Amazon Echo offers users a plethora of handy functionality thanks to its built-in Alexa virtual assistant.
However, the tech giant has severely upped the ante for the Christmas period thanks to a deluge of fresh features that will ignite the festive spirit inside even the biggest Scrooge.
First of all, Amazon has partnered with NORAD to allow users to ask the smart speaker “where’s Santa?”.
After the question has been asked, the smart speaker will state exactly where the tubby toymaker is on his voyage to deliver toys and happiness across the globe.
Today, Christmas Eve, your Amazon Echo will also give hourly updates for the location of Santa.
It is worth noting parents will need to enable the Kids Skill Toggle on their devices to make the most of the NORAD integration.
Amazon has also announced a list of unique commands and questions that can be given to Echo devices that will result in relevant responses.
They are:
• Do you believe in Santa Claus?
• Who’s on the naughty list?
• Sing Auld Lang Syne
• What do you want for Christmas?
• What are you doing for New Year?
• Open the advent calendar
• How ugly is your Christmas jumper?
• Sing your new Christmas song
• Sing a Christmas carol
• Sing Jingle Bells
• Read ‘Twas the night before Christmas’
• How many sleeps until Christmas?
• Where’s Santa?
• Tell me a Christmas story
• I wish it could be Christmas every day
• Is Die Hard a Christmas movie?
• What’s the best Christmas movie?
• What’s the worst Christmas movie?
Moreover, the Amazon Echo Show is also able to provide handy recipes so you can make fitting treats for the entire family on Christmas Day.
The retail giant explained: “After something festive? Just ask ‘Alexa, give me a mince pie recipe,’ or ‘Alexa, give me a Yule log recipe’.
“This Christmas, take away the stress of festive food preparation with a little help from Alexa; simply ask your Echo Show for recipes by ingredient, dish name or cooking method, and get instant access to some of the world’s top recipes, courtesy of BBC Good Food.
“There’s no need to touch the screen with wet or dirty hands, all you need is your voice to cue the next steps in the recipe, and you can even set handy timers as you go along.
“To resume your cooking session just say, ‘Alexa, go back to recipe’.”
One of the most important features is the ability for Alexa to announce to the entire family when Christmas dinner is ready.
If Echo owners say “Alexa, announce that Christmas lunch is ready”, every Echo device around the house will make a fitting announcement so everyone can make their way to the dining table.
Finally, the virtual helper is also able to conduct a “Christmas movie quiz” that will surely make for laudable entertainment before you watch some Christmas classics.
Amazon continued: “Everyone loves a good Christmas Movie – but how closely have you been paying attention over the years?
“Test yourself by asking ‘Alexa, open Christmas Movie Quiz,’ and settle age-old debates with the help of Alexa, such as whether or not Die Hard is a Christmas film, if The Grinch really is the villain, and many more!”
Every Echo feature mentioned above is available to owners right now.