Being a Plex user gets even easier thanks to the service's new Alexa skill

By Kris Wouk Published February 3, 2017

Plex and Amazon: We got skillz

It’s been a busy week for the team behind the Plex media streaming software. Earlier this week the company announced that it had acquired news streaming service Watchup, and now it is making it even easier to start watching something thanks to the addition of a new skill for Amazon Alexa.

This means that you can now access all your movies, TV shows, and music via Plex using only your voice, but the functionality doesn’t end there. The skill also brings support for recommendations, so for example, if you want to listen to a few songs but can’t decide what to play, you can simply say “Alexa, ask Plex to suggest some music to listen to.” Alexa will then offer up a suggestion, which you can play by saying “yes.”

For movies TV shows, you can start watching something as easy as saying “Alexa, ask Plex to play Sicario” or “Alexa, ask Plex to play season 4, episode 9 of The Goldbergs.” If you’re always adding new things to Plex (and if you’re a big Plex user, you probably are), it can be tough to keep track of what’s new. Fortunately, the new integration can help you there, as you can ask “Alexa, what’s new?”

To get started, you’ll need to have the Plex Media Software installed and running on a device in your home, and of course it won’t be much use if you haven’t pointed it toward some of your media. Assuming this is taken care of, just tell Alexa to enabled the skill, and follow the prompts to enable your account. Once this is done, tell Alexa to “open Plex” and you’ll be ready to start streaming.

The Alexa skill already offers plenty of functionality, but the company isn’t done yet. In the video announcing the new skill, Plex co-founder and head of product Scott Olechowski says “I can assure you, this really is just the beginning of the things that Plex will do with voice control.”

The Plex skill launched today, and is available on all Alexa-enabled devices. For a list of everything the new Plex skill can do, see the Alexa page on the company’s website.

Topics

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Kris Wouk is a tech writer, gadget reviewer, blogger, and whatever it's called when someone makes videos for the web. In his…

Smart Home

The best Alexa skills for kids and teens

mom and son using with amazon echo

Alexa skills can be fun and educational, but they're not all created equally. Some of the games are useful and entertaining, while others are bland and buggy. With that in mind, we've pulled together a list of some of the most entertaining and educational Alexa skills we could find.
Alexa skills for young children
Photo by Marisa Howenstine on Unsplash Image used with permission by copyright holder
Animal Workout
Say, "Alexa, open Animal Workout"
One of the biggest challenges when house-bound is how to channel all of that incredible kid energy. Why not let Alexa lead them in a voice-based workout routine that also engages their imagination while sharpening their play-pretend skills? Animal Workout prompts kids to imagine themselves as different animals, with a quick fact-based intro to each new animal and a short, music-accompanied activity, like wiggling like a ladybug or sticking your tongue out like a giraffe.

Unlike some Alexa skills that rely on Alexa's own voice, the professionally recorded host's voice for Animal Workout is enthusiastic and encouraging. As of December 2020, all content in the app is now totally free including expansion packs.
Freeze Dancers
Say, "Alexa, open Freeze Dancers"
Here's another one to help kids get moving. Freeze Dancers is an Alexa take on the old "freeze" game. The skill starts some music and everyone dances. When the music suddenly stops, everyone has to freeze. Each time, a voice asks, "Who didn't freeze?" You can say any name you like and the voice will offer some words of encouragement for the next round, or you can say "nobody" or "no one," and your group will be rewarded with a cheer.

Audio / Video

Amazon plans massive expansions, new partnerships for Alexa and Fire TV in 2020

Fire-TV-Edition

If you thought that the marriage of voice assistants and TVs were just a flash in the pan and likely to follow the same fate as 3D, think again. Here at CES 2020, Amazon has outlined its growing ambitions for both its Alexa voice assistant and its Alexa-compatible Fire TV streaming platform -- and they're vast. Not only will 2020 be the year that hands-free Alexa comes to major TV brands as a built-in feature, but we'll also see the Fire TV platform emerge as a true competitor to Roku's Roku TV OS, for TV makers that want an easy way to embed streaming smarts without building an experience from scratch.

LG has already announced that its latest OLED and NanoCell TVs will include hands-free voice commands. However, it would have been easy to miss a related announcement: These new models will have Amazon Alexa Premium Far-Field Voice compatibility in the future, which means you'll be able to leave the remote parked on the coffee table (or more likely wedged between the couch cushions) and simply ask Alexa to change the channel or start streaming a show. Samsung and Skyworth will also be announcing new TV models with Alexa built-in.

Cars

200-mph Lamborghini Huracan Evo gets full Amazon Alexa integration

Lamborghini Huracan

While many automakers choose to develop voice recognition technology in-house, Lamborghini formed a partnership with Amazon to fully integrate Alexa into the raucous, mid-engined Huracan Evo, a model it released in 2019. The first Amazon Alexa-equipped Lamborghini model made its debut during CES 2020, and it is due in showrooms by the end of the year.

Even a brand like Lamborghini, which has historically peddled horsepower, can't afford to ignore connectivity. Amazon Alexa integration complements the Huracan's new infotainment system, which Digital Trends called sharp, quick, and gorgeous, and it lets the driver perform a wide array of functions while keeping both hands on the wheel, and both eyes on the road -- or the race track. Alexa adjusts the climate control system, turns the heated seats on and off, cranks the radio up or down (which is good, because there's no volume knob), and flicks on the interior lighting, among other functions.