Julie’s gadget diary – A new use for the Amazon Echo Dot

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gadget-diary

This is going to be a quickie… I just wanted to share a fun new use for the Amazon Echo Dot that I discovered yesterday. Easy workout timers! What’s that? If you workout and need to do timed exercises, it’s a pain to use a stopwatch. In the past, I’ve either tried to count in my head which isn’t very accurate, or I’ve used my phone’s clock app to count down the time. Getting the phone where I can see it while trying to hold the exercise position can be a pain (literally). Yesterday I started working out again after a 2.5-week layoff due to my back going out (ouch!). I’m trying to focus more on core strength and wanted to do some plank exercises. It suddenly occurred to me that I could just ask Alexa to set a timer for 30 seconds as soon as I got into the position. This worked perfectly and may become one of my favorite uses for the Amazon Echo Dot.  What is your favorite use for the Echo?

6 thoughts on “Julie’s gadget diary – A new use for the Amazon Echo Dot”




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  2. That’s a cool idea Julie.
    My favorite function for the Echo is to add things to my schedule. Rather than pull out my phone to enter an event on my calendar, I just tell Alexa to do it and she asks me for the name, day and time and it’s done. SO much better than punching it out on my phone!

  3. I’ve got my Echo linked to some TP-Link WiFi outlets. My favorite thing to do is to ask Alexa to turn lights on and off in my house. I’ve also got her linked up through a Logitech Harmony and IFTT to turn on/off the TV for me. That one can be a little flaky on operation, thought it’s always a lot of fun when it works.

    I read recently that Ford is updating the Sync 3 car audio system to be able to ask Alexa to start the car and set the heat/air conditioning for you. I knew there was a good reason I waited so long to buy a new car!

  4. Julie
    I want to thank you for passing along how use the Amazon APP to bypass Amazon’s rediculous requirement that you need to own an echo to order a echo dot.
    I followed your directions and my echo dot is shipping next month – slight back order problem. But you solved a conundrum which was really bugging me and I am sincerely grateful.

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