Amazon Echo arrived in Italy at the end of October 2018: here’s how to configure the voice assistant and manage smart devices in the home
Arriving in Italy at the end of October, the Amazon Echo have brought a breath of fresh air in the field of home voice assistants, a market dominated until last year by Google with the Google Home and the Google Home Mini. Amazon has brought to Italy the complete collection of voice assistants: Amazon Echo Dot (the smallest one), Amazon Echo (the middle of the range), Amazon Echo Spot (equipped with a screen) and Amazon Echo Plus (audio speaker that reproduces sound with excellent quality).
The Amazon Echo has had great success from the start, thanks mainly to the ease of use. Setting up Amazon Echo is very simple: you need to download the free Alexa application from the Google Play Store or App Store and follow the step-by-step instructions shown on the screen of your phone. To configure Amazon Echo takes just a little over five minutes and you can start talking to Alexa and manage the lights in your home or play your favorite songs (it is connected by default to your Amazon Music account). Here’s how to configure Amazon Echo and manage the devices supported by the voice assistant.
Amazon Echo: the steps to configure the voice assistant
Have you bought Amazon Echo and don’t know how to configure it? No fear, in this short guide we’ll explain how to configure the voice assistant and how to manage all the devices supported by Amazon Echo.
First, plug Amazon Echo into the power outlet and wait for the voice assistant to turn on. When you hear Alexa’s greeting, then it will mean that you can start configuring the device. At this point you need to take your smartphone and download for free from the Google Play Store or the App Store the Alexa app that will allow you to configure Amazon Echo.
Once the download is done and the app is installed, launch Alexa and follow the instructions to connect Amazon Echo to the Wi-Fi network of your home or office. To complete the setup Alexa will also ask you to create a personal account or log into the app through your Amazon account. Remember to place the assistant in a central location in the room and at least 20 centimeters away from walls and windows. If you have trouble connecting the device to Wi-Fi, try restarting Amazon Echo and starting the setup from scratch.
When the voice assistant is connected to Wi-Fi you can start talking to Alexa and get answers to your questions. To get the most out of the voice assistant you need to activate the special functions (called skills) directly from the smartphone app. Through the app you’ll be able to add and manage the smart devices in your home.
How to add Amazon Echo skills
By default Amazon Echo has the main features active: it informs you about the weather conditions in any city, plays your music by connecting to Amazon Music Unlimited, and connects to your favorite radio station. But to make the most of Amazon Echo you need to activate the skills, applications made by third-party developers that let you use special features. To see the available skills, you have to access the application, press on the menu icon and then select “Skills and games”. And a new window will open with all the skills exclusive to Alexa. There is the skill to listen to the latest news of Corriere della Sera, Repubblica or SkySport 24, or skills to better manage the smart home. By selecting and installing the one that interests us most, we can activate it by simply saying “Alexa, the news of the day” and we will listen to the latest news from the World.
How to manage smart devices with Amazon Echo
With Amazon Echo you can also manage home automation and smart devices in your home. To check which devices are supported by the voice assistant, just launch the application, press on Devices at the bottom right, then on the “+” icon at the top right and a screen will appear on the screen and you will have to select the “Add device” item. A new page will open with all the devices that can be added: they range from smart bulbs, to smart socket, to security cameras that connect to the Wi-Fi network. You can also create Routines that make life easier. For example, you can set up a Routine that is activated when the alarm clock rings: first the lights in the room are turned on, then the playback of your favorite songs starts and after half an hour the traffic news. So you won’t waste a single minute getting to the office on time.