Worried about what you’re going to get mom for Mother’s Day this year? Having some trouble finding restaurant reservations? Why not enlist some help from Google Assistant or Amazon Alexa? Believe it or not, your trusty voice assistants can offer quite a bit of help in this department. They can do everything from ordering gifts or fresh flowers online, to finding the perfect recipe to cook.
Here are some ways to leverage your favorite voice partner for your Mother’s Day preparations. Use these tips and tricks, and you’ll become your Mom’s favorite child!
1. Build an Alexa skill using Blueprints
Recently, Amazon launched some new blueprints for families to personalize their Alexa experience. It just so happens that one of those blueprints or skills is related to Mother’s Day.
It’s called “All About Mom,” and the blueprint helps you develop or narrate a personalized story — told by Alexa, no less — that honors your mom.
What Alexa Skill Blueprints do, specifically, is allow you to set up customized responses and interactions through Alexa that are ideal for your family. In this case, you’re creating an experience for your mother, who will presumably visit your home and interact with Alexa. If she has an Alexa or Echo unit of her own, then that’s even better.
You can also take advantage of a second skill blueprint called “World’s Best Mom” that showers your mother with compliments.
2. Set reminders for the big day
It’s important that you call and talk to your mom and wish her a happy Mother’s Day, right? When is the best time for you? Is it in the morning when your entire family is gathered nearby? Is it later in the evening when you’re alone and have some downtime for a good one-on-one? Whatever the case, you can rely on Alexa and Google Assistant to set a personalized alert, which will then notify you at the appropriate time.
You can also use this feature to remind you of dinner or get-together plans, or even when your mom is on her way to your home — or vice versa, when you should be leaving yours.
3. Make plans
Forget to make plans for a meetup? Did your mother make it clear she wants to go to dinner with you and your family, yet it’s your job to plan everything? Both Alexa and Google Assistant can help you make plans, even last minute.
Use the assistant to find suitable restaurants or activities near you. For example, “Google, help me find coffee shops nearby.” You can also order tickets, make reservations or simply order dinner through various apps and services, too.
4. Research and save recipes
Treating your mom to a nice homemade dinner? That’s great, because you can use your assistant to research, store and alter various recipes you might find online to help you create the perfect meal.
With Google Assistant, you only need to say “Let’s make lasagna,” and Google will get right to work. Alexa is remarkably similar on that front. The assistants can conduct web searches online while calling out the results to you, allowing you to remain hands-free. The latter is important if you’re already preparing appetizers or cleaning rigorously before mom arrives. And if you have an Echo Show device, you can watch videos of recipes being prepared while you follow along.
5. Play music and entertain
Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant can connect to just about any streaming music service. Whether you prefer Spotify, Pandora or something else, you can tell your assistant to ready the perfect Mother’s Day playlist.
You can also use the system to play games and have a great time. One of Alexa’s new skills allows you to play a personalized game show with your family and friends. Google Assistant has trivia, quizzes, riddles and even jokes.
6. Order Mother’s Day gifts
Don’t have time to stop at a store and grab a gift for mom? No problem — you can use your voice assistant to order online and have the goods shipped right to your house — or hers if she’s far away.
Your assistant can conduct web searches for the best gifts for Mother’s Day, and when you find something, you can order it right away. Imagine never having to leave the house to grab your mom a suitable present, or, better yet, having it all handled well before Mother’s Day arrives. Be honest: How many of you procrastinate until the very last minute? We’re willing to bet the numbers are high.
7. Call mom or send a message
We already talked about setting up an alert for yourself to make that phone call, but when it comes time, you can actually use your assistant to call mom or send her a message. Alexa and Google Assistant both allow you to make phone calls. If you have Buy Now , you can even video chat with your mother, provided she has a suitable device to connect with as well. How awesome is that?
8. Give the gift that keeps on giving – a voice assistant of her own
Both Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant can interface with other smart home products. Imagine using this technology to make your mom’s life more convenient. Buy your mom an Echo Dot or Google Home Mini and outfit her entire place with smart technology. Alexa or Google Assistant can help your mom in many ways, be it cooking, shopping, checking security camera footage, or locking the front door.
9. Other bonus tips using the Google Assistant
Still looking for other ideas? Google Assistant can also do the following to help you celebrate:
- Google Assistant can share moving stories about moms from parents, children and grandparents. Just say, “OK Google, tell me a story about mothers.”
- Assistant can also tell some great jokes. “Hey Google, do you know any yo’ momma jokes?” (Only if your Mom has a great sense of humor, obviously!)
- You can even be more direct. “OK Google, what should I do for mom?” or “Hey Google, do you have Mother’s Day gift ideas?” The assistant will answer accordingly.
Happy Mother’s Day!
