The Amazon Echo Show (2nd Gen) is what would be considered the premier device in the Echo family of products. It's more than just a smart speaker; it's a 10-inch display that can help you out no matter where you are. No matter where you are in the home, the Echo Show is a versatile device that can supplement your life in myriad ways. Here are three things that we believe will enhance your Amazon Echo Show experience for the better.
Watch your favorite streamer on Twitch
Did you know that you can use the Echo Show to watch your favorite streamer when they're live? The Twitch Alexa skill can help with that. Whether you're catching some games of Apex Legends with Shroud, watching Thursday Night Football during the NFL regular season, or lurking in your favorite streamer's channel, having the Amazon Echo Show run Twitch is an easy way to keep up with content.
Here's what you'll need for this to work:
- Amazon Echo Show (2nd Gen) or a Fire Tablet like the Amazon Fire HD 10 Tablet
- The Amazon Alexa App
- Twitch Skill
The setup is as simple as searching for the Twitch skill in your Alexa app. Once the skill is enabled, link your Twitch account to the Alexa skill, and you can begin watching your favorite streams on your Echo Show. To get notifications on your Echo Show for when one of your followed streamers goes live, make sure you go into the settings for the Twitch skill, and enable Alexa Notifications. Don't forget to go into your Twitch account on the web and enable notifications for the streams you want to catch live.
Teach me how to cook a new meal
There are many recipe skills for Alexa that you can utilize to help out while in the kitchen. My personal favorite is the Food Network kitchen skill, which gives you access to thousands of recipes and on-demand shows. Using it can help boost your culinary confidence and expose you to new foods that you may not have discovered on your own. You can also have Alexa read and display the ingredients and instructions.
Here's what you'll need for this to work:
- Amazon Echo Show (2nd Gen) or a Fire Tablet like the Amazon Fire HD 10 Tablet
- The Amazon Alexa App
- Food Network Kitchen Skill
Setting up the Food Network Kitchen Skill is as easy as finding and enabling the skill from your Alexa app, and providing your email for recipes to be sent to you. Use your Echo Show or Show Mode device to search the expansive database to help you discover a new dish for your family or a new ingredient that you can incorporate into your cooking.
Just checking on the little ones
Did you know that you can use your Echo Show as a baby monitor? You can stream video between Echo Show devices to keep tabs on your baby or toddler as they're sleeping.
Here's what you'll need for this to work:
- Two of either the Amazon Echo Show (2nd Gen) or a Fire Tablet like the Amazon Fire HD 10 Tablet
- The Amazon Alexa App
Once you set up Alexa's Drop-In feature in the Alexa app for the devices that you'll be using, you can easily check in on the little ones by saying Alexa, Drop-In. Once you select which device to drop in on, you can peek in to make sure your young one is sleeping fine.
Beyond checking in on the little one to see if they're sleeping, you can also use the drop-in feature to gently remind your toddler that they should be sleeping if they're up late at night playing with their toys on a school night.
Some additional products to enhance your experience
ecobee4 Smart Thermostat ($200 at Amazon)
The ecobee4 has Alexa built-in, and as such, it plays fabulously well with any of your Echo devices. Ecobee even includes a separate room sensor with the ecobee4 so that it can attune its controls to keep the proper temper for both ends of your house.
Amazon Smart Plug ($25 at Amazon)
Adding voice control to any outlet is an inexpensive way to make your dumb product smart, and the Amazon Smart Plug is the best way to kick start your smart home experience.
Ring Video Doorbell ($129 at Amazon)
The Ring Video Doorbell works with your Echo Show devices to show you who is near your doorbell, so you can keep an eye on who is coming to visit.
