How to bring holiday spirit
to life with ‘smart’ speaker
Picture this: you’re in the middle of preparing a batch of sugar cookies, hands covered in flour, while also stirring a pot simmering on the stove for dinner.
A Wi-Fi enabled smart speaker, such as Amazon Echo or Google Nest, could come in handy. These devices connect to your internet and make good kitchen companions.
The holiday season is an especially great time to make use of that smart speaker you already have or to buy or gift a new one. Use it as a hands-free timer, to play your favorite holiday tunes, start preheating your oven, as a recipe assistant, and more – all without washing your hands in between!
Ways to use the speaker
Hands-Free Timer – A must-have for multitaskers, smart speakers offer unlimited options for hands-free timers and reminders. With a simple voice command, set a timer for the cookies in the oven or a reminder to check the pot on the stovetop while you attend other holiday tasks. This means no more juggling between tasks or worrying about overcooking.
Play Holiday Music – Music plays a powerful role during the holidays. Smart speakers can provide an enjoyable playlist for your cooking or baking session or anytime. Many songs are readily available for all users, while some specific tunes may require a music subscription through a service like Apple, Spotify, or YouTube.
Control the Lights – The holiday magic doesn’t end there. Smart speakers can also help create the perfect holiday atmosphere. Add ‘smart’ light bulbs to your fixtures and turn them on and off or adjust the brightness or color with a voice command to your smart speaker.
Recipe Assistant – Grandma’s recipes may be your favorite, but there are millions of recipes being shared online, as well. For those, your smart speaker can recite step-by-step instructions for you as you work. It can also let you know those last few ingredients on the fly.
Preheat Your Oven – While your current appliances may not have this option, many new appliances sold today offer online connectivity. Add those to your ‘smart’ home and tell your smart speaker to preheat your oven to a certain temperature, delay the start until a certain time, or remain on for a set duration.
Now with a little help from your smart speaker connected to other smart devices, you’ve got dinner done, cookies in the oven, your kitchen lights dimmed, and holiday music playing on that same speaker. After the initial setup all it took was some voice commands and a little practice.
Smart speakers can also control your holiday lights and other smart appliances. For more information about these options read A Smart Home Will Make Your Holidays Merry, Bright, and Secure or Smart Gifts for the Holidays also found on this Golden West Exchange website.
Golden West does not endorse any product or service it does not sell.
