Signal Winter 2020 Newsletter

www.alliancecom.net 5 Speakers Can Be Smart for Seniors While people of every age can enjoy the convenience of a smart speaker, seniors may have even more reasons to take advantage of the technology. Certain smart speaker features help those with limited mobility, dexter- ity, vision, or memory to more easily handle everyday activities. Mobility. Those who have a hard time getting around can stay put while a smart speaker adjusts the tempera- ture, opens or closes window blinds, locks or unlocks doors, controls enter- tainment options, and more. Dexterity. Providing a hands-free experience, smart speakers can enable seniors to do things like call grandkids using only their voice. Vision. Smart speakers allow users to perform functions without the need for visual cues, including play games, get news updates, or manage a calendar. Memory. With a single, easy-to- remember command, a smart speaker can execute multiple tasks, such as a bedtime routine that adjusts lighting, sets an alarm for the next morning, and plays sooth- ing music for sleep. You may be wondering why you need yet another electronic device in your life. Honestly, maybe you don’t. But, before you decide, take a look at some of the things a smart speaker can help you do. “Alexa, Tell MeWhat You Can Do” Answer questions. Smart speakers can help you get information you need throughout your day, like the current temperature, instructions for cooking a particular kind of food, or miscella- neous facts and figures. Set timers. Say you’re making Thanks- giving dinner and need to time everything just right. Ask your smart speaker to set a “turkey timer,” a “stuffing timer,” and a “potatoes timer.” It will run them all simultaneously and alert you as each one finishes. Play music and podcasts. Smart speak- ers work with applications like TuneIn and Spotify to deliver your favorite music and podcasts. You can even set up your speaker to play certain sounds at certain times—like ambient music or crashing waves at bedtime to help you fall asleep. Play games. Are you a big Jeopardy! fan? You can play it on your smart speaker, along with many other games and quizzes. This feature is great if you have a few spare minutes between activ- ities or need to entertain your kids. Control smart devices. Smart speak- ers can serve as hubs for smart home devices, so you can easily adjust things like lighting and temperature using your voice. (See page 6 for details on how to make it work in your home.) Go shopping. You can use a smart speaker to make shopping lists. Just speak the wake word followed by a command like, “Alexa, put milk on shopping list.” At the store, use the corresponding phone app to see your full list. QUICK TIP: Need to know the answer to 863 x 1,239? Ask your smart speaker to perform the calculation.