These are the Best Alexa Skills for Amazon Echo devices you can use in 2022

Amazon’s Echo lineup has many great smart speakers that can make your lives easier by automating some everyday tasks. You can use these speakers to summon Amazon’s virtual voice assistant Alexa to automate day-to-day activities like turning off the lights. But there’s more to Alexa than simply checking on the weather or turning off the kitchen lights. Did you know that you can use Alexa Skills to get a lot more things done?

That’s right, there are thousands of skills in the Alexa Skills store that are capable of making Amazon’s digital assistant a lot more useful than you think. Not all the Alexa skills in the Skills store are worth checking out, of course. Well, we took one for the team to comb through thousands of Alexa skills to pick some of the best ones for you to try. Here’s a list of the best Alexa skills that you can use with your Amazon Echo speakers or any other Alexa-enabled devices in 2022:

Navigate this article:

• What are Alexa Skills?
• How to enable Alexa skills?
• Best Alexa skills

What are Alexa Skills?

Alexa skills, in general, refer to the individual capabilities of Amazon’s digital voice assistant. The skills allow Alexa to perform various tasks including answering your questions, controlling various smart devices at your home, and more. Alexa can do a lot of things on her own without having to install/enable a new skill from the Skills store. But, you will have to activate the ones developed by third-party developers manually via the Alexa app on your phone or from the Alexa web portal.

You can download the Alexa app on your smartphone using the download links below:

Amazon Alexa (Free, Google Play) →

‎Amazon Alexa (Free, App Store) →

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How to enable Alexa skills?

Here’s how to enable Alexa skills using the Alexa app on your smartphone:

• Open the Alexa app and select More from the menu at the bottom.
• Now, look for an option named Skills & Games and select it to enter the skills page.
• On the next page, choose the search button on the top and enter the name of the skill you want to install.
• Once you’re on the skill’s listing page, select the Enable to use option to enable the skill on your account.

Alternatively, you can also visit alexa.amazon.com on the web browser on your PC or Mac. After signing in, select the Skills option from the menu on the side and start browsing or searching for the skills you want to install.

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Best Alexa skills

Now that you know what Alexa skills are and how to enable them, let’s check some of the best Alexa skills out there right now.

Note: We’ve included both free as well as paid Alexa skills to this particular list. Also, a lot of the skills mentioned in this list may not be available in your region, so be sure to search for them in the Alexa skills store or find alternatives that work in your region.

Alexa Guard

Amazon’s Alexa Guard is a simple yet clever way to turn your Echo speaker into a security device that can listen to signs of trouble when you’re away from home. With Alexa Guard, your Echo speaker can listen to smoke and CO alarm sounds, glass break sounds, and even activity sounds via the microphone and sends alerts about the emergency on your smartphone. Additionally, Alexa can also turn on the smart lights in your house to make it look like you’re home if/when it hears the sound of someone breaking in or any other activity when you’re away.

You can also choose to subscribe to the Alexa Guard Plus which will allow you to call the emergency helpline hands-free from your Echo speaker. With Alexa Guard Plus, your Echo speaker can also make the sound of dogs barking or a siren when it detects an activity inside your home. You’ll obviously need a lot of Echo speakers — preferably one in each room of your house — along with other smart home devices for this to work. With Alexa Guard, all you have to say is, “Alexa, I am leaving“, to turn your Echo speaker into a DIY security device. Alexa Guard and the Alexa Guard Plus are only available in the US right now, so keep that in mind.

Get your daily news from Alexa

Alexa’s built-in news curator works very well to deliver the latest headlines from a bunch of reliable news sources. There are different ways to ask Alexa to read you the news. For instance, the “Alexa, play live news” command will pull in all the headlines from dozens of topics. But if you want to listen to sports news in specific, then you can say, “Alexa, play live sports news“. Additionally, you can also ask Alexa to curate headlines in your regional language too. In India, you can say, “Alexa, give me Tamil news“, to listen to the news in Tamil. The best thing about this skill is that there’s no need for a setup and it works automatically when you Alexa for news.

Amazon shopping with Alexa

In addition to helping you automate some of your day-to-day tasks, Alexa can also help you shop on Amazon with just your voice. From signing you up for Amazon’s Prime membership to adding items to your shopping cart, Alexa can be very handy for shopping. You can also just say, “Alexa, what are my deals?“, to make Alexa read out a bunch of Prime member-exclusive deals for you. You can choose to complete the purchase with just your voice or have Alexa add them to your cart for you to check out later. You can also visit Amazon’s voice shopping page to learn more commands that’ll help you shop on Amazon.

Get a detailed weather report with Big Sky

Alexa, as you probably already know, has built-in support for weather forecasts. This is probably one of the most used commands when it comes to smart speakers in general. But did you know that you can get a more detailed weather forecast from Alexa? The Big Sky is one of the best free Alexa skills you can use with your Echo speakers. With this skill enabled, Alexa can fetch you highly detailed weather reports. We’re talking up-to-the-minute weather report here. One of the best things about Big Sky is that it’ll give you forecasts based on your street address. All you have to do is enable the skill, link your account by entering your address, customizing metrics, and you’re good to go. Just say, “Alexa, ask Big Sky if it will rain” once you’ve enabled the skill and listen to a detailed weather report.

Listen to audiobooks

If you enjoy reading books but don’t have the time to sit back and pull out your Kindle or open a hardcover copy from your favorite author, then Alexa has got you covered. You simply ask Alexa to read you a book while you’re doing other things. A simple command like, “Alexa, read me a book“, will make Amazon’s digital voice assistant recite the book you’re currently reading or listening to on Audible. For those that don’t know, Audible is Amazon’s mobile audiobook service with a huge library of audiobooks. This is a great way to finish your books through an Alexa-enabled speaker.

Relaxing ambient noise

You deserve a good night’s sleep after a long day of work. if you’re having trouble falling asleep or you’re unable to take your mind off things and just relax, then Alexa can help you with that too. With the Ambient Noise skill, Alexa can play the soothing sounds of thunderstorms, rain, ocean, wind chimes, and more. Search for the Ambient Noise skill in the Alexa Skills store and enable it. You can say, “Alexa, ask Ambient Noise for a list“, and pick the one you feel like relaxing to.

Bedtime stories for kids

Yes, Alexa can help you put your kids to sleep with the Short Bedtime Story skill. One of the best things about this particular skill is that you can customize these stories for your children by putting their names in the story. You can do this by visiting the companion website, the link for which can be found within the description of the skill’s listing in the Alexa Skill store. Notably, you can also use the same website to disable any stories you don’t want your kids to hear. It’s a great skill for those who want to take some time off and let Alexa put the kids to sleep at night.

Manage Zoom meetings

Alexa can help you manage your Zoom meetings for you with the help of the Zoom companion skill. Once enabled, you can just say, “Alexa, ask Zoom to show my upcoming meetings“, to give you a glimpse of what your day looks like. The Zoom skill is meant to be used on your phone as your command can directly trigger Alexa to open the Zoom app on your phone. In addition to looking at your list of meetings for the day, you can also use this skill to start a new one or join an existing meeting to which you’ve been invited to join.

TED Talks with Alexa

If you like listening to podcasts and talk shows then you might want to check out the TED Talks Alexa skill. This skill, as the name suggests, will let you listen to TED Talks. You can just ask Alexa to find the TED Talk you want to listen and she’ll find the right one and start playing it over your Echo speaker or on your phone. If you don’t have a specific TED Talk in mind, then you can also specify the sort of TED Talk you want to listen to. Even a simple command like, “Alexa, ask TED Talks to find talks about fitness“, should work.

Get recipe ideas from Alexa

If you happen to have an Echo speaker or an Alexa-enabled device in your kitchen then it might be worth checking out the Easy Meal Ideas skill on the Alexa skill store. There’s no shortage of Alexa skills when it comes to cooking but the Easy Meal Ideas skill suggests some quick and easy recipes for you to try out.

Alexa as a workout buddy

If you lack the motivation to exercise at home, then you can use Alexa as your workout buddy with the help of a bunch of workout and fitness skills. With the 7-minute workout skill. you can use Alexa as your trainer. Once you enable this skill, you can simply say, “Alexa, start a 7-minute workout“, and start a 7-minute workout that includes some tested exercises.

This day in History

This particular skill will trigger Alexa to give you a quick rundown of noteworthy historical events that occurred on today’s date. This educational and reference skill works very well to pique your curiosity and keep your mind sharp. What’s more interesting about this skill is that you can either ask for the historical events that occurred on today’s date or specify a different date to Alexa.

Ask Alexa to clean your apartment

If you have one of the best robot vacuums that work with Alexa, then this skill is for you. Once your robot vacuum cleaner is set up and ready to go, you can trigger Alexa with command specific to your vacuum and send the robot to clean your house. This hands-off cleaning experience is supported by a bunch of robot vacuum cleaners on the market including the Dreame D9, the Shark ION AV751, and more.

Ask Alexa to schedule a meeting

This one might be a bit of a stretch but you can also ask Alexa to schedule a meeting with your contacts. Alexa will, however, need access to both yours as well as your contact’s calendar for this to work. Once given access to the calenders, Alexa can then suggest meeting times based on both of your schedules. The supported calendars for this particular skill include iCloud, Gmail, G Suite, Microsoft Office 365, Microsoft Outlook, and more.

Getting help during an emergency

The most valuable help, as they say, is the one that’s available to you when you need it. If you are in an emergency at your home and you don’t have access to your phone or can’t contact your emergency contact, then you can use the Ask My Buddy skill to alert someone in your Personal Alert Network. While this skill isn’t an alternative to 911 or a similar emergency service number in your region, it’ll ensure someone in your trusted network knows that you need help. You can choose to alert either just one contact or all your contact with a single command. Ask My Buddy will then send a text message, an email, and even a voice message to the contacts.

Start and prep your car for a drive

While this isn’t supported by all the cars, several auto brands let you start your vehicle remotely using Alexa. You’ll have to download the Alexa skill specific to your car for this to work, so keep that in mind. Hyundai’s supported cars, for instance, use the Hyundai Blue Link skill. Ford cars use the MyFord Mobile skill and more. In addition to remotely starting your vehicle, you can also use Alexa to lock and unlock your car’s doors, change the interior temperature, and more.

Ask Alexa to read tweets

This unofficial Twitter Reader skill can pull out the latest tweet of your celebrity or personality. You can use this particular skill to go through the tweets of pretty much anyone with an open profile. All you have to say is, “Alexa, ask Tweet Reader to read tweets of [your person of interest]”.

Play games with Alexa

You don’t always have to wake up Alexa to ask a burning question or to control your smart home. You can also play some fun games with Alexa and have a good time when you’re bored. There are a bunch of different games to choose from including Jeopardy, RuneScape, Twenty Questions, Magic 8-ball, and more. While some of these games like Jeopardy may require you to install a third-party skill, others like Twenty Questions and Magic 8-ball can be played directly without having to install anything new. Try asking Alexa to play a game of Twenty Questions with you now, it’s fun!

Other miscellaneous skills

A lot of Alexa skills, as we mentioned earlier, don’t require a manual activation via the Alexa app. Many of them are enabled by default and all you have to do is trigger them with your voice command.

• Ask Alexa to open a fortune cookie: Alexa can crack open a fortune cookie for you at any given time. All you have to say is, “Alexa, open a fortune cookie“.
• Ask Alexa to interview you: You can ask Alexa to conduct a mock interview for you if you’re about to tackle an interview in real life. Simply say, “Alexa, interview me”, to make Amazon’s digital voice assistant ask you questions that you may hear during a job interview.
• Alexa open stopwatch: This is perhaps one of the most basic skills you can use, but it may come in handy if/when you don’t have a smartphone or a stopwatch next to you.
• Alexa, open Deep Breath: This skill will take you through a deep-breathing exercise to reduce stress and make your body relax.
• Alexa, compliment me: What’s better than starting your day with a small piece of compliment from your very own digital voice assistant.

More Alexa Skills

While we’ve covered only a limited number of skills in this article, there are thousands of others available for Alexa. You can easily search them on your app, or head over to alexa.amazon.com to browse through a selection of categories. And if you think the Alexa Skills library doesn’t have the one you want, then you can also use the Alexa Blueprints portal to create your skills too.

Well, that brings us to the end of this particular topic. There are thousands of Alexa skills that are waiting to be explored, so be sure to check out the Alexa app or visit the Alexa portal to check the available skills. This is an ever-evolving list of Alexa skills, so be sure to bookmark this page and visit frequently to see the new additions. Also, if you think we missed any of your favorite or most used Alexa skills, then be sure to let us know by dropping a line in the comments below.

All these Alexa skills can be used on Echo speakers or any other Alexa-enabled devices. We tested these Alexa skills using an Echo Dot (4th gen) speaker, which we also think is a great option to consider if you’re new to the world of Alexa and smart speakers. Be sure to read our Echo Dor (4th gen) speaker review to learn more about this product.

Amazon Echo Dot (4th gen) speaker

Almost all the benefits of the full-sized Amazon Echo, including the full Alexa ecosystem, for a more wallet-friendly price.

Buy from Amazon

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How to connect your Windows computer to an Amazon Echo smart speaker

One of the best things about Amazon’s Echo smart speakers is that they don’t rely on your phone to operate. Once you are done setting up the Echo speaker, it can be operated entirely with your voice. From playing music from your preferred music streaming service to helping you get through your day-to-day tasks, your Echo speaker can do all that and more with just your voice. But did you know that you can also connect your Echo speakers via Bluetooth or a 3.5mm audio jack to your Windows computer? In this article, we’ll tell you how to connect your Windows computer to an Amazon Echo smart speaker in a few easy steps.

Connecting your Windows Computer to Amazon Echo

In this tutorial, we’ll show you how to connect an Echo Dot 4th gen speaker to your Windows computer. We’ll pair the Echo speaker to the Windows computer via Bluetooth and use it as an audio output device. If you don’t have a Bluetooth-enabled Windows computer, then you can also connect your Echo device to the Windows computer via a 3.5mm audio cable and use it as audio output. Either way, your Echo speaker will continue to stay connected to your home network and work with your voice for other commands, in addition to serving as an audio output device for your Windows computer.

How to connect your Windows computer to Amazon Echo

As far as the prerequisites are concerned, just make sure your Amazon Echo device is online and is registered to your account. You’ll also need a Bluetooth-enabled Windows computer for this to work, of course. Once you have everything you need, you’re all set to connect your Windows computer to Amazon Echo. Here’s how to do it:

• Open the web browser on your Windows computer and visit alexa.amazon.com to log in to your account.
• Now, select Settings in the sidebar menu on the left, then choose your Echo speaker from the list of devices.

• On the next page, select Bluetooth.

• After that, choose Pair a new device option to make Alexa search for available devices.

• As Alexa is searching for new Bluetooth devices, open the Bluetooth settings on your Windows computer and select Add device.

• Choose Bluetooth in the pop-up window, and select your Echo device in the list of devices.

• Simply select Done on the confirmation screen, and your computer will then be paired to your Echo speaker via Bluetooth. You will, however, have to go back to the Settings page on your computer and connect the speaker once again by pressing the three-dot icon to enable it as an audio output device.

Once the Echo speaker is connected to your computer via Bluetooth, you can start using it as an audio output device to listen to music, watch movies and TV shows, and more.

Alternatively, you can connect your Echo speaker with your Windows computer via a 3.5mm audio cable too. Your computer should recognize the Echo speaker as an audio output device which you can confirm by heading over to the Sound settings in Windows.

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These are two simple ways with which you can connect your Windows computer to your Echo speaker. With these methods, your Echo speaker will serve as an output device for your computer, and work independently with your voice commands too as long as it’s registered and connected to your home network.

We used an Echo Dot 4th gen speaker to connect to our Windows machine in this tutorial, but the process remains the same for other Echo devices too. This method won’t work for companion Echo devices such as the Echo Sub, but you should be fine as long as you’re using a standard Echo speaker that supports Bluetooth and has a 3.5mm port for the alternate connection. If you don’t have an Echo speaker and you’re confused between all the options, then we suggest you check out the Echo Dot speaker. It’s a great speaker to purchase for those who are new to the world of Echo speakers.

Amazon Echo Dot 4th gen speaker

The Echo Dot is a slimmed down Echo in almost every way, packing Alexa's power and decent quality sound into a tiny form factor.

Buy from Amazon

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MacBook Pro 13 (2022) vs MacBook Air 13 (2022): Which Apple M2 notebook should you buy?

Apple revealed the MacBook Pro 13 (2022) and MacBook Air (2022) during the main keynote of WWDC22. These latest additions to the great Mac line further prove that a slim form factor can still pack immense might. They’re both relatively thin and light, but they also differ in many aspect. For example, the MacBook Air takes advantage of the modern notebook design we first saw on the 14/16-inch MacBook Pro (2021) — which you can buy as refurbished for a cheaper price tag. Meanwhile the MacBook Pro 13 (2022) sticks to the classic chassis and misses out on the MagSafe port and thin bezels. This the MacBook Pro 13 (2022) vs MacBook Air 13 (2022) — the battle between two M2-powered Apple notebooks.

Navigate this article:

• Specifications
• Design
• Display
• Performance
• Bottom Line

Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) vs Apple MacBook Air 13 (2022): Specifications

	Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022)	Apple MacBook Air 13 (2022)
Processor	Apple M2 (8-Core CPU)	Apple M2 (8-Core CPU)
Graphics	Apple M2 (10-Core GPU)	Apple M2 (8-Core GPU) Apple M2 (10-Core GPU)
Body	11.97 x 8.36 x 0.61 inches 3lbs	11.97 x 8.46 x 0.44 inches 2.7lbs
Display	13.3-inch Retina display (2560 x 1600), up to 500 nits peak brightness, True Tone technology	13.6-inch Liquid Retina display (2560 x 1664), up to 500 nits peak brightness, True Tone technology
Ports	Two Thunderbolt 4 ports Headphone jack	Two Thunderbolt 4 ports MagSafe 3 port Headphone jack
Storage	256GB 512GB 1TB 2TB	256GB 512GB 1TB 2TB
Memory	8GB 16GB 24GB	8GB 16GB 24GB
Battery	58.2Whr battery Up to 20 hours of video playback 67W charger	52.6Whr battery Up to 18 hours of video playback 30W charger
Audio	Stereo speakers with wide stereo sound and spatial audio support when playing Dolby Atmos content	Four-speaker sound system with wide stereo sound and spatial audio support when playing Dolby Atmos content
Camera	720p FaceTime HD camera	1080p FaceTime HD camera
Connectivity	Wi-Fi 6 Bluetooth 5.0	Wi-Fi 6 Bluetooth 5.0
Color	Silver Space Gray	Silver Starlight Space Gray Midnight
Price	$1,299	Starts at $1,199

Design: Recycled ideas vs a fresh start

In the design department, the differences are pretty obvious. Back in 2021, Apple introduced a brand new notebook design, starting with the MacBook Pro 14/16 models. This change has finally made it to the Air line, with the MacBook Air 13 (2022) being the first to adopt it. The MacBook Pro 13 (2022), on the other hand, settles for the classic design from older MacBook Pro models. It features a Touch Bar but misses out on the MagSafe 3 charging port.

The MacBook Air is lighter and thinner. However, it has a slightly wider build due to its larger 13.6-inch display. Nonetheless, both devices share the same Thunderbolt 4 ports (two of them) and 3.5mm headphone jack. Notably, the Air features two additional finishes — Midnight and Starlight — while still offering Space Gray and Silver.

Display: Air has seen the light

A modern Apple redesign means a likely inclusion of The Notch somewhere. The MacBook Air 13 (2022)’s overhaul is no different. We get a slightly larger, notched 13.6-inch Liquid Retina display with notably thinner bezels. The MacBook Pro 13 (2022) sticks to the the 13.3-inch Retina display with large black bezels framing it in a very obvious manner. It’s shocking to see a device that looks as revolting in 2022, but the Cupertino overload clearly couldn’t care less.

Those seeking the modern-looking screen and bigger size should go for the MacBook Air 13 (2022). If you’d rather stare at the thick bezels instead of the notch, you can settle for the MacBook Pro 13 (2022) instead. Ultimately, both displays are decent in terms of clarity and brightness, with the MacBook Pro having a slightly higher pixel density (227ppi versus 224ppi).

Performance: Similar, yet different

Both the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) and MacBook Air 13 (2022) pack the all-new M2 chip. They both support the same memory and storage capacities. However, the MacBook Air has a fanless design. So it throttles the performance of the M2 when it starts heating up. On the other hand, the MacBook Pro has a dedicated cooling system to avoid the throttling. So if you plan on executing intensive tasks, go for the Pro. You also get two extra hours of video playback on a single charge if you go for the Pro model.

Bottom Line: The Air offers more for less

From many most perspectives, the MacBook Air 13 (2022) shines over the MacBook Pro 13 (2022) — despite being a $100 cheaper in the U.S. You might want to consider buying the Pro model if you plan on challenging the power of the M2 chip. Additionally, the Pro has a Touch Bar — which plenty of users’ workflows depend on. Otherwise, the Air has a larger display, thinner bezels, a better webcam, a MagSafe 3 charging port, a minimalistic design, more color options, a lower price tag, etc.

Personally, I will be going for the MacBook Air 13 (2022) rather than MacBook Pro 13 (2022). That’s because I don’t typically cause my Mac to overheat — even without a dedicated cooling system. As a result, I don’t need the resilience of a MacBook Pro, and I get to enjoy the cleaner design, Air-exclusive Midnight finish, MagSafe charging, and much more.

Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022)

The 2022 MacBook Pro 13-inch offers a classic design, reintroduces the Touch Bar, and packs the M2 chip.

View on Best Buy

Apple MacBook Air 13 (2022)

The 2022 MacBook Air offers the M2 chip and a redesigned chassis with MagSafe support. Best Buy can notify you when it's available.

View on Best Buy

Which Apple M2 notebook will you be buying, and why? Let us know in the comments section below.

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These are the best deals for the Apple MacBook Air M2 (2022)

Apple revealed the all-new MacBook Air (2022), along with macOS Ventura, during the main keynote of WWDC22. This welcome addition to the Mac lineup packs the latest M2 chip. This means apps for Apple silicon will perform best on this computer — as they’re specifically optimized for this processor. Apart from the upgraded M2 SoC, this MacBook features a more modern chassis design. It looks similar to that Apple introduced on the notched 2021 MacBook Pro models. Notably, it also adds new color options. The available finishes for the MacBook Air M2 (2022) are Midnight and Starlight — in addition to the familiar Space Gray and Silver. Now you must be wondering where you can buy this $1,199 Apple notebook from. These are the best deals for the MacBook Air M2 (2022).

The best MacBook Air M2 (2022) deals

Best Buy

The MacBook Air (2022)’s listing is live on Best Buy. It’s available in several hardware configurations, including finish and storage option varieties. Best Buy also allows you to pay through monthly installments — if you’re not ready to pay for it in one go.

Apple MacBook Air M2 (2022)

The MacBook Air M2 features a redesigned, modern chassis that reintroduces the MagSafe port. It's available in four colors to choose from, and you can view its listing on Best Buy.

View on Best Buy

Adorama

Adorama is also offering this new Mac in several configurations and colors to choose from. If it’s your retailer of choice, you can get 1,199 reward points if you buy the base model of the MacBook Air.

Apple MacBook Air M2 (2022)

The MacBook Air M2 features a redesigned, modern chassis that reintroduces the MagSafe port. It's available in four colors to choose from, and you can view its listing on Adorama.

View on Adorama

Apple Store

The Apple Store is the official place to get the MacBook Air from. It’s available in all finishes and hardware configurations. Additionally, you get to choose the physical keyboard’s language and have the company (for an additional fee) preload Final Cut Pro or Logic Pro. Lastly, you also get the option to pay through monthly installments, not to mention the 3% cash back if you purchase it with Apple Card.

Apple MacBook Air M2 (2022)

The MacBook Air M2 features a redesigned, modern chassis that reintroduces the MagSafe port. It's available in four colors to choose from, and you can view its listing on the Online Apple Store.

View on Apple

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It’s always a wise idea to buy new products — especially expensive ones — from authorized and official retailers. This way you’re guaranteed to receive a genuine, unused device. While some places might have tempting price tags, keep in mind that you mind end up with a fake product.

Which of the four MacBook Air finishes will you be going for? Let us know in the comments section below.

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Is the Amazon Kindle Paperwhite waterproof? Does it have an IP rating?

The Kindle Paperwhite is the best e-reader in the Kindle lineup, and for good reasons. It’s reasonably priced and is better than the barebones Kindle in almost all areas, featuring a sharper, brighter display, longer battery life, and a premium design. The newer Paperwhite 11th Gen has an even bigger display, and in some regards, it even beats the flagship Kindle Oasis, packing USB-C charging port and wireless charging support. But is the Kindle Paperwhite waterproof?

Is the Kindle Paperwhite waterproof?

The short answer is: yes, the Kindle Paperwhite is waterproof, with the term very loosely used here. The device has an IPX8 rating which makes it water-resistant. That means the Kindle Paperwhite can be safely used around water — if you understand the limitations. You can take it near a swimming pool, dunk it in a fish tank, and even wash it with tap water once in a while as part of your cleaning and maintenance routine. However, it’s also important to understand the limitation and caveats here. An IP rating doesn’t make a device immune to water, and the same is true for Kindle Paperwhite. Amazon notes that the Kindle Paperwhite can survive immersion in 2 meters deep water for up to 60 minutes and up to 0.25 meters of seawater for up to 3 minutes. However, it’s not recommended to immerse the device in salt water, soapy water, or other corrosive liquids.

Amazon Kindle Paperwhite 11th Gen

The new Kindle Paperwhite 11th Gen has a large 6.8-inch E Ink display, up to ten weeks of battery life and IPX8 water resistance.

Buy from Amazon

If your Kindle Paperwhite gets wet or is immersed in water, let it fully dry before attempting to charge it. Don’t use an external heat source to dry the device. Instead, let the device dry by standing it upright and keeping it in a well-ventilated area. You should also not expose the Kindle Paperwhite to pressurized water, high-velocity water, or extremely humid conditions.

And while the Kindle Paperwhite is water-resistant, it doesn’t have any protection against dust. But this isn’t a big deal and something that can be solved by putting on a folio case. Check out the best cases for the Kindle Paperwhite. And note that not all Kindle Paperwhite models are water-resistant. Only the Paperwhite 9th Gen, 10th, Gen, and 11th Gen models have an IPX8 rating.

Bottom line

So yes, the Kindle Paperwhite is water-resistant and can withstand water splash or a short immersion in fresh water. However, you should avoid exposing the device to saltwater and other corrosive liquids.

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One UI 4.1 update arrives on the Samsung Galaxy A22 5G and three other phones

Samsung is bringing Android 12 with One UI 4.1 to four more A-series smartphones this week, growing its portfolio of handsets that feature the latest version of Android. The devices being updated are the Galaxy A22 5G, Galaxy A21s, Galaxy A03s, and the Galaxy A02s.

Galaxy A22 5G

The 4G edition of the Galaxy A22 picked up the Android 12 update back in May. Now, the Galaxy A22 5G is receiving a taste of Android 12 with One UI Core 4.1 in the form of software version A226BXXU4BVF7. So far, it’s the SM-A226B variant to which the new build has started rolling out in Thailand and Malaysia.

Samsung Galaxy A22 5G XDA Forums

Galaxy A21s

It appears the Android 12 update for the Galaxy A21s is only available in Russia, Taiwan, and Hong Kong at the moment, but it should roll out to additional markets in the coming days. The latest firmware version is identified as A217FZHU8DVF6, which is meant for the SM-A217F model.

Samsung Galaxy A21s XDA Forums

Galaxy A03s and Galaxy A02s

The same update of Android 12 with One UI Core 4.1 is also rolling out to the Galaxy A03s (model number SM-A037F) and Galaxy A02s (model number SM-A025F, SM-A025M) in select regions. For the Galaxy A03s, the software version is A037FXXU1BVFB and it is available across several Asian countries. The Galaxy A02s, on the other hand, has received the new build in the form of build A025FXXU4CVF4 in Russia and A025MUBU4CVF4 in Panama.

Samsung Galaxy A02s XDA Forums

All of the updated firmware releases include the June 2022 security patch, according to the release notes. Notably, the aforementioned devices skipped One UI 4.0 and jumped directly to 4.1.

As always, the updates are rolling out in batches. Having said that, if you are no stranger to PC-based flashing, you can skip the waiting queue. To do so, grab the latest release directly from the company’s Firmware Update Server (FUS) and flash it manually on your Galaxy device.

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Source: Samsung Update Server (1, 2, 3, 4, 5)

The post One UI 4.1 update arrives on the Samsung Galaxy A22 5G and three other phones appeared first on XDA.

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How to connect your Android phone or an iPhone to an Amazon Echo smart speaker

In addition to playing music and managing a bunch of smart home devices, your Echo speaker can act as an audio output device for your smartphone. That’s right, you can connect your Android phone or an iPhone to your Echo speaker via Bluetooth to use it as a speaker. You can then use the Echo speaker to play media files that are stored on your phone or while watching a movie or a TV show. In case you wondering how to set that up, then here’s a step-by-step guide explaining how to connect your Android phone or an iPhone to Amazon Echo:

 Navigate this article:

• How to set up your Amazon Echo speaker
• How to connect your Android phone to Amazon Echo
• How to connect your iPhone to Amazon Echo

How to set up your Amazon Echo speaker

Before you can connect your Echo speaker to your Android phone or an iPhone, you’ll first have to make sure the speaker is set up and ready to go, meaning it’s registered to your account and is online. If you are new to the world of Echo speakers, then here’s how you can do it:

• Open the Amazon Alexa app on your phone and log in to your account. You can download the Alexa app for free on both Android and iOS using the links below:

Amazon Alexa (Free, Google Play) →

‎Amazon Alexa (Free, App Store) →

• After that, plug in your Echo speaker and open the app to see a pop-up telling you that your new speaker is ready for setup. Select continue to proceed with the setup.

• If you don’t see the pop-up, then open the app and select Devices from the menu at the bottom.
• Choose the Plus icon on the top right corner of the screen.
• After that, select Add Device option and choose Amazon Echo from the list.
• Now, simply follow the on-screen instruction to select the network and authenticate it to allow Alexa to register your device to your network.

The setup process for your Echo speaker is the same for both Android phones and iPhones, so you can follow the steps and screenshots shown above regardless of the phone you have. Once your Echo speaker is set up and ready to go, you can now follow the steps mentioned in the sections below to connect your Android phone or an iPhone to an Echo speaker.

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How to connect your Android phone to Amazon Echo

Before you can connect your Android phone to an Amazon Echo speaker, you need to make sure the speaker itself is registered to your network and is ready for a connection. If you navigated directly to this particular step without setting your Echo speaker then follow the steps mentioned in How to set up your Amazon Echo speaker section above, before connecting your Android phone.

• Now that your new Echo speaker is set up and ready to go, you can go back to the Devices section in the app and select Echo & Alexa option on the top.
• On this page, select your Echo speaker to open its settings page.
• Inside, you’ll see a status tab that’ll show you the Wi-Fi network and the Bluetooth devices to which the speaker is connected.
• Tap on the Status tab and select the Bluetooth Devices option on the next page.

• Select Pair a new device option to make Alexa search for new Bluetooth devices.
• As Alexa is searching for new devices, go to the Bluetooth settings on your phone and look for new Bluetooth devices.
• Select your Echo speaker and accept the pairing request to pair your Echo speaker.

You can now use your Echo device as a Bluetooth speaker for your Android phone. Also, the next time you want to connect your phone to the speakers via Bluetooth, you can simply ask Alexa to connect to your phone. In this case, we can just, “Alexa, connect to Karthik’s S22 via Bluetooth” to connect instead of going through a manual process.

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How to connect your iPhone to Amazon Echo

To connect your iPhone to an Amazon Echo speaker, you first have to make sure your speaker is set up and ready to go. If it’s not, then follow the steps mentioned in the How to set up your Amazon Echo speaker section above to register your speaker to the network.

Once the speaker is online, follow these simple steps to connect your iPhone to the Echo speaker via Bluetooth:

• Select your Echo speaker from the Devices section and choose the connect a device option to start pairing with your iPhone.
• Now, select the Pair a new device option to make Alexa search for devices.

 

• While the assistant is searching for new Bluetooth devices, go to the Bluetooth settings in your iPhone and select your Echo speaker to connect.
• Once connected, you’ll see your iPhone in the list of paired devices in the Alexa app.

And that’s it, you’ve now successfully connected your iPhone to your Echo speaker, meaning it’s now ready to output audio from your iPhone.

We used an Echo Dot 4th gen speaker in this tutorial, but the process is essentially the same for all the Echo speakers. Alternatively, you can also connect your Android phone or iPhone to your Echo speaker using a 3.5mm cable. A lot of the new Android and iOS devices, however, don’t have a headphone jack, so you may not be able to use this method without a dongle.

Amazon Echo Dot 4th gen speaker

Almost all the benefits of the full-sized Amazon Echo, including the full Alexa ecosystem, for a more wallet-friendly price.

Buy from Amazon

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