Got a new Alexa device? It can be Amazon Echo, Amazon Echo Dot or Amazon Tap. The Amazon Echo has garnered great acclaim since its launch last year. It is important to know the functions of your new smart assistant. This is how you can exploit it to all its benefits and use it to its full potential. Echos’ virtual assistant, Alexa, can do many amazing things at your command. Now, there are two ways to use it. You can waste your precious productive time playing with it or read the main benefits here.

Here we list the 7 best things you can do with the Amazon Echo.

1. Call your contacts

Amazon Echo brings traditional land lines back to work. The wizard allows you to call any number in your contact list. You can use your Alexa device to make a voice call to any of your contacts who also have the device. Plus, you can even leave a message if the person doesn’t respond. Currently, the wizard does not offer any option to block specific numbers.

2. Eat your meals and more

Echo is not limited to ordering on Amazon. Now you can also use Alexa to order other things. It incorporates Amazon’s two-hour daily delivery system. For now, the service is only available in a few select cities and is valid for everyday items and other household items. However, there are some cities where you can also order food and even alcohol.

3. Plan your day

This is without a doubt the most important feature. Yes, Alexa can help you plan your day. I eat? The modern smart assistant informs you about the weather outside her house and events around the world. She can have a complete overview of the day and a quick summary of the news around her. Furthermore, you can also check your to-do list for the day. With these features, you can plan and choose your clothes and events according to your schedule.

4. Make your home smarter

Amazon Echo can easily turn your home into a smart home. Alexa is equipped with a smart home tool that allows you to master most of your smart home operations. So now with Alexa, you can turn your lights on and off and even change the colors of your lights. In addition, you can change the temperature of your room according to your preferences. Also, you can easily control all the door locks in your home. And that’s not all. Alexa can control everything smart in your home.

5. Read without reading

Alexa can help you “read” various books without actually reading them. Another Amazon-powered feature included in Alexa is ‘Audible’. It reads audio books to you while you are busy doing other things. The book stays in sync across multiple devices to let you pick up where you last left off. You can play or pause a book, skip forward or backward 30 seconds, and even set a timer for play or pause.

6. Play your choice of music

Alexa can play just about any music or song you fancy. Although the default music player for Alexa is obviously Amazon’s player, Amazon isn’t that stubborn. Alexa allows you to set up your own music services like Spotify or other similar apps. So all you have to do is set your favorite music service as Alexa’s default, and you’re ready to rock and roll. Your assistant is smart enough to find and play your favorite music or song from its catalogue.

7. Make him do anything

Alexa connects to many devices, but not all. There are quite a few devices that are not compatible with your smart assistant. But that doesn’t mean you can’t control them. You can train your assistant to do more. The feature that allows your Alexa to connect with unsupported apps, devices, and websites is called IFTTT. Although unsupported devices can’t be controlled with voice commands to Alexa, you can still schedule your assistant for various tasks using IFTTT.

Here are our picks for the best things your Amazon Echo can do for you. Other than these, the wizard has a plethora of features. You can get to know all of them over a period of time by using it. So be smart and get the Amazon Echo.