hey, Alexa....
November 30, 2017 8:04 AM Subscribe
My brother in law is in love with his Alexa. Are there cheapish ($50) gadget-toy stupid things that he can hook up to the Alexa system that aren't serious "smart home" items? (He already has a bunch of Hue lightbulbs.) Nothing practical or useful like monitors or hubs or thermostats. Something frivolous and silly.
I wish! But you could always do a smart plug (~$10) and anything fun that could plug into the wall! (I'm thinking a tennis ball serve practicer)
posted by bbqturtle at 8:42 AM on November 30, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by bbqturtle at 8:42 AM on November 30, 2017 [1 favorite]
They don't seem to be selling the Alexa-compatible Big Mouth Billy Bass yet that I can find, but when they do, it'll be the platonic ideal of frivolous and silly Alexa devices.
posted by radwolf76 at 8:48 AM on November 30, 2017 [5 favorites]
posted by radwolf76 at 8:48 AM on November 30, 2017 [5 favorites]
You could encourage him to embed the Echo itself into a Furby.
Frivolous? Check.
Silly? Check.
The stuff of nightmares? Also check.
[Apologies, tapir-whorf was way ahead of me here]
posted by giraffeneckbattle at 8:54 AM on November 30, 2017 [2 favorites]
Frivolous? Check.
Silly? Check.
The stuff of nightmares? Also check.
[Apologies, tapir-whorf was way ahead of me here]
posted by giraffeneckbattle at 8:54 AM on November 30, 2017 [2 favorites]
Echo Buttons (which are due for release on December 11th) -- play games by hitting light-up Alexa-compatible buttons. Frivolous: yes; silly: yet to be determined.
Rhapsody String Lights that can be voice-controlled through Alexa, and will (supposedly) be able to blink in tune with music played through Alexa (once they get a software/firmware update); Frivolous: yes; silly: firmware contingent.
posted by cjelli at 8:59 AM on November 30, 2017 [3 favorites]
Rhapsody String Lights that can be voice-controlled through Alexa, and will (supposedly) be able to blink in tune with music played through Alexa (once they get a software/firmware update); Frivolous: yes; silly: firmware contingent.
posted by cjelli at 8:59 AM on November 30, 2017 [3 favorites]
Amazon has a skull-shaped stand for the Echo Dot. Also an owl and a snowman.
posted by elphaba at 9:16 AM on November 30, 2017
posted by elphaba at 9:16 AM on November 30, 2017
I know people who have plugged electric mattress warmers into smart outlets, but our mattress came with instructions that said such a thing would damage the fancy topper, so YMMV.
posted by fedward at 9:27 AM on November 30, 2017
posted by fedward at 9:27 AM on November 30, 2017
In the same vein as elphaba, a pretty...catalog-worthy....cherub stand exists for echo dots.
posted by mosst at 11:26 AM on November 30, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by mosst at 11:26 AM on November 30, 2017 [1 favorite]
From Jim Beam: "JIM," The World's First Intelligent Bourbon Decanter. But apparently out of stock.
posted by ShooBoo at 3:33 PM on November 30, 2017
posted by ShooBoo at 3:33 PM on November 30, 2017
I just ordered the rhapsody lights linked above-on sale if ordered through Alexa. They look super fun-Christmas lights that you can turn on and off, brighten, change colors, and set to themes like Valentine’s Day.
posted by purenitrous at 9:41 PM on November 30, 2017
posted by purenitrous at 9:41 PM on November 30, 2017
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by tapir-whorf at 8:25 AM on November 30, 2017 [5 favorites]