Current:Home > ContactAlexa and Siri to the rescue: How to use smart speakers in an emergency -ProfitMasters Hub
Alexa and Siri to the rescue: How to use smart speakers in an emergency
View
Date:2025-04-24 23:01:15
Smart speakers tell you the weather, play music, answer trivia questions, help you prank your spouse (more on that at the end), and they just might save your life one day.
Make sure you know these commands to get help in an emergency by heart.
Let’s start with the most popular
Amazon’s Echo line of smart speakers and voice assistant Alexa cannot call 911 for you. They won't reliably report your location and don't offer a callback number, so they don't meet the standard requirements. You have two options:
- Set up an emergency contact to get notified if something is wrong. In the Alexa app on your phone, tap More > Communicate, then tap the two-person icon (top right). This takes you to your “Contacts” screen. Here, tap the three-dot icon at the top right, then tap Emergency Contact to pick one. Now, to use this feature, just say, “Alexa, call for help” or “Alexa, call my emergency contact.”
- Pay for it. Alexa’s Emergency Assist plan costs $5.99 a month or $59 for a year if you have a Prime membership. Add up to 25 emergency contacts, and it’ll put you through to an agent who can call emergency services for you. The command is the same: “Alexa, call for help.”
If you’re in the Google-verse
Google Nest speakers don't let you specify an emergency contact, but you can call anyone in your Google Contacts list.
◾ From the Google Home app on your phone, tap the gear icon, then Communication > Video & Voice Apps to make sure everything's set up. You can then just say, "Hey, Google, call [name of the person you want to speak to].”
With Nest Aware ($8 a month or $80 a year), you’ll get direct 911 access, but the feature’s really designed to serve more as a security system for when you're out.
◾ In your Google Home app, tap the gear icon, then Subscriptions > Nest Aware > Emergency calling.
◾ You can then reach 911 from any speaker screen in the app. Tap the three-lined menu button (top left) > E911 > Call Emergency Services.
And if you’re an Apple person …
You can tell the Apple HomePod, "Hey, Siri, call 911." Easy.
Here’s the caveat: The speaker must be connected to an iPhone for this feature to work. If the HomePod can't find the iPhone used to set it up, it'll look for any other iPhones on the same Wi-Fi network to do the job.
Now that we have the serious stuff out of the way, a prank
Say, “Hey, Alexa, speaker slower,” while no one’s around, then give it the same command again. Enjoy watching the rest of your household wonder what the heck is wrong with Alexa. Say, “Alexa, speak at your default rate” to return to normal.
My fave Alexa prank of all time is training it to respond to specific questions a certain way:
◾ When my husband, Barry, asks Alexa about the weather outside our home in Santa Barbara, she says, “Look out the window. You live in a glass house.”
◾ I told my son, Ian, to ask Alexa, “Who’s the best mom in the world?” Alexa now replies, “I would say Mother Theresa, but, in looking at traditional mothers, there is no doubt that person is Kim Komando. Now, go empty the dishwasher.”
Take a minute to think about how far we’ve come. This is an example of how tech can literally save your life – if you know how to adjust those settings. Do the people you care about a favor and pass this along.
The views and opinions expressed in this column are the author's and do not necessarily reflect those of USA TODAY. Learn about all the latest technology on the Kim Komando Show, the nation's largest weekend radio talk show. Kim takes calls and dispenses advice on today's digital lifestyle, from smartphones and tablets to online privacy and data hacks. For her daily tips, free newsletters and more, visit her website.
veryGood! (6828)
Related
- New Zealand official reverses visa refusal for US conservative influencer Candace Owens
- A Tennessee House panel advances a bill that would criminalize helping minors get abortions
- A new exhibition aims to bring Yoko Ono's art out of John Lennon’s shadow
- Kelly Link's debut novel 'The Book of Love' is magical, confusing, heartfelt, strange
- Juan Soto praise of Mets' future a tough sight for Yankees, but World Series goal remains
- Amazon founder Jeff Bezos just saved millions on a recent share sale. Here's how.
- Ben Affleck, Tom Brady, Matt Damon star in Dunkin' Super Bowl commercial
- Human remains and car found in creek linked to 1982 cold case, North Carolina police say
- DoorDash steps up driver ID checks after traffic safety complaints
- Hundreds of nonprofit newsrooms will get free US election results and graphics from the AP
Ranking
- What to watch: O Jolie night
- Engagements are set to rise in 2024, experts say. Here's what's driving people to tie the knot.
- U.S. sanctions Iran Central Bank subsidiary for U.S. tech procurement and violating export rules
- Kansas City parade shooting shows gun violence danger lurks wherever people gather in US
- Skins Game to make return to Thanksgiving week with a modern look
- Louisiana lawmaker proposes adding nitrogen gas and electrocution to the state’s execution methods
- 4 students shot at Atlanta high school campus parking lot; no arrests
- 'Bridgerton' Season 3 teaser: Penelope confronts 'cruel' Colin, gets a new suitor
Recommendation
Off the Grid: Sally breaks down USA TODAY's daily crossword puzzle, Triathlon
Former U.S. ambassador accused of spying for Cuba for decades pleads not guilty
Move over, Mediterranean diet. The Atlantic diet is here. Foods, health benefits, explained
Australia's 'Swiftposium' attracts global intellectuals to discuss Taylor Swift
A White House order claims to end 'censorship.' What does that mean?
Virginia Utilities Seek Unbridled Rate Adjustments for Unproven Small Modular Nuclear Reactors in Two New Bills
Bill would let Atlantic City casinos keep smoking with some more restrictions
California mansion sits on edge of a cliff after after Dana Point landslide: See photos