3 Ways Alexa Can Keep You Company from Sunrise to Sunset:

#1. She’ll coax you out of bed in the morning

All you need to do is set up a morning Alexa routine to gradually turn the lights up, get news, weather and traffic updates, check your calendar, brew your morning coffee (you just need an Amazon Smart Plug!) and turn up your smart thermostat. You can set the routine to run at a certain time every day (or just weekdays) or even when you dismiss your morning Alexa alarm! It’ll take you less than 90 seconds to set this up, and it’s a total game-changer. My mornings have gotten so much better with my morning Alexa routine.

#2. Alexa doubles as the perfect coworker & entertainment hub

I work from home, and I’ll admit it can get kind of lonely sometimes! I sometimes turn to Alexa if I need a distraction, lighthearted interaction or just a break from work. You can play games such as The Magic Door, Song Quiz, and Escape The Room (“Alexa, open Escape The Room”), get a quick movie quiz (“Alexa, give me a movie quiz”) — or ask random questions just for kicks. For a quick laugh, say “Alexa, tell me a joke.”

Pro Tip: Get to know Alexa better at any time by asking questions about her “virtual life.” Here are a couple of fun ones: “Alexa, are you a feminist?” or “Alexa, what are your plans today?” or “Alexa, do you like dogs?”

#3. She’s capable of having surprisingly lifelike convos

Say “Alexa, start a conversation” to chat with Alexa via the Alexa Prize Socialbot chat feature. Now in its third year, the Alexa Prize Socialbot Grand Challenge is a multimillion-dollar university challenge to create a socialbot that can converse naturally with people on a range of topics spanning entertainment, sports, tech and more.

In a recent chat, I learned that one of my all-time favorite movies — Terminator 2 — had an extra-lengthy production schedule. So long, in fact, that one of the actors visibly matured right in between scenes (Eddie Furlong)!