Hue Sync

The Philips Hue PC Sync app is a free download from the Philips Hue website. Download it here by selecting Download the Mac or PC app. Alternatively, you can download the application from the Apple App Store, but it has numerous negative reviews. It’s better to download the official version from the site. 

How To Set Up Hue Sync

Once installed, the Hue Sync app is easy to use. 

1. Open the Hue Sync app.
2. There are two options available. For the sake of this article, we will assume you have already set up your Philips Hue smart lights. If not, select Help me set everything up. It will guide you through the process step-by-step. If you have already set up your lights and the Hue bridge, select Search for bridge.

3. Agree to the privacy policy while the application looks for your Hue bridge. Once it finds it, select Connect.

4. Press the physical button on the top of the Hue bridge. After you do this, select the entertainment area you want to use. You can always swap these and edit them later. If this is your first time setting up the Hue Sync app, you might not have entertainment areas set up yet.

5. The Hue Sync app is set up, and now you can use it to enhance the ambiance of your space.

Understanding Entertainment Areas

Once you open the Entertainment Area, you’ll see several options. You can turn the lights on or off by sliding the toggle beside the area’s name or adjusting the brightness with the slider beneath it. You can choose what type of entertainment it reflects between Scenes, Games, Music, and Video. 

The intensity of the effect is seen in one of four settings: Subtle, Moderate, High, or Extreme. This affects the rate at which the colors shift and how frenetic the transitions appear. If you’re watching a slow-paced film, Moderate is a good option. If you’re playing a video game, High or Extreme will be a better choice. These options will better keep up with the action.

With Games and Video, you can choose whether the audio affects the transitions by selecting the toggle beneath the effect strength. Music provides its own set of options in the form of specific color palettes. By selecting the plus sign beneath the preset palettes, you can create your own. 

How To Make Scenes in Philips Hue App

Scenes is a collection of preset color combinations that will appear on your light setup when chosen. If you have only a single lightbulb, you won’t see the full effect of the Scenes – but multiple lights provide a much more engaging experience.

Settings opens a menu that allows you to fine-tune your Hue Sync experience. You can change default app behavior here, but editing or creating a new Hue Entertainment Areas requires using the Philips Hue app on Android or iPhone.

1. Open the Hue app on your mobile device.
2. Select Settings.

3. Select Entertainment areas.

4. Tap the plus sign in the upper-right corner. 
5. Select whether the Entertainment area will be used for watching TV or a movie or for listening to music. (For gaming, choose movies or TV.)

6. Name your Entertainment area and tap Done.

7. Select the lights you want to use in this area and tap Next.

8. Use the diagram provided to position the lights according to their physical location within the room, then tap Next. Position their height with relation to the space and tap Done. 

9. After you complete this step, you can begin using the Entertainment area. Select Done.

The Philips Hue app lets you make the most of your smart lights. While it can initially be time-consuming to set up, once you’ve arranged your lights the way you like them, you can customize them on the fly in no time at all. 

However, there are times when the app may say that the Philips Hue lights are unreachable. What causes this issue, and what can you do about it? In this article, you’ll learn the most common causes of this problem and how you can fix it and get your Philips Hue light bulbs connected to your overall smart home again.

1. Is Your Mobile Device On the Same Wi-Fi Network?

The most common issue when your Philips Hue lights are unreachable by the Philips Hue app is that your mobile device isn’t on the same network as the Philips Hue hub.

You can check this on your mobile device in a few ways. The first thing to check is that you actually have Wi-Fi enabled on your mobile device. On Android, you can quickly check this by swiping down on the home screen and checking that the Wi-Fi icon is enabled. On iPhone, just check the status bar at the top of the screen for the Wi-Fi icon.

If it is enabled, but Philips Hue lights are still unreachable, you’ll have to dig a little deeper. On Android, open your device Settings menu, select Connections, and look at the network name under Wi-Fi near the selector. On iPhone, choose Settings > Wi-Fi from your home screen. You should see a blue tick next to the name of the network you’re connected to.

If this network name doesn’t match the network connected to your Philips Hue bridge when you first set it up, you’ll need to change your mobile device network to that one before you can control the Philips Hue lights.

2. Make Sure the Philips Hue Lights are Powered On

This may seem like common sense, but you might be surprised how often forgetting a light switch is off leads to Philips Hue lights becoming unreachable by the app. 

Ensure the switches that control the correct Philips Hue bulbs are turned on. And if you’re using a dimmer switch to control the lights, make sure the switch is on, otherwise the lights may not work. Or you can purchase the Hue dimmer switch accessory if you want that feature.

3. Double-Check Philips Hue Bridge Connections

If you know that your mobile device is connected to the same network as your Philips Hue bridge, then the bridge itself is the next thing to check. 

First, trace each of the cables from the back of your Philips Hue bridge and make sure they’re correctly connected.

• The power cord should go to a nearby outlet, and you should be using the original factory power adapter supplied by Philips.
• The ethernet cable from the ethernet port should go into one of the numbered LAN ports on the back of your router. Make sure it isn’t accidentally plugged into the incoming internet port (usually labeled with a globe icon).

If you’ve confirmed everything is wired up correctly, the next thing to check is that the Philips Hue bridge is correctly connected to the network by checking the connection status in the Philips Hue app. 

Launch the app and select Settings at the lower right corner.

This will open the Settings window, where you’ll see all installed bridges listed under Hue Bridges. The status here should be green and Active. Select Hue Bridges and you’ll see the network connection information listed on the next window. This includes the connection status and its network IP address.

If you don’t see a green Connected status or no IP address listed, your Philips Hue bridge could be having a network connection issue. Try the following troubleshooting tips if that’s the case.

• Unplug the power from the Philips Hue bridge, wait a few seconds, and then plug it back in.
• Swap out the ethernet cable connecting the bridge to the router since this cable could be faulty.
• Reset the bridge by turning it over and using a pointed tool to press and hold the reset button for 5 seconds. This button is next to the label restore factory settings. 

If you do have to reset the bridge, you’ll need to go through the setup process again that you walked through when you first installed it.

4. Are the Philips Hue Lights Added to the Correct Room?

If you’ve set up multiple rooms in your Philips Hue app or enabling the switch for a room isn’t turning on the lights, there could be an issue with how you’ve added lights to each room in the app.

To check this, from the main app screen tap the room that you want to check. You should see every Philips Hue listed that you’ve installed and want to control in that room. If you don’t see one of those lights there, you’ll need to add it (usually, this involves moving it from a different room you may have accidentally assigned it to.

To do this, just tap the three dots at the top right corner of the screen in the Room window, and select Edit Room.

The last thing to check is that even if all of your lights are listed in the correct room, one of them could be disabled or turned off individually. You’ll see this if the switch is to the left and the light icon displays as a dark icon.

5. Reboot Your Wi-Fi Router

One thing that most commonly fixes connection issues, both on internal networks and the internet connection itself, is restarting your Wi-Fi router.

To do this, just follow the steps below.

1. Unplug your router’s power plug.
2. Wait at least 30 seconds.
3. Plug the router’s power cable back in.
4. Wait for all router lights to come back in their normal solid or green blinking state.

Once you’ve restarted your router, try connecting to the Philips Hue lights again.

6. Make Sure Your Router Isn’t Blocking the Hue Bridge

While it’s unlikely, there could be a setting in your router that changed and is blocking the Philips Hue bridge connection to the network.

Devices typically aren’t blocked by default, so someone would have had to set this up to cause a problem. But it’s a good idea to confirm that the bridge is at least connected to the router without any problems.

To do this, connect to your default gateway IP (this is usually 129.168.1.1 or 10.0.0.1, but you can check this by typing the ipconfig command into the Command Prompt).

Log into your router as an administrator, and under the network connections menu (this varies from router to router), find the Devices option.

You should see all connected devices and their connection type. Since it’s likely that the Philips Hue bridge is one of the few devices connected via ethernet, you should see it listed with that connection type. 

The last four digits of the Device name will match the serial number on the back of your Philips Hue bridge.

Ensure this device isn’t blocked by checking Service Blocking or Device Blocking under Parental Controls (again, this may vary between routers).

Usually, this list will be blank. If you do see the Philips Hue bridge listed here, just remove it from the list.

It also can’t hurt to check that the router’s ethernet port properly detects a connected device. Check the Ethernet menu option in the router and look for anything other than Disconnected for the port number the Hue bridge is connected to.

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If the status is Disconnected, try switching your Philips Hue bridge to a different router ethernet port to see if that fixes this issue with your Philips Hue lights being unreachable. If you had to fix any of these settings, it’s likely your Philips Hue lights will reconnect.

7. Test a Replacement Philips Hue Bulb

Whether all of your bulbs aren’t connected, or it’s just a single bulb with a problem, it can’t hurt to purchase a single Philips Hue smart light to test if installing it fixes the problem.

If all of your lights aren’t working and a new light fixes one of them, maybe you’ll need to replace all bulbs as well.

Hopefully the troubleshooting tips above have helped you get reconnected with your smart lights!

Shopping with Amazon Alexa goes beyond ordering a product. You can create shopping lists, reorder previous items, browse recommendations, and get delivery updates.

In this article, we’ll walk you through all the available options.

What Can You Buy With Alexa?

Everything you can buy from Amazon can be purchased using Alexa. 

What you might not know, however, is that Amazon has expanded to groceries and prescription medications.

You can purchase groceries through Amazon.com, Amazon Fresh, and Whole Foods Market, now available in select cities. Visit each storefront and sign in with your Amazon account to see if they service your area.

If you’re interested in prescriptions through Amazon Pharmacy, visit that storefront, enter your insurance information and receive details.

If you’re familiar with grocery or prescription shopping through Amazon, read on to see how to add items to your cart or list with Alexa.

Buy Items with Alexa Voice Shopping

Making purchases is a great way to use Alexa, including adding items to your shopping cart and reordering things you buy regularly using 1-Click. 

If you want to buy items directly with Alexa, you can enable Voice Purchasing. Open the Alexa app on your Android or iOS device and select More at the bottom.

1. Pick Settings.
2. Choose Account Settings.
3. Open Voice Purchasing.

4. Select Purchase Controls and choose an option. You can allow only recognized voices, set up a four-digit code, or allow anyone to buy items.
5. Tap the arrow to go back and select Payment Settings. You’ll see that all transactions use the same 1-Click method offered on Amazon.com. Tap Edit Payment Method to choose a different card if necessary.

To find out more about Voice Purchasing, you can select Learn more below Manage voice purchasing preferences.

You can then continue to tap the arrow on the top left to exit the Account Settings.

Voice Commands

Once you set up Voice Purchasing, you can order items easily.

You can use simple commands like these:

• “Alexa, reorder coffee.”
• “Alexa, refill my prescriptions.”
• “Alexa, add vitamins to my cart.”
• “Alexa, order laundry detergent.”
• “Alexa, checkout my cart.”

If you change your mind about an order, just say, “Alexa, cancel my order.”

Manage Your Shopping Lists

The nice thing about shopping with Alexa is that you can manage your lists using your Amazon Echo or the Alexa app on your mobile device. With both methods, you’ll see your lists sync immediately in the mobile app.

Create a New Shopping List

To use your voice to create a list, say something like, “Alexa, create a Grocery list” or “Alexa, make a new Gift list”. The key is to give Alexa the name for your list.

Alexa will then ask what you’d like to add to your new list. You can answer with an item or say “nothing” to add to it later.

To use the Alexa app to create a list, start by selecting More at the bottom.

1. Choose Lists & Notes near the top.
2. Confirm you’re on the Lists tab and tap the plus sign next to Create List.
3. Enter a List Name and press Return or Enter on the keyboard.

Similar to creating a list with your voice, you’ll be prompted to add an item to your list. Tap Add Item to enter one or the back arrow on the top left to return to the Lists screen and add one later.

Add or Remove List Items

To add items to a shopping list with your voice, use the name of the list and the item you want to add. For instance, “Alexa, add milk to my Grocery list” or “Alexa, add sneakers to my Gift list”.

To remove items you’ve purchased, you can say “Alexa, remove bread from my Grocery List” or “Alexa, mark off scarf on my Gift list”.

To add items using the Alexa app, select More at the bottom.

1. Choose Lists & Notes.
2. Pick the list name on the Lists tab.
3. Select Add Item.
4. Enter the item and press Return or Enter on the keyboard.

To remove items in the app, follow the same steps above to open the list. Then, tap the item’s checkbox or slide the item from left to right.

Delete a Shopping List

If you have a list you no longer need, you can remove it easily. Using your voice, say “Alexa, delete my Gift list”. Alexa will ask you to confirm.

In the Alexa app, open More > Lists & Notes. 

On the Lists tab slide the list from right to left and pick Delete. Alternatively, select the list to open it, tap the three dots on the top right, and pick Delete List in the pop-up at the bottom.

Notice, you can also Archive a list if you prefer not to Delete it.

Check on Your Orders, Returns, and Deliveries

Purchasing products is only one part of the shopping process. After you buy something, you want it to arrive, right? You can ask Alexa for updates on orders, returns, and deliveries.

To allow Alexa to provide this information or to keep Alexa from spoiling surprises, simply adjust the settings in the mobile app or online.

Access Notifications for Alexa on Amazon.com

If you happen to be doing some online shopping on the Amazon website, you can easily navigate to the Alexa Shopping Notifications section.

Open the menu below your Amazon username on the top right and select Account. On the following screen, scroll down to Communication and content and select Alexa shopping notifications.

You’ll then see your notification options with toggles on the right to turn them on or off. For a description of each, see below.

Access Notifications in the Mobile App

If you want to adjust your notifications in the Alexa app, start by selecting More at the bottom.

1. Choose Settings.
2. Select Notifications.
3. Pick Amazon Shopping.

Then select the options you want by turning on the toggles. 

Alexa Shopping Notifications

The five sections at the top of the notification list are specific to shopping.

• Say or Show Item Titles: To hear the titles or names of products you’ve ordered or returned, turn on the toggles to the right. If you are gift shopping and want to keep these private, turn them off.
• Delivery Notifications: Receive alerts when your items are out for delivery, delivered, or both.
• Returns: Receive notifications about items you’ve returned.
• Order Updates: Receive notifications about items you’ve ordered.
• Shopping Recommendations: Receive recommendations for deals, reorders, or both based on your shopping activity

Once you’ve updated your Alexa Shopping Notifications, you can ask Alexa about various things based on your choices. Try commands like these:

• “Alexa, what are my notifications?” for all notifications.
• “Alexa, where’s my order?” for order and delivery status.
• “Alexa, find gifts for Valentine’s Day.” for gift recommendations.
• “Alexa, are there any good deals today?” for today’s deals.
• “Alexa, are there deals on shoes?” for deals on product types.

If you want to shop with Alexa on one of Amazon’s smart speakers, you have many ways to do it. For purchasing household items, apparel, gifts, food, and pharmaceuticals, it doesn’t get any easier. 

For more, take a look at this list of over 50 useful Alexa skills and commands!

Philips Hue smart lights come in many varieties. Starter kits are the best value, with four white bulbs and the Hue bridge starting at $59.99, or four white and colored lights with the Hue bridge starting at $199.99. You can also purchase other Hue products like smart lightstrips from the Philips website or buy them from Amazon.

Whichever product you start with, the installation and setup process is roughly the same. You’ll need to install the new Hue smart light bulbs, physically connect the bridge to your router, set up Philips Hue software on your Android or iPhone and/or your computer, and configure the smart bulbs. In this guide, we’ll step you through the entire process.

Connect Philips Hue Lights Hardware

Before you can set up the Philips Hue apps and start controlling the new lights via your Wi-Fi network, you’ll need to connect the Hue system, including the Philips Hue Bridge and the Philips Hue light bulbs.

The first thing you’ll want to do is take the bulbs from the box and install them into the light fixtures where you’d like to use them.

Once installed, turn on the light switch to power the bulbs. Keep in mind that if your lighting system is controlled by a dimmer switch, you’ll need to place the dimmer in the full on position for the lights to work properly.

The Philips Hue bulbs may or may not light up immediately, but you don’t have to worry about that right now.

Remove the Philips Hue bridge from the box and place it next to your internet router. There are two connections on the back of the bridge, the power port, and the ethernet port.

Plug the included power adapter into the power port and install the plug into an outlet or power strip. 

Second, install one end of the included ethernet cable into the LAN port of the bridge, and plug the other end into an available LAN port on the back of your internet router.

Make sure to install it into one of the numbered LAN ports, not in the internet port (usually, this has a globe icon to identify it). That port is your main internet connection coming from your cable, fiber, or DSL modem.

The Philips Hue bridge should now have all lights active in a dark or light blue color. If any of these are not lit up or a different color, unplug the bridge and plug it back in again.

With both your Philips Hue bulbs and Philips Hue bridge powered up, and the bridge connected to your home internet, you’re ready to install the apps and start using your smart lights.

Setting Up the Philips Hue App

You can download the Philips Hue app for Android from the Google Play Store or for iOS from the Apple app store.

When you first launch the Philips Hue app, you’ll need to add your lights to a “room” in your house. A room, in the app, is a designated area of your home where the lights are installed.

To do this, select the three dots at the top right corner of the app window, and select Add lights.

When you tap that, it’ll open the Add lights wizard. You can either add lights by typing in the serial number from each bulb or using the Search button. 

The Search button enables the bridge to scan your local area for the presence of the bulbs and automatically identify them. If the bridge can locate the bulbs (maybe because they’re too far away from the Philips Hue bridge, just add them by serial number instead.

Once you’ve added the bulbs, you’ll need to add a new room to the app. To do this, select the three dots at the top right corner again, and this time select Add new Room or Zone.

This will open a new wizard for this. Select Room, and on the next screen you can select the type or room you’re adding, like Living Room or Office. On the final page, you’ll need to select the lights you want to assign to that room.

Once you select Done, your Philips Hue app is set up, and you’re ready to start controlling your Philips Hue lights!

Using the Philips Hue App

Now, whenever you open the Hue app on your mobile device, you’ll see the rooms available to control. When you select a room, you can control individual bulbs (brightness or color) or select a “scene”, which is a pre-programmed color combination that sets a certain mood or ambiance in the room.

You can also use the single switch at the top of the Room window to control all of the bulbs assigned to that room at once.

There are several additional very cool features and functionality available in the Philips Hue app.

• Automations: Choose from creative ways to automate your lights, like turning them on or off to a timer or having them turn on or off when you arrive or leave home.
• Entertainment Areas: Assign specific bulbs to entertainment “areas” in a room in your house so that you can sync them with media or music playing in that room via your computer (see below).
• Voice Assistants: Connect with Google Assistant or Amazon Alexa so that you can control your lights via voice command. This also lets you control your lights via the Assistant app, your Google Home app, the Amazon Alexa app, or your Amazon Echo.
• Widgets: Customize a widget for your mobile device’s home screen. Before this works in the app, you’ll need to long-press the home screen and add the Philips Hue widget from there. Then, go back to the app to customize it. 

How to Sync Philips Hue Lights With In-Room Media

There are three ways that you can have your lights automatically change color to match movies, music, or other media you’re enjoying in that room.

• Connect the app with your Spotify account.
• Purchase the Philips Hue Play HDMI sync box. 
• Download and install the Philips Hue Sync software for Windows or Mac.

For the most control at the lowest cost, the Philips Hue Sync desktop app is the way to go.

So long as you’ve created Entertainment Areas with the Philips Hue mobile app, you’ll see those listed in the desktop Philips Hue Sync application.

Before you can do this though, you’ll need to select Settings and then select Philips hue from the left menu. Select Connect new bridge if you haven’t connected the app to your bridge yet.

You can also select Entertainment areas from the left menu to see what areas are available for you to control.

Select General preferences from the left menu to configure exactly how syncing behaves when launching the app. 

You can configure:

• Whether the Sync program starts on system startup
• Start Syncing automatically with media you play whenever the Sync app launches
• Enable “background” lighting, which will ensure you’re never left in the dark even if the movie you’re watching goes completely black.

When you’re ready to watch the media and have your lights sync with it, just select the Start light sync button at the bottom and enjoy the immersive show!

As it turns out, sunlight is a driving factor in our moods, as it provides us with vitamin D, which can help increase the mood-boosting chemical serotonin in our brains. Light itself also helps our bodies maintain the circadian rhythm, which tells our bodies when to wake up and when to fall asleep. 

For those suffering from SAD, researchers found that light therapy can be immensely helpful in elevating mood. Light therapy is when you expose yourself to a bright light source for at least 30 minutes, typically starting during fall when natural levels of sunlight begin to lessen. 

Although light therapy doesn’t give us vitamin D as sunlight does, it has proven to help beat wintertime depression. 

Using Philips Hue Bulbs for Light Therapy

There are many devices available for light therapy. Typically, they only have one setting and are extremely bright. If you decide to use Philips Hue Bulbs, you can control how your lighting appears. There are multiple ways you can use these bulbs for light therapy. 

Hue bulbs are connected to your home Wi-Fi network, and you can use the Philips Hue app on your smartphone to control these bulbs. There are many different light settings, and you can also set up automations. 

You can set routines that turn on or change the light to certain settings. They are a great way to start light therapy as it’s automatic, so you don’t even need to worry about setting up your lights every day. 

Here’s how to use Automations for light therapy:

1. In the Philips Hue app, tap on Automations at the bottom menu.

2. If you haven’t set up an Automation before, you can select Create automation. 

3. Tap on the Custom option, or the blue plus icon in the top right corner if you have opened Automations before. 

4. Choose what time of day you want the automation to occur. This should be the time you want to either wake up or when you want to do light therapy. Tap on Next.

5. Select the lights you want to use for this automation.

6. On the next screen, tap on the lights and select what kind of lighting you want to occur at this set time. For light therapy, you’ll want to set it to Bright or Energize options. These will also work well for wake-up lights. When you’re done, tap Next.

7. Name your automation. 

You can also use Hue Labs formulas for a more customized experience. To use these, follow these steps:

1. In the Philips Hue app, select the Automations tab at the bottom. 

2. Underneath Other, tap on Hue Labs. 

3. To look through the Hue Labs formulas, tap on the Formulas option in the top left corner. 

4. Find a formula you want to use with your Hue lights, and tap on the Try it! button. 

5. Go through the settings and customize them how you wish. When you’re done, tap Install at the bottom. 

6. You can change your formulas by tapping on the Hue Labs Controls tab at the bottom of the page. You can also stop the formulas whenever you wish. 

What Light Settings Work Best?

You can use many settings with your Hue smart lightbulbs, so which ones are the best to improve your mood?

The answer may be different depending on your personal preferences. Below is a list of scene settings that may work well for specific situations. 

For more energy: The Energize or Concentrate scenes are great for gaining more energy. If you want to do custom lighting, anything that includes some blue and white hues will help with energy.

To improve mood: Try using yellow hues to enhance your mood, such as those in the Bright or Savanna Sunset scenes.

To relax: For relaxation, lower the intensity of the light. For example, use pink or red hues such as those in the Dusk or Tropical Twilight scenes. 

To wake up: Use bright light settings and use blue or yellow hues. Bright or Energize scene settings are suitable for this.

To go to sleep: Avoid any blue hues when you’re trying to sleep. Yellow, orange or red will help your brain begin to relax before bedtime. The Nightlight or Dimmed settings are good choices.

If You’re Experiencing Low Moods

You could be experiencing seasonal affective disorder if you find that your mood is consistently low and you’re having a hard time doing things you typically enjoy. This often happens during winter.

Light therapy can be a good aid, but it shouldn’t be used as a cure if the feeling persists. Ensure you see a doctor or therapist. Other lifestyle changes such as diet or exercise can be a factor in improving mood. Facing a mental health condition should be cared for carefully, and only a doctor can help you navigate this. 

If you are doing these things already, adding light therapy can be very beneficial, and the Hue lights are a great way to customize your lighting experience. 

Amazon makes it easy to change Alexa’s language. There are several ways to do this, and you aren’t limited to just a single language–Alexa can speak more than one language at a time. Here’s how to make the change. 

What Languages Does Alexa Speak?

At the time of writing, Alexa can speak in eight different languages and several dialects. If the language you want isn’t one of them, don’t give up–Amazon constantly brings more languages and support to the Alexa platform, so there is a good chance any major language will be added in the future. 

Alexa speaks:

• English
• Spanish
• English/Spanish (English primary, Spanish secondary)
• Spanish/English (Spanish primary, English secondary)
• German
• German/English (German primary, English secondary)
• Canadian English
• Indian English
• Australian English
• French
• Italian
• Portuguese
• Hindi
• Chinese

How to Change Alexa’s Language

If you decide to change Alexa’s language, you’ll need to do so device-by-device. You can’t change all of your devices at once. The good news is, it’s easy to make the change no matter which Echo device you use.

First, open the Alexa app. Tap More > Settings > Device Settings and select the Echo device you want to change. Scroll down and tap Language, and then select the language you want to use. The options are divided into two sections.

The first section consists of fully-supported languages. In the United States, that means English and Spanish. The second section consists of supported languages that may have some compatibility errors due to location–which means certain Alexa functions won’t be supported. 

If you choose a language that isn’t supported, you will receive a warning that says “The selected language does not match your Amazon Account and is not fully supported in your country.” Tap OK to continue and finalize the change. 

If you don’t like the way the new language works with Alexa, just follow the above steps to change the language back to English. 

One thing to note is that there are multiple versions of English that you can swap between. For example, you might want Alexa to speak with a British or Australian accent. Don’t be afraid to play around with the language options until you find the one that best suits you.

How to Turn On Bilingual Mode

Alexa is capable of speaking two languages at once. Once activated, all you have to do is speak to Alexa in one of the two languages and it will respond in turn. For example, you can ask a question in Spanish and receive an answer in Spanish. 

Think of it a bit like Whisper Mode, Alexa’s intelligent response algorithm. If you speak to Alexa in a whisper, she will respond quietly. If you speak in a normal voice, she responds at normal volume.

In the same way, Alexa is able to differentiate between different languages and speakers and respond accordingly. You can ask a question in English and receive an answer in English, while someone else can speak Spanish and receive a Spanish-language answer.

To activate this mode, just say “Alexa, speak English and Spanish.” When you speak to Alexa in English, she will respond in English, and vice-versa with Spanish. However, on-screen text is displayed in the primary language. 

If at any point you want Alexa to stop speaking the second language, just say, “Alexa, stop speaking Spanish (or whichever language you chose.)” This will restore Alexa to the default language–in most cases, English. 

Why Change Alexa’s Language?

Although the process to change Alexa’s language is easy, you might not see the point. After all, why have Alexa speak another language other than your own? There are a few reasons.

The first is if you have a family member who doesn’t speak English, you can give them the ability to use Alexa. If they are visiting from abroad, it’s an easy way to make them feel a bit more welcome in what might be a strange country. For example, they could order takeout, get directions to local attractions, and more. All using their own language.

The second reason is that it gives you an easy way to practice a second language. If you’re trying to learn one of the supported languages, talking to Alexa is one way to test your pronunciation. If Alexa understands your request, you know you’re on the right track. 

If you aren’t satisfied with the language on your Echo or you just want Alexa to be multilingual, follow the steps above to change the language. It won’t take long, and if you don’t like it, well–you can always change it back. 

However, Comcast has actually improved their service in a number of ways, especially the xFi service provided to Comcast internet customers. 

So what is xFi? xFi is Xfinity’s personalized Wi-Fi experience for customers that provides easy control of your home network, passwords, parental controls, and more through a dashboard. More details will be explained below. 

Xfinity xFi Benefits

Xfinity provides customers with several major benefits right out of the gate. When you register for Internet service, a technician will visit your home to set up your modem and wireless gateway. The technician will also perform a service evaluation to determine if any areas of your home could benefit from range extenders.

These devices, called xFi Pods, extend the reach of your Wi-Fi service throughout the home. If the signal has to pass through too many walls and is weakened as a result, the Pods act as relay points to strengthen and boost the signal. They also have two built-in Ethernet ports on the bottom of each pod.

A single pod is often enough to solve connectivity problems in two bedroom homes, while a two-Pod pack is better for homes with five bedrooms and thicker walls. While expensive, Xfinity will sometimes issue the Pods for free to those that need them.

That’s just the start of the benefits Xfinity offers, too.

Built-in Security

Xfinity xFi Advanced Security is a built-in tool that automatically monitors any device connected to your home network. This means that any phone, tablet, laptop, and even gaming console will be watched and protected.

Xfinity will alert you if any threats are detected, although it automatically blocks most dangerous content it encounters. A few of the benefits are:

• Stops visits to malicious websites and protects against phishing attacks
• Blocks remote access to your home’s smart devices
• Monitors devices in real-time and sends alerts when strange behavior is detected
• Automatically adapts to your home network and updates its threat database

Since this feature is included, no additional software is required. You will simply receive the alert on your xFi app. 

Parental Controls

Parents are always concerned about the kind of content their children are exposed to. Xfinity xFi provides easy-to-use parental controls that let parents limit the amount of time specific devices can access the internet (thus limiting children’s phone time) and automatically blocking suspicious websites.

The controls allow parents to block specific websites, keywords, and more, but you can also allow access to any website on a trusted computer. Thanks to these hardware-level restrictions, children cannot find workarounds through their phones. 

High Speeds

One area where Xfinity excels is in the high-speed internet services it offers. While the prices will vary from region to region, plans can be broken down into six different options.

The Performance Starter plan provides basic speeds with 25 Mbps down. Performance Select provides up to 100 Mbps down. Performance Pro Plus gives users up to 200 Mbps down.

If you need faster speeds than this, then the Blast! Pro Plus plan provides up to 400 Mbps down, while the Extreme Pro Plus gives up to 600 Mbps down. The fastest option is the Gigabit plan with up to 1000 Mbps down. All plans have a 1.2 TB data cap.

If the idea of a data cap doesn’t appeal to you, you’re in luck. Customers in certain areas can opt for an unlimited data plan for just a few more dollars per month–well worth it, given the high fees for exceeding your data limits. 

Equipment Freedom

While Xfinity will provide a modem/router combo unit, you aren’t limited to only that device. You are free to use your own router if you like, but the downside is that you miss out on a few benefits–the Advanced Security feature included.

Not all equipment is compatible with Xfinity, but if you’re looking for total control of your home or you just want to use a tri-band router, you will want to opt for your own equipment over the provided options. You’ll also save a bit each month in rental fees.

Access to xFi App

The xFi app provides users with a massive amount of information at their fingertips. Not only does it show a breakdown of every device connected to the network, but it allows users to set individual controls for each of these devices.

If one device is pulling more data than it should, you can disable it. This is a great way to ensure children are not using the internet when they should be asleep. You can also use it as a way to help you focus if needed, shutting off your access to the internet until your work is complete.

If you run into connection issues, the xFi app makes it possible to restart your gateway without physically touching it. The process takes about 12 minutes and corrects most major operational errors with ease. 

Xfinity Home

In addition to the xFi app, Xfinity customers can access Xfinity Home. This is Xfinity’s own smart home platform, allowing easy access to compatible smart home devices. It also provides access to Xfinity’s home security system, an optional expense that comes with 24/7 professional monitoring. 

If you are an Xfinity customer and you want to break into the smart home world, keeping all of your equipment within the same ecosystem makes it easier to ensure security and provides better ease of use. 

Is xFi Worth It?

In many areas throughout the country, Xfinity is the only option for Internet service. Even if you have other options, Xfinity xFi is worth checking out. The level of control it grants over your home Wi-Fi network is nearly unmatched, and the automatic security features strengthen your internet security efforts.

The xFi Pods are also a huge benefit. The one-time purchase means you can have a steady connection anywhere within your home, even in rooms on the opposite side of the house from the router. 

 Comcast (and Xfinity) have improved their service offerings and earned a place as one of the ISPs worth considering when you choose to switch plans. 

Since your Echo speaker doesn’t have a screen, it uses a light ring to provide visual feedback. Even the screen-equipped Echo Show has a small light band that also uses this feedback method.

Light codes are great in principle, but if you don’t know what the lights mean it’s nothing more than something pretty to look at. The good news is that there aren’t too many of these light codes and most of them have fairly benign meanings.

Where Is the Light Located?

The color codes in this article refer specifically to the LED ring found on top of the various models of Amazon Echo speakers. This little ring light can change its color and flashing patterns.

It can even change the colors of discrete sections of the ring. Armed with just this light array, Amazon has managed to pack a surprising amount of information into the system.

You Can Ask Alexa Directly

Amazon knows that few people are actually going to read their Echo speaker manual carefully. Which is why you can simply ask Alexa “What does your light mean?” and she’ll just tell you.

Maybe we should have waited until the end of the article to tell you that, but stick around to the end because Alexa won’t always be in a position to speak so it’s worth knowing these light by sight in advance.

A Slow Yellow Burst a Few Seconds Apart

This slow, pulsing yellow circle might look like some sort of error, but it’s actually nothing serious. 

It means there are notifications or messages waiting for your attention. All you have to do is ask Alexa what your notifications or messages are and she’ll tell you. 

Hopefully it wasn’t a reminder about your mom’s birthday.

A Blue Ring Peaking on a Cyan Section

With this light code, a blue circle with cyan tips shoots out to meet at the opposite end of the ring. This is possibly the most common light code anyone with an Echo will see.

That’s because it means that Alexa is listening. The light will glimmer in acknowledgement while Alexa thinks about a witty retort.

A Solid Red Ring

While a red ring on an old Xbox 360 meant “Surprise, you have to buy a new Xbox” on an Echo speaker it just means that the microphone has been muted and Alexa isn’t listening. If you’re using an Echo device that has a camera, it also means the camera won’t record you.

If you want Alexa to hear you, you’ll have to press the dedicated mute button on your Echo and the red ring should turn off, indicating that Alexa is now ready to hear your request.

Spinning Blue Ring

If you’re seeing a spinning blue and cyan ring, it means that your Echo device is starting up. If everything is OK, the ring will flash cyan-blue and then turn off. If this is the first time the Echo has been switched on, or it has been reset, then the light will turn orange. 

A Spinning Orange Section on Black

If you see this, it means your Echo is in its initial setup mode. It will first try to connect to the internet and then proceed with all the housekeeping it needs, which might include downloading updates.

It will need your help using the Alexa app to connect. If you need help setting it up, check out Getting Started with Your New Amazon Echo for a hands-on walkthrough.

Pulsing Green

If you see a pulsing green light, congratulations! It means that there’s an incoming call and someone wants to talk to you. Once you answer the call, the ring will change to a spinning green light. So go ahead and say “Alexa answer call” to find out who wants to have a chat with you.

A Purple Flash

For an Amazon Echo that’s set up, a brief flash of purple after you’ve asked Alexa anything means that you have Do Not Disturb Mode switched on. This is a handy reminder since it’s easy to forget that you (or someone else) turned it on. You won’t receive other notification at all, with the exception of alarms and timers. If you want to turn Do Not Disturb off, simply say “Alexa, turn off Do Not Disturb”.

A purple light has one more meaning, but it only applies when an Echo is first set up. If you see a purple light at that time, it means there’s some sort of issue with the WiFi.

A White Circle

A white circle shows you the current volume level when you adjust the volume. As you increase volume the white circle will full up more and vice versa.

A solid white light means that Alexa is in Guard Mode. In this mode Alexa listens to the ambient sounds in your home and tries to deduce if something weird or dangerous is going on. If Alexa thinks something fishy is happening, she’ll let you know. To turn Guard Mode off, say “Alexa, I’m home.” Assuming you’re authorized to do it, of course.

One Ring to Rule Them All

This probably felt like a very long list of color codes to remember, but if you look again you’ll probably realize that it’s actually not that complicated. Once you’ve spent some time with Alexa and your Echo, this colorful communication system will feel like second nature.

This guide will walk you through exactly how to set up smart lights with Alexa, how to control them once you’ve set them up, and more. “Alexa, please turn on the lights,” will become a common phrase in your home. 

How to Set Up Lights With Alexa

One of the main benefits of Alexa as a platform is how easy it is to add new devices. 

How to Add Lights Through Alexa

First, open the Alexa app and tap the Devices tab. If compatible devices have already been set up in your home, Alexa will notify you at the top of a screen with a message like, “3 devices discovered.” If so, tap View to see where new devices can be found. 

Some devices, once set up, are automatically added to Alexa. In instances like this, all you have to do is add the devices to a room or group. The good news is that even when devices are not automatically added, they are easy to set up.

Tap the + symbol in the top-right and then tap Add a Device. Scroll through the list until you see the type of device you want to add–in this case, tap Light. You can then scroll through a list of compatible light brands. For example, we will use Philips Hue. 

Scroll until you see Philips Hue in the list and tap the name. There are instructions you need to follow before you can set up the Hue lights. These instructions are displayed on screen. After you have done this, tap Discover Devices. 

Alexa will look for devices to connect, a process that can take up to 45 seconds. Alexa will tell you when lights are discovered. At this stage, tap Set Up Device. You will then be prompted to add the lights to a group. Tap Choose Group and select which group you want to add the light to, and then tap Add To Group. After this, click Continue and then Done. 

After you’ve done this, the lights will be set up and can be controlled through Alexa.

How to Set Up Other Brands

Although every brand of smart lights is set up slightly differently than others, the basic process is the same. First, open the Alexa app, and then tap Devices. Next, tap the + symbol. Tap Add Device and then tap Light.

Choose your light from the brands listed and then follow the on-screen instructions. Most of the time, it will ask you to download the app for that particular brand of lights and set it up. Once you do, return to the Alexa app and tap Discover Devices.

From this point forward, the setup is the same as before. Tap Set Up Device, choose the proper group for the light, and then add it to the group. Once you do this, just click Continue and then Done. 

How to Set Up Lights Through Smart Plugs

You don’t have to invest in expensive smart bulbs to benefit from Alexa light control. If you purchase a smart plug, you can make traditional lights “smart.” Here’s how to set it up. 

First, set up the smart plug through its respective app. The exact process depends on whether you have an Amazon Smart Plug, a Kasa smart plug, or another brand. Follow the on-screen steps to set up the smart plug. Once you’re finished, open the Alexa app. 

Tap + in the top-right corner and then tap Add Device. Tap Plug, and then scroll through the list and choose the brand of your plug. Once you find it, follow the steps to install it. 

How to Control Smart Lights With Alexa

Once you have installed and set up your smart lights, you can control Alexa through several different ways: routines, through the app, and with voice control. 

How to Control Smart Lights Through the App

Controlling your smart lights through the app is simple. Open the Alexa app and tap Lights. You will see every available light in your home. You can easily control those lights just by tapping On. That isn’t the only option, though. 

From the main Devices screen, you can see every Group set up within the app. If a light is available within a given group, you can tap the representative icon to turn the light on or off. You can also tap the group name to open it and control all the lights or individual ones. 

You can also tap More in the bottom-right and then tap Routines. Tap the + in the upper-right to add a new routine. From this screen, enter the new routine name, the conditions for when it triggers, and what happens. These routines make it possible to set specific times when the lights turn on and off, when you come home, and much more. 

You can also control your regular lights that are plugged into smart plugs this way. Open the Alexa app and tap Devices, then tap Plugs. You can see every smart plug you have set up and control them individually this way. Just as with smart lights, you can also control your smart plugs through groups, too. 

How to Control Smart Lights With Voice

An Amazon Echo device allows you to control smart devices throughout your home with just your voice. All you need to do is know the specific name of the light in your home–and because you can give the light any name you want, that’s easy to do. 

You can say, “Alexa, turn on the lights.” You can also ask Alexa to turn on a specific room, such as “Alexa, turn on living room lights.” If you have a smart plug, give it a specific name like Living Room Plug. Then you can say, “Alexa, turn on Living Room Plug” to power on any connected appliance.

Even if you don’t have an Echo device, you can still use voice controls through the Alexa app itself. Open the app and tap the icon at the top of the screen to give your command.

Smart lights are often one of the first smart devices a person encounters, and certainly one of the easiest to get started with. Just set up a few smart lights and then control through Alexa–the convenience it provides in day to day life is well worth it. Even if you have different brands, once they’re installed, they all control the same. 

This list of smart mirrors will help you pick out the best one for your lifestyle between full-sized bathroom mirrors and tabletop mirrors. 

The Best Smart Mirrors

These smart mirrors will give you a leg up on your mornings by playing your favorite music, keeping you updated on the weather, and even reading you the news. 

Gesipor Bathroom Mirror

The Gesipor Smart Bathroom Mirror has LED backlights that swap between warm lights and daylight, as well as a brightness dimmer. You can adjust the dimmer to achieve exactly the level of brightness you want. After all, when you’re getting ready in the morning, you need just the right amount of light.

The Gesipor also has built-in surround sound through a built-in Bluetooth speaker. You can sync your phone to the mirror and play your favorite tunes while you’re getting dressed, or listen to the morning news before you start your day. 

The mirror works fine in the bathroom, too. A unique anti-fog function means the mirror will remain clear no matter how muggy the bathroom might be. Feel free to shower without worry about damaging the mirror. 

At 36 inches by 24 inches, the Gesipor is a full-sized mirror that is best suited for a wall. It has a lot of functionality, but the setback is the price tag. It’ll set you back $370, but it will definitely be a conversation piece. 

iHome Vanity Mirror

If you’re looking for a more budget-friendly smart mirror, then the iHome Vanity Mirror is an excellent choice. This mirror is only $85, but boasts just as many features as more expensive models. Another benefit of the iHome Vanity Mirror is its small size; you can take it with you on vacation if you can’t be away from your smart mirror.

You can sync your phone to the mirror to enjoy your favorite music and even make phone calls. A built-in speaker around the base of the mirror provides high-quality sound, while the microphone will clearly pick up your voice. You can even plug your phone into the mirror to charge it. 

The iHome Vanity Mirror provides access to Siri, so you can ask for anything you need without fidgeting with your phone. You can also adjust the brightness of the mirror’s LEDs from high to low. Unwinding at the end of the day? Use low light so you don’t blind yourself. 

While there’s a place for full-sized mirrors, smaller options like the iHome Vanity Mirror fill a gap without breaking the budget. 

Byecold Wall Mirror

The Byecold Wall Mirror starts at just $250 for a 31.5-inch by 23.5-inch mirror, but there are higher size options for more. The largest size available is 47.2-inches by 23.6-inches for $360. The backlit LED provides ambience and plenty of all-around light to see by without overwhelming the user.

The Byecold Wall Mirror connects through a 2.4 GHz network and provides access to a lot of useful information at a glance. The weather forecast is provided through the WiFi Clock app. It shows real-time weather information at a glance, such as temperature, humidity, and more.

Like other wall mirrors, the Byecold has a built-in anti-fog feature. You can activate it with the press of a button and have a fog-free mirror within a few seconds. There is a single button that activates the three major functions of the mirror. 

The LED light can switch between 3000K warm light and 6000K bright light. One is ideal for ambient light in the evenings, while the brighter option is perfect for shaving or putting on makeup before leaving for work in the morning. 

Unfortunately, the Byecold doesn’t play music–but you could set your phone beside the mirror to simulate the same effect. 

ReignCharm Vanity Mirror

The ReignCharm Vanity Mirror strikes a balance between functionality and style. You’ll feel like a Hollywood star getting ready to go on-set thanks to the studded lights around the exterior of the mirror.

The twelve lights can be dimmed to various levels to give you exactly the right amount of light. The mirror has dual USB outlets and dual power outlets to provide you with plenty of charging capacity. You can plug in a razor, a hair dryer, and your phone all at the same time. 

The mirror itself is 29-inches by 22-inches. Dual Bluetooth speakers let you sync your phone to the mirror and listen to the news, play your favorite music, and more. You can control the volume either through your phone or through the mirror’s touch screen. 

A small display in the center of the mirror provides on-screen buttons and relevant information, such as the temperature, time, and more. The downside to the ReignCharm is its $350 price point. It will set you back quite a bit, but it’ll look good doing it. 

These four smart mirrors represent some of the best options on the market. There is not yet a lot of mainstream interest in the smart mirror market outside of fitness-focused devices, but if you’re looking for a smart device for your bathroom, these companies are great places to look. 

A smart mirror can tell you a lot about the day ahead, including what kind of weather to expect. The industry could benefit most from a major company (like Amazon or Google) taking an interest in producing their own smart mirror, but until then syncing your phone and jamming out with one of these mirrors is your best option. 

Alexa is jam-packed with a ton of entertainment options that you can play alone or with friends and family. If you’re tired of the same stack of board games and in the mood to try something new, give Alexa a shot. From Deal or No Deal to Song Quiz, there are tons of games to play with Alexa.

The Best Games to Play with Alexa

There are many games officially included with Alexa, but you can also find more through the Alexa Skills options. Just open the Alexa app and tap the More option in the bottom-right corner, then choose Categories > Games & Trivia and look at the list of Skills available. This article is a guide to some of the best games we’ve encountered on Alexa. 

Earplay

Earplay places you into the role of a character in a radio drama. You can interact with other characters in the story and watch how the tale unfolds, with numerous stories to choose from. Be aware that not all of the stories are appropriate for children.

There are numerous options that are available for children too, including “You  and the Beanstalk,” or “Jurassic World Revealed.” Adults may enjoy “Mr. Robot” or “Codename Cygnus.” There are also previews users can try out of upcoming stories, such as “Pugmire.” 

WhereInTheWorld

WhereInTheWorld is a fun trivia game based entirely around geography. It ranges in difficulty from easy questions about the capital cities of countries to significantly harder questions such as what language is spoken where.

The game is easily approachable for anyone and ensures all players have fun while learning a little bit more about the fascinating planet we call home. It’s appropriate for all ages, with a decidedly educational slant to it.

Escape the Room

Have you ever done an Escape Room before? Think of Escape the Room as an audio-only version of the game for Alexa. There are multiple levels and stages to try, each ranging in degree of difficulty. The game offers you contextual hints when you ask for them.

The premise is that you are stuck in a room. It’s up to you to escape by searching for useful items and solving puzzles that will help you find your way out. While it’s primarily a single-player game, any number of people can join in to help you solve the clues and find your way out.

There are five levels right now, but more will be added in the future. Best of all, Escape the Room supports English, French, German, Italian, and Spanish language options. 

Song Quiz

Song Quiz is the best game for music lovers on Alexa. If you fancy yourself a bit of a music historian, give this game a shot. The way it works is simple: Alexa will play a song from sometime in the past 60 years and challenge you to guess the name. You have to provide the correct title and artist for points.

Song Quiz includes pop music from every decade, with more music added on a regular basis. You can challenge your friends and family to live competitions or compete with players from across the country. 

If you master the base game, there is a subscription service that provides you with thousands of additional songs, exclusive playlists, and new music added every month. It also gives you the option to sort music by much narrower terms, such as “2019 hits.” 

Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?

Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader? Is a classic television game show, and one that has humbled many a viewer. Either fifth grade students are geniuses, or education has gotten significantly more difficult than it used to be. If you’d like to take on the challenge yourself, Alexa has the perfect game for it.

You start answering questions from the first grade and then work your way up through the categories. Questions come from five school subjects: English, Math, Animal Science, Social Studies, and US Geography. You can play the game by yourself or team up with friends and family to find out who is the best at trivia. 

If you get stuck, there is the option to cheat–but you can only do it once per game, so choose carefully.

Akinator

Akinator is a bit like 20 questions. You will be challenged to think of a character, and Akinator will attempt to guess who you are thinking of by narrowing down the options. The questions will be yes or no answers, and after a certain number of questions the game will guess the character you have in mind. 

Don’t be surprised if it gets the questions right. The Skill is surprisingly adept, and thanks to a clever bit of programming–and access to a massive database of knowledge–Akinator could guess nearly every character we thought of. 

Solo Blackjack

Solo Blackjack is exactly what it sounds like: a voice-powered round of Blackjack. Try your hand at beating the dealer. Alexa will narrate what’s going on at the table, including what cards are currently dealt. There are three stages of each game, including the betting stage, the hand stage, and settling the bet. 

It’s definitely a solo game, but it’s a fun way to spend a few minutes when you need something to pass the time. You can even change the amount Alexa speaks by changing the “verbosity level.” 

Alexa is a powerhouse of games. These seven options are just a few examples, but there are dozens of options available. Take the time to explore what Alexa can do and find games you can play with your entire family. 

Both brands offer numerous advantages and benefits, but which one is actually the better option–and which one is the best fit for you? 

Price

Comparing Nest vs. Ecobee from a cost standpoint, there is no clear winner. Both the Nest Learning Thermostat and the Ecobee SmartThermostat (the top-tier versions of both models) are $250 each. If you’re looking for absolute top-of-the-line performance, either one of these models is a great pick.

On the other hand, if you want to save a bit of money, you can opt for lower-end models that still have smart features but do not cost quite as much. For example, Google recently released a new model of the Nest Thermostat. It lacks the learning features and isn’t quite as smart, but it also costs $130. 

On the Ecobee front, you can purchase a refurbished Ecobee4 for $190, or an Ecobee3 Lite for $170. Again, both of these lack the features of the high-end model, but will still provide you with baseline smart control of your thermostat and your home’s temperature. 

Winner: Tie

Both devices cost roughly the same amount, but each also appeals more to a slightly different audience.

Features

The main reason someone invests in a smart thermostat is to cut down on energy costs and keep their home more consistently comfortable. While the actual energy savings will vary from model to model, both Nest and Ecobee provide estimated savings.

According to Nest, thermostats can save up to 12 percent on heating bills and 15 percent on cooling bills over the course of a year. On the other hand, Ecobee claims that the SmartThermostat can save up to 23 percent on annual energy costs. 

While both of these figures should be taken with a grain of salt (as they are both marketing ploys with a huge number of variables), there are other benefits to consider between the two devices, too.

Ecobee SmartThermostat

The Ecobee SmartThermostat can be used to stream Spotify as well as music directly from your phone thanks to Bluetooth. The speaker won’t impress an audiophile, but it’s not a bad way to have some background noise. It also works with HomeKit, functions as a hands-free calling and intercom device, and learns and adapts to your routine thanks to Eco+. 

The Ecobee SmartThermostat also includes a SmartSensor in the box. The SmartSensor is a remote occupancy and temperature sensor that can be placed in a different room and linked to the thermostat. This way, if you have a room in your home that never matches the rest of the house, the thermostat can automatically adjust its output to keep that room just as comfortable.

Nest Learning Thermostat

The Nest Learning Thermostat has many of the same features as the Ecobee SmartThermostat. It will automatically turn itself down while you’re away to conserve power, and you can control it from anywhere through the Google Home app. It will also provide alerts if the temperature rises or drops rapidly or if it detects a problem with the HVAC system.

The Nest Learning Thermostat is compatible with 95 percent of HVAC systems, and it also works with the Nest Temperature Sensor. This sensor can be used to monitor the temperature in the home in a different room than the thermostat itself is in. Of course, the Nest Learning Thermostat can also be controlled through a smart speaker. 

Winner: Ecobee

Ecobee takes the prize here thanks to its broader range of features and utility. 

Appearance

In the modern age of smart home devices, the appearance of a thermostat matters. After all, there’s no ignoring a device that sits prominently on the wall—and if you’re spending the money on an expensive thermostat, it should look better than the old square thermostats that reside in so many homes today. 

Both the Nest Learning Thermostat and the Ecobee SmartThermostat were designed with aesthetics in mind. The Nest Learning Thermostat is round, with a rotating bezel that can be used to control the temperature manually. It’s a simple, elegant design. 

The Ecobee SmartThermostat has a more square design with rounded edges and a busier central display. It’s slightly larger than the Nest Thermostat, but has a more futuristic look to it. There is no exterior bezel, but it does have a touchscreen that’s used to control the settings.

Winner: Tied

It is hard to declare a winner for appearance, as what appeals to someone on an individual level is highly subjective. With that in mind, know that both devices look great. Pick the one that best suits your style and tastes.

Which Is Better?

Both of the mainline smart thermostats are powerful options that can improve the comfort level of any home. However, the Ecobee SmartThermostat provides more functionality and value on a dollar-for-dollar basis. 

It’s widely compatible with all three major smart home platforms and provides a wide range of functionality that sets it apart from the Nest Learning Thermostat. The Ecobee SmartThermostat also has learning capabilities that can help it better adjust the comfort level of your home. 

Ultimately, the Ecombee is predicted to yield almost twice as much savings as the Nest Learning Thermostat. When all other features and considerations are stripped away, the Ecobee SmartThermostat is the clear winner, especially if you have other Ecobee devices in your home. 

In this article, we’ll cover how to do this by using either actual smart bulb solutions, or by using other smart home devices to control your existing light bulbs.

Options to Automate Lights in Your Home

You can control lights throughout your home with your smartphone in different ways. If you don’t want to replace every light bulb, you can just replace strategically located switches and plugs. Or, if you want more advanced features like colors or dimming, look into smart bulb options.

Here are all of the options you have to choose from:

• Replace wall switches with smart switches.
• Plug smart plugs into existing outlets.
• Replace existing light bulbs with smart bulbs.

Each of these have pros and cons, and the options you choose can change the overall cost significantly if you don’t plan wisely.

Smart System Compatibility

When you start building your smart home, you’ll need to decide which smart home ecosystem you want to base your system on. 

While the smart home industry isn’t quite the Wild West that it used to be, there isn’t one central device you can use to control all other devices. But there are a few common devices – called “smart home hubs” – that attempt to do so.

• ZigBee: Connects to your smart devices via an IEEE 802.15.4 personal-area network.
• Z-Wave: A mesh network that talks to smart devices via low-energy radio waves.
• Lutron: Connects to Lutron smart lights via Clear Connect RF technology.
• Philips: Uses ZigBee 802.15.4 network technology to connect to Philips smart bulbs.

There are two areas of compatibility you need to consider: which light bulbs, switches, or plugs the hub will talk to, and what smart home controllers it’ll work with like Alexa, Apple HomeKit, or Google Home.

Replace Wall Switches With Smart Switches

If you want to automate all of the lights in each room with your smartphone, the best way to do this is by replacing your standard wall light switches with smart switches instead.

There are a few varieties of these. If you want to install several of these switches in various rooms, you should choose some that are compatible with the ZigBee or Z-Wave smart hubs. A Lutron smart hub with Lutron switches is another option.

GE Zigbee Smart Dimmer

There aren’t a lot of Zigbee hub-compatible switches on the market, but it should be no surprise the GE offers one that works with Alexa. GE has been creating many smart home devices that continue to top most smart home review lists.

Install the GE Zigbee Smart dimmer in multiple rooms of your house and then connect them to any Zigbee compatible hub like SmartThings, Wink, or most smart hubs offered by major cable companies.

The dimming feature only works with dimmable bulbs, but you can also use the switch to turn lights on or off as well. 

Purchase GE Zigbee Smart Dimmer for $32 to $43 depending on style.

GE Z-Wave Smart Dimmer

GE also offers one of the best smart switches compatible with Z-Wave smart hubs like ADT hubs, Honeywell, Nexia, Vivint, and more. It also acts as an extender by extending the wireless signal from the Z-Wave hub. Meaning you can place switches throughout your house beyond the 150 foot distance limitation of the Z-Wave hub itself.

The GE Z-Wave Smart Switch is compatible with both Alexa and Google Home. It works with any standard room lights by controlling them through the same wiring used by your original light switches.

Purchase GE Z-Wave Smart Switch for $40. If you prefer a smart dimmer, then go with the GE Enbrighten Z-Wave Smart Dimmer for $35.

Wi-Fi Smart Switches

If you only have one or two rooms that you want to control, then you might consider just going with a Wi-Fi connected smart switch. These switches don’t require any smart hub. They instead connect directly to your Wi-Fi network so you can control them to your Wi-Fi connected smartphone.

The following are 5 of the most popular Wi-Fi smart switches on the market.

• WeMo 3-Way Light Switch ($45): Works with Alexa, Google Assistant, and Apple HomeKit.
• Leviton Decora Smart Switch ($45): Works with Alexa and Google Assistant.
• C by GE 3-Way Smart Switch ($50): Compatible with Alexa and Google Home.
• TP-Link Kasa Smart Light Switch ($20): Works with Alexa and Google Assistant.
• iDevices Instinct Smart Light Switch ($100): Works with Alexa and includes sound and voice control.

Replace Bulbs With Smart Bulbs

If you only wish to turn your home lighting into smart home lighting, and aren’t interested in adding a family of different products, then dedicated smart home bulbs might be a better option.

This is especially true if there are only one or two rooms you care about, so that the number of smart bulbs you need are limited. Another advantage of this approach is that you don’t have to do any electrical wiring work to automate lights. You just change out the light bulbs, and you’re done.

Philips Hue Smart Bulb Starter Kit

The Philips Hue starter kit (either colored or white lights) comes with the Philips Hue hub and a set of four bulbs. The bulbs communicate with the hub via Zigbee communication protocol. Plug the hub itself directly into the router and you can control all of the lights via a smartphone app. 

By using the app you can set various color schemes, dim the lights, or even automate the lights to match movies or games that you’re watching on a television in the same room.

As you expand the Philips Hue smart light system, you can install the bulbs into any room of the house. You can assign the lights to any room and control them all via the hub. You can also control the lights via Alexa or Google Home.

Purchase the Philips Hue smart light starter kit for about $200.

C by GE Smart Lights Starter Kit

If you really don’t want to dish out a few hundred dollars to get started with smart lights in your home, GE offers an affordable solution with the C by GE smart lights starter kit. 

This solution uses an innovative plug that you can use to control a lamp or any other device, and it also serves as a Wi-Fi bridge for controlling the light bulbs as well. Use Alexa or Google Home to control the bulbs and the plug. It even has integrated voice control as well.

Buy the C by GE smart lights kit with 2 bulbs for $35 or 4 bulbs for $55. 

Using Smart Plugs to Automate Lights

One of the simplest ways to automate lights in your house is to just plug lamps in each room into a smart plug. Then use your phone to control all of those lamps from a single app.

The following are the most popular smart plugs you can use to do this.

• TP-Link Kasa ($23): Works with Wi-Fi, and no hub required. Works with Alexa and Google Home.
• Belkin WeMo ($59): Connect to Wi-Fi and turn on or off with the WeMo app or using Alexa.
• D-Link Outdoor Plug ($50): Control your outdoor lights or other devices with this 2 outlet outdoor smart plug. Works with Alexa or Google Home.
• Amazon Smart Plug ($25): Affordable Amazon smart plug that works via Wi-Fi and integrates with your Alexa device. 

Automate Lights Inside and Outside Your Home

There are plenty of solutions for controlling nearly all lights around and inside your home using your smartphone or your smart home controllers like Alexa or Google Home. It doesn’t have to cost a fortune either.

If you want to convert your entire home, you can do so more affordably by buying a hub and adding compatible smart bulbs over time. Or, you could simply use Wi-Fi enabled devices and change out your bulbs into smart bulbs just one room at a time.

The option you choose just depends on how quickly you want to automate your home lighting and how much you’re willing to spend.

You can also take advantage of more than 100,000 Alexa Skills to create routines and further customize your smart home and improve its functionality. 

How to Create an Alexa Routine

Making a new routine in Alexa is simple. There are three main steps involved. Once you learn how to do them, you can set up all the Alexa routines you want. Take a look. 

Open the Alexa app and tap the More tab in the lower-right corner to open the menu. Tap Routines, and then tap the plus sign in the top-right corner. You’ll see a new screen where you have three options:

• Enter routine name
• When this happens
• Add reaction

The first option is self-explanatory. Just name the routine whatever you want, although it’s a good policy to name it something that identifies it at a glance.

The second option is where the fun begins. You can choose for the routine to begin with a specific voice command, on a schedule, after a smart device trigger, when you reach a location, when you set an alarm, after pressing the Echo button, or when you activate Guard mode on Ring, ADT, or other compatible systems.

Choose the command you want to use. In this example, we used the voice command trigger phrase “Game time.” 

Once you’ve chosen the trigger for your routine, choose the response. This will be the action that Alexa takes to set your routine in action. There are a series of options to choose from:

• Alexa Says: Alexa will respond with a customized phrase that you set or choose from a list.
• Briefings: Alexa provides a summary of the day’s events and reminders.
• Calendar: Alexa provides a breakdown of the day’s events from your linked calendar.
• Calling: Alexa will make a call through a linked account like Skype.
• Date and Time: Alexa will tell you the current date and time.
• Device Settings: Alexa will stop playing music, adjust the volume, or go into Do Not Disturb mode.
• Drop in Notification: Alexa makes a drop-in call.
• E-mail: Alexa will read your email summary.
• Entertain Me: Alexa will sing a song or tell a joke.
• Fire TV: Alexa will begin to play content on Fire TV devices.
• Good News: Alexa will read good, uplifting news stories.
• Guard: Alexa will activate Guard to protect your home.
• IFTTT: Alexa will run specific the IFTTT applets you have set up.
• Messaging: Alexa will send or receive announcements.
• Music: Alexa will play a song, specific artist, playlist, or station.
• News: Alexa will play the news from your Flash Briefing.
• Skills: Alexa will activate a pre-set Skill.
• Smart Home: Alexa will control a smart home device you choose. 
• Sounds: Alexa will play sounds you choose from categories like animals, bells and buzzers, crowds, and more.
• Traffic: Alexa will provide a traffic report.
• Wait: Alexa will set a timer for a time you specify.
• Weather: Alexa will report the weather.
• Custom: Alexa will respond to a question you set. 

Almost every option has sub-commands once you select it. To continue the example from above, we chose the Smart Home reaction. This opens another screen that provides access to three options: All Devices, Control group, and Control scene. 

Tapping any of these options opens additional commands. To complete the example routine, we chose Control group > Loft. From the final screen, we moved the slider for Power to the “On” position. 

This means that when you say “Alexa, game time,” all of the lights in the loft will turn on–and because they are preset to the individual colors, the routine will automatically set the mood for an evening of binging on your favorite games. 

Alexa Skills

An Alexa Skill is a bit like an app. It expands the basic functionality of Alexa beyond what it can do by default. Access Skills by tapping More and choosing Skills and Games from the menu. 

This opens the Skills and Games Menu where you can scroll through available skills in the Discover tab, search for specific types of Skills from the Categories tab, and view any Skills you have saved through the Your Skills tab. Even if you’ve never chosen Skills before, you might already have some available through devices added to your Alexa app.

For example, if you have LIFX bulbs or an iRobot device you control through Alexa, those skills will already be available in the Your Skills tab. There are almost two dozen categories to pick from, with more than 100,000 different Skills to help you totally customize and control your life through Alexa. 

To enable a Skill, choose it from the menu and then tap “Enable to Use.” Once you’ve done this, you have access to any abilities the Skill allows. 

Alexa Routines and Skills enable use of Alexa-compatible smart home devices, but there are also other Skills that act as shortcuts. For example, IFTTTrigger grants access to any of the services on IFTTT.com that can be integrated into Alexa routines. This makes it easier to find potential IFTTT integrations than manually searching through the website itself. 

In addition to Skills that grant more functionality or enable productivity, you can also play games through Alexa Skills. Most of these games are trivia or quiz-style games, but there are others available to users with an Echo Show. You can also play Skyrim. It’s not quite like it would be on PC, but it just shows that the game really is everywhere.