The Amazon Echo, the speaker that integrates the Alexa voice assistant inside, can be used for many activities, but mainly to listen to music, ask for weather forecasts, know the latest news and then to set reminders and alarms or automate the lights. There are also more advanced functions, as seen in the guide that explains what Alexa can do, including the possibility of making phone calls, creating shopping lists and receiving notifications of packages received.
However, Alexa's functions are constantly evolving and thanks to the customization options it is possible not only to add commands, but also to receive different answers, recognize individual voices, improve its intelligence and the functions of the Amazon Echo to make it more interactive.
So let's see the best options to customize Alexa and use an Amazon Echo to the best of its ability. The only requirement is to use the Alexa app on Android or iPhone to manage the settings.
If we used Alexa in English, it would be possible to create new commands and answers in an easy way using the Amazon Blueprints site, which has this purpose. Unfortunately BluePrints cannot be used with the Italian language, therefore another way must be used to create customized commands, namely Routines.
We explained in another article how to create routines and new Alexa voice commands, so here we see a summary of how to do it.
Using the Alexa app, open the menu from the button with three lines on the top left and select routine. Then press the + button at the top right (not the one in the center which is only a figure) and create a new routine of type " When this happens ". Then select the Voice option and write the new command you want to give, for example, " Greet me ". Go ahead and press on Add action . As an action, choose " Alexa Dice " and then tap on Custom to write the words that Alexa will have to say when we say hi to me .
At the end, select the device (you can choose " the device you are talking to ") and you can press the Save button at the top right. From now on, every time you tell an Echo at home: Alexa, say hi, the answer will be the personalized one.
READ ALSO: How to make Alexa more precise in the answers
To teach Alexa to recognize who is speaking, open the Alexa app, press the menu and go to Settings> Account settings> Recognized voices and create a voice profile . You will therefore have to accept that Alexa can record and process what we say and follow the guided procedure.
Eventually, you can try to tell Alexa: " Alexa, who am I">
To use this function, tap the button at the top left with three lines and open the Settings on the Alexa application on Android or iPhone. Find Alexa Preferences and tap on Voice Answers . Here you can activate the sub-item mode .
Now, after activating this mode and only the first time, whisper something to Alexa and let her answer her normally, aloud, to notify the user that she is active in a low voice mode and that from now on she will answer whispering when she comes soft call. From now on, whenever Alexa is called in a low voice, the Echo's voice assistant will respond in the same way, whispering softly . When speaking normally, however, Alexa will normally respond aloud.
The Alexa sub-mode is active in Italian (although it is still written on the app that only works in English) and works only with Amazon Echo devices, not therefore with the application or other speakers that integrate Alexa.
READ ALSO: Amazon Echo: Alexa color meaning of the luminous ring
However, Alexa's functions are constantly evolving and thanks to the customization options it is possible not only to add commands, but also to receive different answers, recognize individual voices, improve its intelligence and the functions of the Amazon Echo to make it more interactive.
So let's see the best options to customize Alexa and use an Amazon Echo to the best of its ability. The only requirement is to use the Alexa app on Android or iPhone to manage the settings.
the 4 best ways to customize Alexa
1) Create customized Alexa responses
You can make sure that Alexa doesn't always answer questions the same way and, at the same time, enrich Alexa's ability to answer our questions. For example, if we need a daily warning or if we want Alexa to tell us something specific when asking a certain question, you can create your own commands and answers.If we used Alexa in English, it would be possible to create new commands and answers in an easy way using the Amazon Blueprints site, which has this purpose. Unfortunately BluePrints cannot be used with the Italian language, therefore another way must be used to create customized commands, namely Routines.
We explained in another article how to create routines and new Alexa voice commands, so here we see a summary of how to do it.
Using the Alexa app, open the menu from the button with three lines on the top left and select routine. Then press the + button at the top right (not the one in the center which is only a figure) and create a new routine of type " When this happens ". Then select the Voice option and write the new command you want to give, for example, " Greet me ". Go ahead and press on Add action . As an action, choose " Alexa Dice " and then tap on Custom to write the words that Alexa will have to say when we say hi to me .
At the end, select the device (you can choose " the device you are talking to ") and you can press the Save button at the top right. From now on, every time you tell an Echo at home: Alexa, say hi, the answer will be the personalized one.
READ ALSO: How to make Alexa more precise in the answers
2) Create a voice profile
To offer a more personalized experience with Alexa, you can create a voice profile for all users in a home. This will make Alexa more interactive and capable of giving personalized answers to each person.To teach Alexa to recognize who is speaking, open the Alexa app, press the menu and go to Settings> Account settings> Recognized voices and create a voice profile . You will therefore have to accept that Alexa can record and process what we say and follow the guided procedure.
Eventually, you can try to tell Alexa: " Alexa, who am I">
3) Change Alexa name and Echo activation word
Alexa is the default activation word that an Amazon Echo responds to, but it can be changed if you prefer. You can choose the name to call the voice assistant by going to Settings> Device settings, select the Amazon Echo and then find the Activation Word option. Unfortunately you cannot choose any word, but only Alexa, Echo, Computer or Amazon . If you choose Computer, the next time you want to call the voice assistant, you can say Computer, tell me the weather forecast .4) Activate the whisper mode to whisper to Alexa at night
This special feature allows you to talk to Alexa at night or when other people are sleeping, without disturbing them. Not only will Alexa be able to recognize our voice even if we speak whispering, but in turn she will also respond in a low voice, with a whisper under her voice. It will therefore be possible to use Alexa commands without worrying about the high volume.To use this function, tap the button at the top left with three lines and open the Settings on the Alexa application on Android or iPhone. Find Alexa Preferences and tap on Voice Answers . Here you can activate the sub-item mode .
Now, after activating this mode and only the first time, whisper something to Alexa and let her answer her normally, aloud, to notify the user that she is active in a low voice mode and that from now on she will answer whispering when she comes soft call. From now on, whenever Alexa is called in a low voice, the Echo's voice assistant will respond in the same way, whispering softly . When speaking normally, however, Alexa will normally respond aloud.
The Alexa sub-mode is active in Italian (although it is still written on the app that only works in English) and works only with Amazon Echo devices, not therefore with the application or other speakers that integrate Alexa.
READ ALSO: Amazon Echo: Alexa color meaning of the luminous ring
