So yesterday I learned that Alexa will now lock my locks.
Me: Alexa, lock the front door.
Alexa: Locking, Hang on.
(door locks)
Alexa: SmartThings locked the front door.
Wow, cool even tells me it’s done. But it still doesn’t work in routines. So back to the virtual switches for me.
You could use an app like Ask Alexa to do that…just released a new version a few minutes ago. The installation is well documented, but rather involved.
I have ask Alexa installed. I just like my good night routine.
At first I even thought it was ask alexa locking the door but then remembered it’s called the house
Understood…Maybe I am misunderstanding you…you CAN Run a routine from Ask Alexa…I do it all of the time:
Alexa, Tell SmartThings “Good Night” (which “Good Night” is a routine that turns off lights, sets the mode and locks the door).
Either way, here is the new version:
There are rumors that you can even get the status of your locks… Alexa, is my door locked? Does it work for your locks?
On the other hand, who needs virtual switches and awkward phrases when you can use custom skills?
Want to say: Alexa tell my home Good Night, so you can run a routine that locks your house?
Want to say: Alexa turn on/off the TV, so you can start a Harmony activity
Want to say: Alexa, what’s the temperature in my Home
Want to say: Alexa turn on the TV in the bedroom, so you can start a Harmony activity from a secondary Harmony hub?
Want to say: Alexa, close the garage door in my Home
Want to say: Alexa remind me to take the turkey out of the oven… in 2 hours…so you can get a text or an audio message 2 hours later, that is time to “take the turkey out”?
Well give EchoSistant a try. No virtual switches, no awkward phrases, no wasted time to set up. Just install it and use it…
Why yes it does. Alexa is the bar door locked? Checking, SmartThings says the bar door is unlocked.
I do not have Echosistant installed yet, but I will. I have been trying to take it slower while I install a few devices at a time. 61 down 29 (for now) to go
Good luck! Taking it slow is the best approach … Don’t do it like I did…Jump from 30 to 200+ and then slowly take them down to about 100 when you get tired of chasing stuck devices and dead batteries…At least I can do it fast now with Echosistant. Alexa, how many devices have low batteries, in my home? And Alexa how many inactive devices are in my home!
The great thing about EchoSistant… You just install it, then minimal configuration, and you start using it…
Choose all of your devices in as many configurations as you want… No strict rules. No strict phrases.
You want to change the temp… No configuration, no nothing. You choose your device and tell the house it’s cold… It turns up the heat for you and it doesn’t care what mode the a/c is in.
And it’s getting better every day…
Oh… Want multi room control??? Easy… It’s built in!