Alexa/Google Home

Setting up and using the Alexa and Google Home Smart Speakers

Alexa

Once the Alexa device is fully set up, connected to the WiFi and ready to go, the enable command can be used using your voice. “Alexa enable Talking Newspapers”, then follow the prompts given by Alexa, until confirmation is provided that the skill has been enabled.

The command once the skill is enabled is “Alexa open Talking Newspaper”, this will open the skill. Additionally, you can directly access the newspaper you want in Alexa. You can say “Alexa Ask Talking Newspaper for Rotherham Talking Newspaper” or “Alexa Ask Talking Newspaper for Rotherham Talking Magazine”. This will immediately play the talking newspaper recording selected.

Once the skill is open the intro message will be played, this will vary as the skill gets more used to the user. For the first time of opening or if the skill has not been used for a while, you will hear the standard welcome message, the user will then be asked for a Talking Newspaper name or the name of a town or city in the UK.

If having listened to a newspaper you return in any 24-hour period, Alexa will ask if you want to carry on listening, just say yes to carry on, or no to browse a different recording. If you listen to a regular recording then after a period the skill will recognise this, Alexa will say Welcome back to Talking Newspapers I can see that you have been enjoying listening to (recording name). Do you want to listen to this newspaper?’ You can simply say yes to play or no to browse others.

Moving between tracks, both “Alexa next track” and “Alexa previous track” can be used to move between tracks where there is more than one track for the publication you are listening to. You can use the pause/stop or play functions whilst listening to any publication, ask “Alexa Pause” or “Alexa Stop” to stop the publication from playing, then maybe “Alexa Play” to resume playing. Or “Alexa Cancel” to completely exit from the skill.

Google Home

Once the Google device is fully set up, connected to the WiFi and ready to go, you don’t need to enable the skill to use this, it can just be opened. The command to open the skill is “Hey Google Talk to Talking Newspaper”, this will open the skill. 

Once the skill is open the intro message will be played, you will hear the standard welcome message, the user will then be asked for a Talking Newspaper name or town or city in the UK.

If you listen to a regular newspaper after a period the skill will recognise this, Alexa will say Welcome back to Talking Newspapers I can see that you have been enjoying listening to (newspaper name). Do you want to listen to this newspaper?’ You can simply say yes to play or no to browse others. 

Moving tracks, both “Hey Google next track” and “Hey Google previous track” can be used to move been tracks where there is more than one track for the publication you are listening to. You can use the pause/stop or play functions whilst listening to any publication, ask “Hey Google Pause” or “Hey Google Stop” to stop the publication from playing, then maybe “Hey Google Play” to resume playing. Or “Hey Google Cancel” to completely exit from the skill.

Currently there is no ability for Google to remember the position, nor to gather data on the users’ habits. Suggestions and bookmarks are not available on the Google Skills currently, this may change in the future.