BUDGET BUYS
●TIPS & TRICKS
●Fed up of yelling? Alexa’s voice can work like an intercom with connected Echo devices.
●Alexa Voice Shopping lets you order from Amazon; add a ‘voice code’ to keep the kids off.
●Dot at your bedside? Saying “Alexa, turn on whisper mode” will stop it waking up sleepyheads.
1
HOT BUY
1 Amazon Echo Dot (4th Gen) from £50 / stuff.tv/Dot
This fabric-covered take on Marvin the paranoid android in disguise as a Magic 8-Ball feels playful yet classical. It can’t match a full-size smart speaker for audio, but as a little radio and an Alexa assistant for the bedside table or kitchen worktop, this cutey gets the job done. It’s worth paying £10 more for the ‘with Clock’ version, which adds extra functionality beyond telling the time.