Echo & Alexa Forums

General Category => Alexa Software Development & Technical Discussion => Topic started by: rustywriter on December 11, 2016, 07:45:19 pm

Title: Is there a 'what can I say to Alexa' skill? It's biggest prob w/mom
Post by: rustywriter on December 11, 2016, 07:45:19 pm
Hi,

Is there a way for Alexa to read all the things my mom can say to it? I haven't found one. To blind to read, I considered putting all of these things on the 'shopping list' or 'todo list' but these I've used for the most important functions...the titles of what books are available for Alexa to read to her and, requests to us, respectively. I'd pay for a skill which would list the things she can say and perhaps search for these and perhaps the list was kept up to date. Or, a skill to list the audio/kindle books in her cloud library, or a way to communicate through the echo.

Rusty
Title: Re: Is there a 'what can I say to Alexa' skill? It's biggest prob w/mom
Post by: rustywriter on December 12, 2016, 03:37:07 pm
Hi,

Is there a way for Alexa to read all the things my mom can say to it? I haven't found one. To blind to read, I considered putting all of these things on the 'shopping list' or 'todo list' but these I've used for the most important functions...the titles of what books are available for Alexa to read to her and, requests to us, respectively. I'd pay for a skill which would list the things she can say and perhaps search for these and perhaps the list was kept up to date. Or, a skill to list the audio/kindle books in her cloud library, or a way to communicate through the echo.

Rusty

Wow, what a hole! I've decided to modify my use of the 'todo list' to tell mom a few new things to say every so often. It is REALLY a drag that both the shopping and todo list must be used to make Alexa usable for mom...my wife and I could have really used these functions.

r
Title: Re: Is there a 'what can I say to Alexa' skill? It's biggest prob w/mom
Post by: DParker on December 12, 2016, 07:47:56 pm
Between the rapid growth in 3rd party skills, constantly added integrations and the near boundless amount of web content you can query via Alexa, a comprehensive "list" of what you can ask her to do is nigh impossible.  What's needed is really an understanding of the types of things you can request.  Here's a good start:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=201608460 (https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=201608460)
Title: Re: Is there a 'what can I say to Alexa' skill? It's biggest prob w/mom
Post by: rustywriter on December 13, 2016, 03:51:17 pm
Between the rapid growth in 3rd party skills, constantly added integrations and the near boundless amount of web content you can query via Alexa, a comprehensive "list" of what you can ask her to do is nigh impossible.  What's needed is really an understanding of the types of things you can request.  Here's a good start:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=201608460 (https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=201608460)

Okay, I can see this. More lists would be good. Can a skill like this be created (I was a programmer for 20 years...20 years ago, LOL, so if the API allows this kind of function perhaps I could create it myself)? Or, is there an existing way to have more lists like the shopping and todo?

Thanks,
Rusty
Title: Re: Is there a 'what can I say to Alexa' skill? It's biggest prob w/mom
Post by: DParker on December 13, 2016, 04:26:23 pm
Okay, I can see this. More lists would be good. Can a skill like this be created (I was a programmer for 20 years...20 years ago, LOL, so if the API allows this kind of function perhaps I could create it myself)? Or, is there an existing way to have more lists like the shopping and todo?

Thanks,
Rusty

Ask and ye shall receive:  https://developer.amazon.com/alexa-skills-kit (https://developer.amazon.com/alexa-skills-kit)
Title: Re: Is there a 'what can I say to Alexa' skill? It's biggest prob w/mom
Post by: rustywriter on December 13, 2016, 05:00:46 pm
Okay, I can see this. More lists would be good. Can a skill like this be created (I was a programmer for 20 years...20 years ago, LOL, so if the API allows this kind of function perhaps I could create it myself)? Or, is there an existing way to have more lists like the shopping and todo?

Thanks,
Rusty

Ask and ye shall receive:  https://developer.amazon.com/alexa-skills-kit (https://developer.amazon.com/alexa-skills-kit)

Looks like we are stuck with Alexa's two lists at this point. Perhaps the 'family member" offers a way to get separate lists...I will look into this.

Thanks!
Rusty