Get Alexa App For Mac

Amazon designs Alexa with multiple layers of privacy protection: When you want to talk to Alexa, you have to first wake up your tablet by using the wake word (for example, 'Alexa') or another wake word that you have set up. Only then does the device begin recording. Alexa app free download - Alexa App, Alexa Skills, Ask for Amazon Alexa App, and many more programs. Now there is an app that will let you use Amazon’s Alexa on your iOS device or Mac. IOS: Get the free Reverb app for Amazon’s Alexa Reverb for iOS is a free app that lets you use Alexa anywhere.

The Alexa iPhone app can now be used completely hands-free — although it does need a little help from Siri to do so…

It was always a little ironic that you could use the wake-word “Alexa” to activate Echo speakers and other Alexa-powered devices, while the iPhone app required you to touch a button to issue a voice command. Engadget reports that’s now been fixed in the latest version of the free app.

The Alexa assistant has always worked on the app, but until now, you needed to touch the Alexa button on the bottom control bar for voice control. Now, it’s enabled automatically when the app is turned on. Once you say the wake word, a blue bar appears to show that Alexa is processing your request over the cloud.

To get the feature, you’ll first need to update the app. Then, you’ll be given the option to enable hands-free detection, while a new setting will let you disable the feature at any time. To use it, the phone must be unlocked with the Alexa app open. The feature is arriving worldwide over the next several days, but as usual, it may take awhile to come to your region.

The catch is that you can’t, of course, tell the Alexa app to open itself in the first place. But you can tell Siri to do so. So, “Hey Siri, open the Alexa app,” followed by “Alexa, [do whatever]” will do the trick. That’s a little clunky if you just want Alexa to do one thing, but less so if you want to issue a series of Alexa commands, like adding things to a shopping list.

In the UK, Amazon is partnering with the NHS to provide official answers to health-related questions.

In a statement, the government Health Secretary said he prefers for users to be able to easily access official information rather than ‘the sort of spurious stuff that turns up on the Internet and randomly is put in the algorithms.’

Photo: Tom’s Guide

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It's hard to not have any smart tech in your home these days. Smart home tech is fairly ubiquitous, and most of us have some form of it in the house. Many of these products also utilize Apple's HomeKit (check out our ultimate guide), so you can control your house gadgets directly with your iOS device or even Mac.

But how do you get started with it on the Mac? Don't worry, we're going to walk you through it now.

How to set up Home app on Mac

Unfortunately, you can't directly set up the Home app on your Mac. Instead, you'll need to set it up on your iOS device first.

1. Make sure that your HomeKit accessory is powered on and near your iOS device. You'll also want to double check if there is any additional equipment you need for it to work with iOS (i.e. Philips Hue Bridge for Philips Hue bulbs).
2. On your iOS device, launch the Home app.

3. Tap on Add Accessory.

4. Scan the accessory's eight-digit HomeKit or QR code with your iOS device's camera. For those using an iPhone 7 or later and there's an NFC wireless icon on the accessory, you may hold your iPhone near the accessory to add it to the Home app.

5. Tap on your accessory when it pops up on the screen to add it. If the prompt Add Accessory to Network pops up, select Allow.

6. Give your accessory a name and then assign it to a room. Organizing by room makes it easier to identify accessories in the Home app and control them with Siri.

7. Tap Done.

In order to get your HomeKit accessories to show up in the Home app on Mac, you'll need to be signed in on the same Apple ID on both devices, have iCloud Keychain turned on, and make sure Home is toggled on in your iCloud Settings. Both iOS and your Mac should be updated with the latest software.

It's a bit disappointing that you're unable to add new accessories directly in the Mac version of the Home app, but you can still get most of the other features that Home is capable of.

Getting started with Home on macOS

When you first launch the Home app on your Mac, it'll ask for permission to connect to your iCloud account. When it gains access, it'll check for all of your HomeKit devices and add them to your 'Favorites' by default.

Get Alexa App For Mac Windows 7

To turn a device ON/OFF, just click on it. Grayed out icons means that the device is currently OFF, while white means it's ON.

Right-click on a device and you'll get two options: Show Controls and Settings. The Settings allows you to do things like renaming your devices, which is useful when moving things around the house.

Settings will allow you to see the device name and room. From here you can add a device to your favorites list, include or exclude it from status updates (they are included by default), group accessories, and see details about the device manufacturer, model number, firmware, and serial number.

When you click on Show Controls, you'll have access to such things as dimming the lights, adjusting temperature, and more, depending on the devices you have. For those who use Philips Hue whit and color bulbs, Show Controls would also give you the option to change the color of your lights.

Automation for all

Even though it seems that Home for macOS is a little half-baked with the fact that you can't add devices directly, it's still a useful tool to have. Using the Home app from your Mac means you don't have to look for your iPhone or tablet if you're at the desk and want to turn the lights off in a room that you're not using. Or if you want to lower the temperature in the house a bit, and your iOS device isn't right next to you, but you're at the computer, just do it from there. It's never been easier, especially if you're lazy.

If you're not convinced about smart home tech, maybe the ability to control your house from your computer will change that.

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