They can open up a whole new world of uses for enterprise Echo devices. And since it's relatively easy to create new skills, developers aren't shy about having fun with the technology. Along with more serious endeavors, there are some really weird Alexa skills to try.
Here's a selection of the weirdest Alexa skills you can activate right now.
Say "Alexa, open Chewbacca Chat".
This unofficial Star Wars skill brings the sweet tones of everyone's favorite Wookie to your Amazon voice assistant. Tell him what you think, and he'll respond with some of the best Chewbacca lines (if you can call them that) from the movies.
You can also ask questions, and for some of them, Alexa will provide a translation of Chewie's response.
You can test your Star Wars knowledge by trying to find the six hidden Easter eggs. Say, "Alexa, ask Chewbacca Cat about Easter Eggs" to learn more.
Say, “Alexa, open Skyrim”.
According to Bethesda Games Studios, it's "the version of Skyrim you never saw coming...on the platform you never asked for." The developer promises the chance to “burn spiders”, “chase butterflies” and “walk straight up a mountain instead of around”.
Sometimes that tongue-in-cheek tone extends to the skill itself, a core adventure game set in the Skyrim universe. One of the first enemies you might encounter is an "adoring fan" whose attacks consist of unwanted hugs.
Most of the time, though, it plays like other Alexa games you can play on your Echo, with magic, swords, and more. But that only makes things more fun when you pick up a new sword and the game says "Ooh brilliant!" »
Say, "Alexa, play the sad trombone"
The sad trombone is the well-worn "womp womp" sound effect used in countless movies and TV shows to signify failure. With this Alexa skill, you can summon it at will.
That's all he does. Not exactly fancy but perfect for when someone in your household travels, drops something, or suffers some other unexpected but hilarious calamity.
Say, “Alexa, open Rimshot”.
Aside from loud moans, nothing follows a bad joke quite like a rimshot. It's the classic "badum-tish" drum effect that comes directly after a punchline.
And that's what this skill does:it plays a sample of that sound effect. Simple and fun for everyone – except those who need to hear your jokes.
Say, “Alexa, play a random Bane quote.”
Are you excited to hear snippets of Tom Hardy's indecipherable mumbling in The Dark Knight Rises? So good news. This skill offers over 100 audio clips of the famous Batman villain. You can request a random quote or several in a row.
Say, “Alexa, open My Fish Feeder. »
If you have trouble remembering to feed your fish, this skill is for you. Just ask him if you've ever fed your fish and he'll tell you.
What's weird is that this skill only remembers a Yes/No state. At feeding time, you must tell My Fish Feeder "feed my fish". It then remembers that you are ready to put it down later in the day.
Extremely simple, but maybe useful if you have a memory like a fish.
Say, "Alexa, open Roast Me."
Roast Me is one of many Alexa skills that offers insults on demand. The target in this case is you.
The jokes aren't particularly biting or even funny, but it's a fun distraction for a few minutes. After each roast, he'll ask you if you want more, asking you to say things like "Bring it on" or "Give me that tough love."
Say, “Alexa, open the filter bubble”.
Nobody likes to be told they're wrong. And with Filter Bubble, that should never happen.
It is essentially a virtual yes. Open it up and tell it what you believe, about absolutely anything (it's not really listening). Alexa will then respond with a firm affirmation of your views, so you can stay safe in your own personal echo chamber.
"You are so right! »
Yes, we know, thank you very much.
Say, “Alexa, open Fortune Cookie”.
This skill claims to offer thousands of authentic fortune cookie quotes. Among them are pearls such as "Today your charm will make them sing like birds" and "An empty stomach is not a good political adviser".
All the fake wisdom without any crumbly mess.
Say, “Alexa, open Lee Neilson. »
The barrier to entry for Alexa Skills developers is extremely low. According to Amazon, you can develop a skill in less than an hour.
As a result, there are many useless and low-quality skills in the Alexa Skills store. Lee Neilson is a prime example. However, it's also quite charming, in its own simplistic way.
Made by the owner of a UK-based web design company, it just says "Hello from Lee Neilson".
Back to you, Lee.
Say, “Alexa, open My Pet Cat”.
Get your very own virtual (and invisible) feline with My Pet Cat. First, choose a color for your cat and a name. Then you can feed him, bathe him, walk him or let him take a nap. You can even take it on adventures, running into battles with dogs and other cats.
Over time, your cat can learn new skills, and it will grow and increase as you take care of it.
Best of all, there are no vet bills or fleas.
Say, "Alexa, open Chuck Norris Fan Facts." »
Did you know that Chuck Norris' phone doesn't have autocorrect because no one corrects Chuck Norris? This is just one of the many interesting facts this skill can tell you about Mr. Norris.
Of course, these "facts" are a joke. They are part of the long-running Internet phenomenon "Chuck Norris facts", which celebrates the famed martial artist's supposedly superhuman abilities.
With this skill, you can scramble new facts about Norris whenever you want.
Say, “Alexa, open Chip Facts”.
All this skill does is give you a random fact about crisps, Britain's national dish.
Related:BritBox vs Acorn TV:Which is Best for UK TV?
Unfortunately, its fact database seems to be extremely limited, repeating the same facts over and over again. Yet, we learned that “Americans call fries fried, but Belgians call them Belgian fries”.
Fascinating.
Say, “Alexa, open Celery Man. »
The Celery Man skill will have many people scratching their heads. It accepts commands such as "Add Oyster Sequence" and "Ask Celery Man if I can see a hat wobbling", playing weird sound effects in response.
This doesn't make sense to most people, but for the right people, this skill makes perfect sense. Celery Man is a bizarre sketch comedy starring Paul Rudd from the Tim and Eric Awesome Show. His popularity on YouTube led Celery Man to become a meme, like so many things, and that led to this Alexa skill.
None of these weird Alexa skills are particularly useful. Only My Pet Cat and Skyrim Very Special Edition have real long-term value, as they save your progress. And prank skills are fun but not exactly hilarious. So why bother to enable them?
Simply, they provide easy throwing fun, and they are all completely free. It's the kind of silly stuff that's nice to share with others, even if you turn it off soon after.
So give them a try, because you have nothing to lose. And if you want some really useful Alexa skills, there are plenty to try, too.
