Have you tapped into the magic of skills to upgrade your Alexa device? Skills unlock a whole new array of convenient features and entertainment options far beyond Alexa‘s built-in capabilities.
I‘ve explored hundreds of skills over the years across news, gaming, productivity, and more. In this guide designed for the solo Alexa owner, I‘ll provide an expert overview of the very best skills that most people remain unaware of to help you get more from your Alexa assistant!
What Are Alexa Skills and Why Do You Need Them?
Alexa skills function much like smartphone apps – they add extra functionality. With tens of thousands of skills now available, you can customize Alexa for tasks like controlling smart home devices, streaming radio stations worldwide, playing trivia games, and more.
Without skills, Alexa can only perform basic preset abilities like setting timers, reporting the weather, or playing music. Skills expand what she can achieve to be far more helpful and enjoyable on a daily basis.
Many skills however go overlooked, usually because people simply don‘t realize how much unused potential their Alexa has! I‘m going to highlight 8 must-have skills I bet you didn‘t know about that offer some of the most versatile, practical upgrades.
History-Computer‘s Top 8 Alexa Skills Picks
I evaluated skills based on utility, entertainment value, convenience, cost, and quality of user experience. These are the ones that stand out and deserve a spot in your Alexa setup.
1. Radio Garden
Access live radio stations from anywhere in the world for free music exploration
With over 30,000 stations spanning the globe, this skill brings an unparalleled selection of international radio to your Alexa device. It essentially gives you a portal to freely tune into any local or national broadcasting from Austria to Zambia and everywhere in between.
You can browse stations by country or search for specialized formats. Use it to practice language skills, discover new foreign musicians, catch up on news overseas, or just soak in some cultural sounds from Asia, Africa, Europe and beyond!
I love putting this on as background music for an exotic ambiance. The "local radio" vibe also adds a touch of travel thrill without leaving home. However, stream quality depends on bandwidth. Still, it beats paying for satellite access to worldwide channels.
Key Functions
- Request stations from any country: "Alexa, ask Radio Garden to play music from Ireland"
- Specify station types like news, rock, talk radio
- Fade sound for sleeping
My Rating: 5/5 Globes
2. Spillpass
Secure automated password generation for protecting accounts
Trying to conceive hard-to-crack secure passwords and remembering them is a chore. Spillpass offloads this hassle by letting Alexa randomly generate strong password options for you on demand.
You simply specify the length like "Alexa, ask Spill Pass to make me a 20 character password." Alexa will then read out an appropriately robust mix of letters, numbers and symbols to safeguard accounts from hacking.
Use it when opening new logins rather than vulnerable defaults or reusing the same passwords. Just be sure to log the password somewhere safely if you request multiple as Alexa does not save them.
With top sites getting compromised more frequently these days, it‘s wise to lock down access. Spillpass makes adopting safer practices quite smooth. You can set up distinct highly complex passwords in seconds anytime needed.
Key Functions
- Request secure auto-generated passwords by length
- Get multiple passwords for securing new accounts
- Free unlimited use with no memory/storage
My Rating: 4.5/5 Stars
3. Memory Training
Strengthen cognitive skills with voice-powered brain games
Designed by neuroscientists, Lumosity‘s Memory Training brings engaging games to Alexa to boost essential mental faculties like memory retention, attentiveness and processing. It‘s an enjoyable way to exercise key aspects of cognition.
Activities test skills such as sequence recollection through voice-led prompts. Challenges feature adjustable difficulty to match capabilities and increase as you improve. Just a few minutes per day can sharpen short-term memory, help concentration and reasoning.
I’ve used Lumosity apps for years and find their Alexa implementation just as polished. The hands-free format also adds convenience. My one complaint is the requirement to subscribe after an initial free trial. Still, it‘s worth experiencing if you want to stay mentally sharp.
Key Functions
- "Alexa, launch Memory Training" to start a session
- Verbally respond to complete cognitive challenges
- Track progress over time across game types
My Rating: 4/5 Brains
4. Radio Laugh Track
Comedy mode for Alexa responses
This wonderfully weird and simple skill interjects real laughter and clapping sounds at the end of Alexa‘s answers to questions as if you had a studio audience. Enable it for bonus flavor anytime you chat.
Kids find it particularly delightful! It‘s pretty contagious hearing the genuine amusement even from basic inquiries like “Alexa, what time is it?”
Volume adjusts well based on your speech and background noise levels for a natural effect. I do wish the guffaws didn‘t drag on so long into the next question sometimes. Still, we get a kick out of this touch of silliness to liven mundane interactions.
Key Functions
- On/off toggle with “Alexa, tell Radio Laugh Track to stop/start laughing”
- Laugh volume matches environment
- Free, no account or setup needed
My Rating: 4/5 Laughs
5. Crystal Ball
Mysterious fortune predictions
While nowhere near prophetic, the Crystal Ball skill does provide a dash of dramatic flair when you desire a little cosmic guidance. Pose questions about your future to which Alexa offers benignly uplifting advice.
Phrases like “I see joy entering your life soon” and “New collaborations lead to growth” resemble classic fortune cookie messages. The key is not taking predictions literally, but rather embracing the optimism as hopeful possibility.
My family finds queries like “Alexa, ask Crystal Ball if I‘ll have a good week” before big events help calm nerves. Responses promoting self-confidence also provide reassurance. It may lack genuine foresight but contributes whimsical inspiration!
Key Functions
- Pose yes/no or open-ended future questions
- Receive randomly generated uplifting advice
- Reuse for updated predictions anytime
My Rating: 4/5 Crystal Balls
6. Would You Rather Family
Hilarious conversations starter for households
We struggle sometimes generating engaging dinner table discussion with family, especially across ages. Would Your Rather… perfectly breaks the ice by presenting appealing lighthearted scenarios.
Alexa asks questions like "Would you rather only be able to whisper or only be able to shout?" designed to get even shy participants reflecting and sharing perspectives. Kids and teens in particular perk right up weighing what they‘d pick and why.
It kickstarts conversation about preferences, personalities and values in a welcoming judgment-free way. The questions do vary substantially in quality and content sophistication. Overall though, it succeeds wonderfully fostering enjoyable quality time.
Key Functions
- Say “Alexa, open Would You Rather” to begin
- Share responses to fun hypothetical choices like superpowers
- Free family entertainment to drive communication
My Rating: 5/5 Conversation Starters
7. Relax Melodies
Customized soundscapes for better sleep
I don‘t know about you, but rarely do I sleep through the night undisturbed. Relax Melodies from subscription app White Noise & Deep Sleep taps their professional grade audio to help via Alexa integration.
The skill supplies high quality loops of thunder, rain, wind chimes and more to mix into personalize sound profiles. Find your optimal blend to mask disruptions. It also supports sleep/wake timers and gentle fading transitions.
Hundreds of reviews substantiate the effectiveness from the precise balancing of pleasing nature audio. While certain aspects do require unlocking through premium monthly access, the free capabilities still assist restfulness tremendously if sleep is a struggle.
Key Functions
- Request sleep sounds like "Alexa, ask Relax Melodies to play ocean sounds"
- Combine multiple clips into custom mixes
- Set sleep & wake timers to auto-stop
My Rating: 5/5 Zzzs
8. Adventures in Wonderland
Interactive kids audio adventure series
Adventures in Wonderland transforms Alexa into a captivating storyteller transporting young listeners into whimsical magical tales. Through voice guidance, children directly impact pivotal decisions to shape wholly unique experiences.
Vibrant characters like talking flowers and wizards teach strong themes around gratitude, diversity and identity as well. My niece adores feeling embedded in fantastical realms. It stretches imagination far beyond reading while building decision-making.
I will say occasional plot points approach complex concepts better suited to older kids. However, the wondrous spirit and enthusiasm stays constant. For its immersive sensory world-building to instill creativity alone, this earns high marks.
Key Functions
- Say “Alexa, open Adventures in Wonderland” to begin journey
- Voice responses steer each chapter’s direction
- Embark on new tales every session
My Rating: 5/5 Magic Wands
How to Find More Winning Alexa Skills
With Alexa‘s skills library expanding exponentially, discovering those gems best aligning to your lifestyle takes some savvy evaluation. Follow these expert tips when prospecting to maximize successes:
Check Reviews – Scan user feedback for 1) overall rating between 4-5 stars and 2) whether criticisms reflect isolated technicalities rather than fundamental flaws.
Demand Demos – Explore skills offer free trials or demo modes allowing firsthand experience before committing through account linking or payments.
Confirm Customization Range – Determine if key options exist for adjusting settings, triggers, sounds, etc tailored to individual preferences.
Weigh Privacy Terms – Carefully review what data skills request access to and feel comfortable rescinding authorization.
Start Skillfully Unlocking Alexa‘s Full Potential Now!
I hope spotlighting these less obvious but highly practical skills piqued your interest in exploring more ways to get added value from Alexa every day! Let me know if you discover any others gems that I should cover in a future post.
And if you decide to upgrade your Alexa hardware along the journey, check out my guide to the best Alexa smart speakers in 2023 here. Enjoy skillfully elevating your Alexa assistant!
