If you’re unfamiliar with Alexa routines, they’re a series of tasks that Alexa can do by only saying one phrase. For instance, instead of telling Alexa to turn off lights, turn on music, and turn on ...

Dim the lights, lock the door, and play some tunes with a simple voice command (or even your dog’s bark). Dim the lights, lock the door, and play some tunes with a simple voice command (or even your ...

I have a morning Alexa routine that gives me a weather report, some good news, and (of course) a rooster crow when I say “Alexa, good morning.” The only problem? I rarely use it, and it’s my own dang ...

If you're old enough to remember cartoons like The Jetsons, you probably remember a vision of the future where our lives are fully automated. All it takes are a few verbal commands, and your whole ...

My neighborhood's pretty safe. Crime isn't really a thing here. But I'm still not leaving my front porch open season for package thieves, and I'm definitely not rolling the dice on a break-in. The ...

Amazon Alexa is more than just an omnipotent voice that lives inside your household's Echo speakers. The all-knowing, all-powerful voice assistant can control and manage most, if not all, of your ...

If you own an Amazon Echo smart speaker or Echo Show smart display, but aren't using it to control and automate your home, you're missing out on an incredibly useful tool. Not only are Alexa-powered ...

Posts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. is editor-at-large and Vergecast co-host with over a decade of experience covering consumer tech. Previously, at ...