9 hours ago
Waiting for Alexa+? Make your Echo speaker smarter with these 3 hacks
Amazon's new Alexa Plus upgrade is gradually making its way to Echo users, with the rollout expanding since its launch in late March 2025. According to Amazon spokesperson Eric Sveum, more than a million users now have access to Alexa Plus, a significant jump from the 'hundreds of thousands' reported just a month ago.
Sveum confirmed to The Verge that Alexa Plus is being deployed to compatible Echo speakers and smart displays 'at an increasing pace,' and will continue to be 'more broadly available over the summer.'
Despite this progress, many Echo users are still awaiting the update. While Alexa Plus promises a more conversational, generative AI-based assistant experience, the staggered rollout means not everyone will get it at the same time.
In the meantime, there are still several ways to get more from your current Echo setup. Here are three features users can activate today to enhance their Alexa experience while waiting for Alexa Plus.
1. BBC Sounds integration for podcasts and radio
Echo speakers work seamlessly with streaming services, but adding the BBC Sounds skill offers a wider variety of live radio and podcast content. To enable it, simply go to the 'Skills & Games' section in the Alexa app and search for 'BBC Sounds.'
Once signed into a BBC account, you can access BBC Radio stations or resume podcast episodes by voice commands.
You can try voice commands like:
'Alexa, play BBC Radio 1'
'Alexa, launch BBC Sounds'
BBC Sounds is especially great for listeners who enjoy music-focused channels, current affairs or entertainment podcasts
2. Control your TV using Alexa, no remote needed
If you own a smart TV and an Amazon Echo speaker, you can control your TV completely hands-free using Alexa voice commands. It's a simple setup that can make everyday entertainment more convenient, from turning on the TV to launching apps like Netflix or YouTube, all with just your voice.
To get started, open the Alexa app on your smartphone, tap the '+' icon in the top-right corner, and select 'Add Device.' Choose 'TV' from the list and select your TV brand. You'll be guided through a few steps to link your TV with Alexa. Most brands require enabling a specific Alexa Skill to complete the process. If you have a Samsung TV, you can use the Samsung SmartThings, likewise, for an LG TV, you can use LG ThinQ.
Once your TV is paired and recognised, it's helpful to rename your device to something easy to remember, like 'Living Room TV' or 'Bedroom Screen.' to make your commands sound more natural.
3. Get daily news in seconds with Custom Flash Briefings
Don't have time to scroll through news apps every morning? Alexa's Flash Briefing feature is a simple and effective solution. It delivers short, personalised audio news updates directly through your Echo speaker with a single voice command.
To set it up, open the Alexa app, go to Settings, scroll to News under the 'Alexa Preferences' section, and tap My News Channel. Here, you can choose from a range of news sources, including BBC News, NPR, CNBC and more, depending on your region and preference.
Once set, you can simply say:
'Alexa, what's my Flash Briefing?'
Or, 'Alexa, play the news.'
Alexa will then play a short summary of the day's top headlines from your selected source. You can even add multiple sources for a more diverse update and Alexa will play them one after another in a single briefing.
