I use mine for at least half a dozen timers on an average day. The more you use it, the more often you get the impulse to just set another timer, be it for "remember to stop playing that game and be productive" or remembering to leave the house on time, because it's so simple. I also use it to turn off/on the tv and lights. Not much of a point if it's a single one, but helpful when it's a number of lights, e.g. when we go to bed or leave the house, and you can address them all with a group ("alexa turn off downstairs"/"alexa turn off everything").
And to play music. Just asking it to play a track and then asking it to play similar music (very hit and miss), for example, and then asking what's playing, all without having to reach for my phone, finding an app etc.
My experience was that I bought my first one mostly because I wanted something to play music on in the living room anyway and didn't really care about getting a full on stereo setup as I'm not very picky about the sound quality, but I was curious. I never use voice assistants on my phone. But I found myself using it more and more as I got used to being able to turn things on/off without reaching for anything or when my hands where otherwise full.
It's not something I'd have the slightest difficulty of living without, but it feels like it's decreasing friction for a lot of small things.
I now have four - one by my desk, one in the living room, one in my sons bedroom and one in mine.
And to play music. Just asking it to play a track and then asking it to play similar music (very hit and miss), for example, and then asking what's playing, all without having to reach for my phone, finding an app etc.
My experience was that I bought my first one mostly because I wanted something to play music on in the living room anyway and didn't really care about getting a full on stereo setup as I'm not very picky about the sound quality, but I was curious. I never use voice assistants on my phone. But I found myself using it more and more as I got used to being able to turn things on/off without reaching for anything or when my hands where otherwise full.
It's not something I'd have the slightest difficulty of living without, but it feels like it's decreasing friction for a lot of small things.
I now have four - one by my desk, one in the living room, one in my sons bedroom and one in mine.