Rock out with Alexa’s Newest Feature

Last September, the voice-controlled smart home service from Amazon rolled out a cool new trick called Routines. The feature allows homeowners to create customized commands for various times of the day or scenarios. For instance, a simple, “Alexa, I’m home,” might switch on the lights and give you a quick recap of the day’s news.

As of this month, the Routines feature has a snazzy new update, allowing your favorite music to accompany your day-to-day activities, sourced from your personal music library, Spotify, Pandora, TuneIn, and more. Need a hand with the kids’ bedtime? A simple “Goodnight, Alexa” can dim the lights and cue a bedtime story, leaving just the tuck-in duties to you.

Since Alexa already has the capability to link to other smart home devices like your thermostat, security camera, light bulbs, home speakers, and kitchen appliances, the possibilities for jazzing up your daily routines are practically endless. While she might not be able to fold the laundry or whip up dinner (yet), she can definitely help get you in the groove.