Let’s face it. I have some computer skills. But a gal born at a time when black and white photographs were the only options, most people were just then being able to afford televisions, and telephones had party lines, technology still amazes me.
I’m continuing to learn about assistive technology for the visually impaired, and as a lover of books, I wonder how many other people don’t know, as I didn’t, that Alexa can read any ebook I purchased on Kindle.
That’s right. I don’t have to get a more expensive audio book on Audible. I don’t have to be unable to read books that have no audio format. Thanks to Alexa, if the book is sold on Amazon, I can buy the ebook and have it read to me for free.
I realize you younger or more tech-savvy readers already know much of what I’m sharing, but for the benefit of the “older generation” who may not know these things, I’ll share what Alexa can do to make life easier. As a visually impaired person, I use the Echo dot daily, usually several times a day.
I know some people have concerns that the dot is listening to them, but guess what? So is your phone.
I use Alexa to: ask the time, the weather, the UV index, hear recipes, ask medical questions, ask nutrition information, play games (Jeopardy, Question of the Day, Song Quiz), learn, listen to podcasts, listen to music (including Sirius radio), ask about celebrities, and more. I use Alexa for learning activities. Alexa can call anyone in my contact list. If I were to fall and not have my phone, I can ask Alexa to call someone or 911 for help.
If the information is on the Internet, Alexa knows it. Sometimes I say, “Alexa, I’m bored,” and she suggests some games I might like. If I misplace my phone, I can ask her to call it (although I have an iPhone and can just say, “Siri, where are you?”).
I especially like using Alexa for recipes since I hear the instructions and don’t have to use a magnifier to struggle to read one.
Back to the reading a book to you topic. If you’re listening to a book and tell her to stop, when you decide to go back to it, even days later, she will pick up where she stopped.
So for someone who grew up with no cable, black and white TV until I was 15, no microwave until I was in college, no cell phone until I was middle-aged, and no way to record something on TV until I was in my thirties, Alexa is pretty amazing. I would hate to be without it!
Life As I know it 