Your ecobee Smart Thermostat to be already installed on your wall and set up within the ecobee app.
Have the Amazon Alexa app installed on your smartphone or tablet.
2. What are Alexa Skills?
Amazon Alexa is a "platform". In other words, it's not just a voice recognition system; that's just how you use it. Alexa can be taught how to perform new tasks, by anyone willing to learn how. Many companies will write Alexa Skills to connect it to their home automation platforms, connect to their information and news websites, even make small games, such as trivia and guessing games.
Examples
Many news and weather services have an Alexa skill. By adding one, you can ask Alexa for a news or weather briefing, and receive custom reports.
Many local informational services offer an Alexa skill. You can get local restaurant recommendations, or even have food delivered directly by speaking to Alexa.
Lots of community-created, as well as producer-created games exist. Everything from trivia about your favorite movies to simulations of your favorite game shows.
Most home automation devices have an Alexa Skill available. These allow you to control your lights, monitor your home security system, even adjust the temperature of your home, all with simple voice commands.
3. Using Skills
Amazon Alexa is accessed using voice commands. You speak, in natural language, to your Alexa-enabled device, and it will respond.
Each skill you add provides a series of suggestions related specifically to that skill, but in most cases, the specific phrasing is exceptionally forgiving. Simply say "Alexa," to activate the device and start it listening, then say what you want; Alexa will do its best to figure out what you're looking for, and will ask questions to clarify if it's not quite sure.
This means you don't have to memorize every last command, and instead can just use the Alexa as your assistant.
4. Alexa Skills
There are two types of devices that you can use Alexa Skills with:
Alexa-enabled devices such as the ecobee4 smart thermostat, the ecobee Switch+ or the Amazon Echo devices. These devices have the Amazon Alexa virtual assistant built-in and can listen and take your voice commands to control them or other Alexa compatible devices.
ecobee4
ecobee Switch+
Amazon Echo Devices
Smartphones and tablets that have the Alexa app installed can be used as a replacement for Alexa-enabled devices.
Alexa compatible devices such as the ecobee3 and ecobee3 lite smart thermostats. You can control these devices with your voice by speaking to an Alexa-enabled device. They are labeled with the Works with Alexa logo on their packaging.
ecobee3
ecobee3 lite
Works with Alexa
5. Finding Skills
There are many ways to approach adding a skill to your Amazon Alexa system, depending on what you're looking to add.
However you add a skill, the abilities of that skill will be available on all your Alexa-enabled devices.
6. Add News or Weather Skills
There are multiple ways to add a new news or weather skill to your Amazon Alexa.
You may need to switch to another method if one does not work. Some services need more information and customization before they'll work (such as username, passwords, or custom settings).
Using The Smartphone App
Open the Alexa app on your mobile device.
Select the Menu in the top-right corner.
Select Skills & Games.
Select Categories at the top.
Select News or Weather.
Here, you'll be able to browse various news or weather services you can add to your Alexa.
After selecting a service, you can read more about it, as well as the commands the Skill will respond to. If you wish to add it to Alexa, select Enable to Use.
You may be asked for further information, such as a username or password to sign-into the service, or additional customization of the service.
Follow the instructions on screen to complete the setup of your service.
Using Your Computer
This option only works if you already have an Alexa speaker setup with your Amazon account.
Open your preferred web browser.
In the address bar, type alexa.amazon.com, and press enter or return.
Enter your Amazon account Email and Password, then select Sign In.
Select Skills on the left.
Select Categories at the top.
Select News or Weather.
Here, you'll be able to browse various news or weather services you can add to your Alexa.
After selecting a service, you can read more about it, as well as the commands the Skill will respond to. If you wish to add it to Alexa, select Enable.
You may be asked for further information, such as a username or password to sign-into the service, or additional customization of the service.
Follow the instructions on screen to complete the setup of your service.
7. Explore Skills
There are dozens of categories and hundreds of skills you can explore on the Amazon Alexa platform.
Using The Smartphone App
Open the Alexa app on your mobile device.
Select the Menu in the top-right corner.
Select Skills & Games.
Under Discover, you'll find a curated list of different Skills you can select from. Select a skill for more information about a service, and to enable it if you choose.
Using Your Computer
This option only works if you already have an Alexa speaker setup with your Amazon account.
Open your preferred web browser.
In the address bar, type alexa.amazon.com, and press enter or return.
Enter your Amazon account Email and Password, then select Sign In.
Select Skills on the left.
You'll find a curated list of different Skills you can select from. Select a skill for more information about a service, and to enable it if you choose.
8. Add Music Skills
There are multiple ways to add a new music skill to your Amazon Alexa.
You may need to switch to another method if one does not work. Some services need more information and customization before they'll work (such as username, passwords, or custom settings).
Using The Smartphone App
Open the Alexa app on your mobile device.
Select the Menu in the top-right corner.
Select Skills & Games.
Select Categories at the top.
Select Music & Audio.
Here, you'll be able to browse various music services you can add to your Alexa.
After selecting a service, you can read more about it, as well as the commands the Skill will respond to. If you wish to add it to Alexa, select Enable to Use.
You may be asked for further information, such as a username or password to sign-into the service, or additional customization of the service.
Follow the instructions on screen to complete the setup of your service.
Using Your Computer
This option only works if you already have an Alexa speaker setup with your Amazon account.
Open your preferred web browser.
In the address bar, type alexa.amazon.com, and press enter or return.
Enter your Amazon account Email and Password, then select Sign In.
Select Skills on the left.
Select Categories at the top.
Select Music & Audio.
Here, you'll be able to browse various music services you can add to your Alexa.
After selecting a service, you can read more about it, as well as the commands the Skill will respond to. If you wish to add it to Alexa, select Enable.
You may be asked for further information, such as a username or password to sign-into the service, or additional customization of the service.
Follow the instructions on screen to complete the setup of your service.
9. Add Smart-Home Device
Ask Alexa to discover your device. Say, "discover my devices," or select Smart Home within the Alexa app (or @ echo.amazon.com on a PC or Mac computer).
Select Add Device.
Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the linking process.
To determine what skills your newly-added device may have:
From the Alexa app (or @ echo.amazon.com on a PC or Mac computer), Select Skills.
Browse or enter search keywords to find the skill for your device, then select Enable.If there isn't a skill for your device or service, it may not be compatible with Alexa.
Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the linking process.
10. Add Game Skills
There are multiple ways to add a new game skill to your Amazon Alexa.
You may need to switch to another method if one does not work. Some services need more information and customization before they'll work (such as username, passwords, or custom settings).
Using The Smartphone App
Open the Alexa app on your mobile device.
Select the Menu in the top-right corner.
Select Skills & Games.
Select Categories at the top.
Select Games & Trivia.
Here, you'll be able to browse various game services you can add to your Alexa.
After selecting a service, you can read more about it, as well as the commands the Skill will respond to. If you wish to add it to Alexa, select Enable to Use.
You may be asked for further information, such as a username or password to sign-into the service, or additional customization of the service.
Follow the instructions on screen to complete the setup of your service.
Using Your Computer
This option only works if you already have an Alexa speaker setup with your Amazon account.
Open your preferred web browser.
In the address bar, type alexa.amazon.com, and press enter or return.
Enter your Amazon account Email and Password, then select Sign In.
Select Skills on the left.
Select Categories at the top.
Select Games & Trivia.
Here, you'll be able to browse various game services you can add to your Alexa.
After selecting a service, you can read more about it, as well as the commands the Skill will respond to. If you wish to add it to Alexa, select Enable.
You may be asked for further information, such as a username or password to sign-into the service, or additional customization of the service.
Follow the instructions on screen to complete the setup of your service.
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