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 ...

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links. 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.

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 ...

Amanda Blum is a freelancer who writes about smart home technology, gardening, and food preservation. Previously, Amanda has worked as a technology strategist specializing in problem solving and ...

15+ best Alexa commands to make your home work smarter (Prime not required) ...

Alexa can respond to snoring, coughing, a baby crying or a dog barking. Here's how to set up sound detection, plus why you'd even want to. Dale Smith is a former Associate Writer on the How-To team at ...

Parents can now easily set Routines with FreeTime on Alexa using a set of simple pre-configured Alexa Routines. For example, parents can enable the Good Night Routine in the Alexa app, and when ...

Wish Alexa could tell you when your kids have left the kitchen faucet running, or when your latest load of laundry is ready for the dryer? Now she can, thanks to a pair of new routine triggers. Amazon ...

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 ...

Luckily it's super easy. All you have to do is say, "Alexa, enable Halloween Routine." Once the routine is enabled, you can start it by saying "Start Halloween." If you want to adjust your Alexa ...