Alexa (Connect Hotel Wi-Fi, Take Notes, Get Wet, Ask CIA)


Alexa is an essential gadget to have in your home since you can use it to perform your daily tasks. Due to its usefulness, you may prefer to carry it along when traveling for work or vacation. However, you may be wondering whether it can connect to hotel Wi-Fi.

So, can I connect Alexa to hotel Wi-Fi? Alexa can connect to hotel Wi-Fi with only a few settings. The network must be reliable, secure, and stable to run uninterrupted. However, it will only be effective if you change the location and time zone accordingly to get accurate reports. It can also help organize your trip if you set it correctly.

Alexa is a crucial virtual assistant that helps you plan your day and offers entertainment as you wind down. You would want to carry it wherever you go, but it would only be worth it if it could easily connect to your hotel’s Wi-Fi.

Any Alexa device can link to a hotel Wi-Fi, making it a great traveling companion. The internet must be secure and stable without restrictions on how many devices you can connect. Alternatively, you can use your phone’s hotspot to rebroadcast the Wi-Fi or make use of your cellular data plan as long as no excessive charges apply. Another workaround is to use the Alexa app on your smartphone with the VA already installed. You only have to click on the icon and give commands as usual.

As long as the hotel has dependable Wi-Fi, you can always connect to it and use Alexa. However, it should be a secure network without restrictions on the number of gadgets to link. You can also make the connection using your smartphone’s hotspot if you have an active data plan. Other users buy router extenders for personal secure Wi-Fi if the hotel will charge them extra for using the network on several devices. 

If you don’t want to carry your device, you will be glad to know that the Alexa app will be handy. New users must install it when signing up since it is an initial requirement. Being an in-built feature, you only have to click on the icon and direct Alexa to perform tasks as usual. However, most users prefer carrying their Dot or Echo when traveling since it works the same way as while at home.

Besides, several benefits are involved when your Alexa tags along on your trips. First, it can be an excellent guide or concierge to help you maneuver your new destination. You can get ride services like Uber to move around, find restaurants near you, and make use of Alexa’s other skills. If you have had a long day, you can ask Alexa to stream your favorite music then set alarms and reminders for the following day’s activities.

Whether you are staying in an Airbnb, condo, or hotel room, you should first ensure that the place has internet access. If they do, remember to note down the Wi-Fi name and password that you will use when setting up Alexa.

When you have settled in the room, you can give the assistant all the network details then adjust your location, time zone, and security settings. If you want Alexa to offer accurate information, you will have to disclose your area; or else, it will think that you are still at home. It helps since you may need weather reports, TV guides, or other essential location-specific details.

It is also critical to tweak the time zone for Alexa to adjust based on your region. Otherwise, performing some skills requiring the correct time will be challenging. You only have to navigate your Dot or Echo, go to “Device Location” or “Time Zone,” and make the necessary configurations.

Can Alexa Take Notes?

A lot happens in your daily life, and the smartphone’s notebook is a great way to write down essential things that you may forget. On the other hand, Alexa is a virtual assistant that does everything instantly. Understandably, you would want to use it too for note-taking when you find it tedious to write everything down. 

Luckily, Alexa has made it even easier and faster to take notes, provided that you have a speaker and can give it clear instructions of what to note. You only have to make a few tweaks, and you can speak to Alexa as you tell it what to write as it saves in the application. You can do this manually or automatically through voice commands. The assistant will further read and delete the notes when you are done with them.

Generally, note-taking with Alexa is pretty straightforward, and any new user can do it. The key is to ensure that you are within range of the speakers for Alexa to get complete, accurate information.

Although most find the automated method more convenient, you can make a manual or voice command entry. With the manual version, you can click on your app and navigate the menu to select the “Notes” option.

Tap the + icon to add a note and click save, and the text will be safe with Alexa unless you delete it. Alternatively, you can verbalize the instruction to Alexa if you have its device by saying, “Make a note,” then instruct it on whatever you want to save.

Afterward, you can scroll the app under notes to find the text or ask Echo Show for the list. Apart from taking notes, Alexa will come to your aid if you are very organized by setting reminders and alarms. 

Although taking notes is very simple, it is also possible to run into issues with Alexa when it fails to understand the instruction. When this happens, you can check that your Dot or Echo has proper internet access, the assistant and speaker are within a similar Wi-Fi range, and the microphone is working perfectly. If these don’t work, you can alter the wake command or restart the app. The last resort would be to reset Alexa to default.

Can My Alexa Get Wet?

Alexa is undeniably a great addition to your home’s smart operations and gets things done instantly. Given all its impressive features, you would want your Dot or Echo to tag along when going to the pool or having fun at the beach during vacations. Accidents can happen, and one concern is whether this device is waterproof.

Unfortunately, Alexa is not water-resistant or waterproof, and you cannot spray, splash or submerge it underwater. It is advisable to keep it away from rain, snow, saunas, or any other water body where it can accidentally fall.

Alexa is vulnerable to any form of humidity or moisture. Thus, if you want to use it in your bathroom, it is best to ensure that steam will not reach the components. Otherwise, it is better to place it in a dry safe place.

Alexa is quite resourceful, coming in handy for most daily activities. Luckily, you can use it when traveling or having an outdoor event. Unfortunately, you should take precautions, especially if you want the device to serve you longer. Dampness is destructive to Alexa. Therefore, ultimate care is paramount when taking the intelligent assistant outdoors or into your bathroom.

Water can percolate through spaces in the gadget and interfere with the entire system, but you can deploy some tips to help you protect Alexa from water-related issues. It is best to avoid taking it near water at all costs to avoid any inconveniences.

Alternatively, you can cover the assistant using a waterproof and water-resistant material if you need to expose it to such environments. This way, you will be sure that it will be safe even if it submerges into a pool of water. Additionally, if you prefer having Alexa in the bathroom, it is advisable to remove it when you suspect excessive steam.

Users report that their Alexa devices have dropped in water but still function perfectly in rare cases. If your virtual assistant comes into contact with water,  you may notice some signs indicating that the dampness has had an effect on it.

First, the device starts to turn on and off randomly. Alexa would also lose internet links and become incoherent, losing some capabilities and failing in its previous tasks. Finally, it would sometimes not switch on or die completely. These issues are unavoidable, but there are some remedies to reduce these effects.

If the water seeps through it, take it away from the water source, then gently shake off excess water and let it dry well before plugging back the cables. Avoid using any heat source from your home to dry the gadget, but paper towels may come in handy. You can also air dry it inside the house.

To air dry it, use compressed air to dry out keys and jacks. Next, put the device in a Ziploc bag full of rice and let it stay overnight. Put Alexa in a new rice bag the following morning and keep repeating the process until there is no wet rice in the bag. Afterward, let the home assistant stay for hours outside the bag to air dry. Once you are confident that Alexa is completely dry, you can link all the cables and check whether they work.

Alexa Do You Work for the CIA?

Although Alexa has proven to be a great invention thanks to its unmatched features, some individuals are worried that Alexa is a government tool or spy. Alexa has access to the personal information of many users, which can be detrimental if it falls in the wrong hands. In this last section, you will finally have the answer to one of your most burning questions.

Alexa doesn’t respond If you ask it whether it works for the CIA or not, but it lights up as usual since you have submitted a question. It will glow again yet still not answer when you repeat the same question, similar to the first case.

If you are skeptical about your sensitive information leaking, you can avoid divulging sensitive information whenever the device is active. Note that when Alexa is working, it records your data and takes it to Amazon cloud’s database for safekeeping but not to other third parties.

It is futile to ask the assistant if it works for the CIA because it doesn’t understand the command. You will only see the lights blinking as if answering. However, you can successfully ask Alexa what CIA means, as it will gladly give you an elaborate explanation. Such instances leave users wondering whether Alexa is a government spy. Luckily, Alexa is a product of Amazon, which is quite distinct from the government.

Everything it grabs goes straight to the creator’s cloud storage. Therefore, the CIA cannot snoop over your information through the manufacturer unless it is a matter of national security. If Alexa were part of the CIA, perhaps it would report crime every day. Generally, it is safe for use without worrying that the government is watching over your data.

Alexa would spy when it switches on randomly, but it is not happening because it only wakes to specific words. Thus, you can rest easy knowing that it cannot record your conversation without your knowledge.

However, when off, the virtual assistant listens to your conversations but cannot record them until you turn it on. It is best to avoid using words that it can mistake for its wake name and keep it away from radio and TV noise to avoid unintentionally making Alexa active.

Finally

If you were worried that Alexa was exclusively a home gadget, you must be excited that you can carry it along wherever you go. You can pack it when traveling for a vacation or a work trip and use your hotel Wi-Fi to connect it.

After setting the location and time zone, your device will provide all the crucial information you need and perform other assigned tasks. Also, Alexa can take notes of things you always forget and set reminders and alarms.

It can also be a personal tour guide around your new location by giving you details about taxi services and restaurants nearby. However, if you want to take your Dot or Echo to the beach or poolside, it is advisable to be very careful since the devices are not waterproof.

Bal Kang

Bal Kang is a technology expert based in the UK, with experience across a number of technology areas from phones, tablets, computers to gaming.

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