“Early earnings results offer conflicting messages on the margin outlook,” Kostin writes. “Companies have so far only announced modest price increases this year, although increases have been larger among firms most exposed to tariffs.”
On the other hand, if companies themselves have to absorb a larger-than-expected share of the cost of tariffs, their profit margins will come under pressure. Revisions to analysts’ consensus estimates of corporate margins suggest that some companies may not be able to fully offset the impact of tariffs.
Some companies will be able to tap into built-up inventories to minimize the hit to their margins from tariffs. The aggregate S&P 500 inventory-to-sales ratio was largely unchanged in the first quarter of 2025, but some companies built up their inventories before tariffs were implemented
How are US tariffs impacting corporate earnings and profitability?
Analysts also expect the growth in earnings-per-share, a key measurement of companies’ profitability, to drop off this quarter. The consensus estimate among analysts sees S&P 500 companies’ earnings-per-share growth decelerating to 4% this quarter relative to the same quarter last year—down from 12% in the first quarter. On a sequential basis, consensus forecasts imply that margins contracted by 50 basis points to 11.6% from 12.1%.
“We expect the S&P 500 in aggregate will beat the low bar set for the second quarter,” Kostin writes.
The outlook for demand, meanwhile, still appears solid. Goldman Sachs Research expects nominal GDP in the US to grow at an average rate of 4.5% year-on-year in 2025. It also forecasts positive real income and spending growth for companies across all income cohorts. And sales revision breadth, which measures the difference between the number of companies with upward and downward revisions to their future sales estimates, has jumped back into positive territory after a sharp decline in April.
How are tariffs impacting capital expenditures and investment?
Tariffs and policy uncertainty don’t appear to have substantially dampened companies’ investment spending plans. Goldman Sachs economists found in a recent report that analysts raised capital spending expectations overall, when measured by weighted average.
However, those estimates for capital spending vary widely by company. Revisions to companies’ spending plans have been greatest for the sectors and stocks most exposed to the continuing development of AI, such as utilities (which provide power for data centers) and information technology. By contrast, analysts have cut capital expenditure estimates in most other sectors. Economists at Goldman Sachs Research found that capital expenditure estimates have been lowered for companies more affected by policy uncertainty, tariffs, and potential retaliatory tariffs.
What is the forecast for the S&P 500?
In total, Goldman Sachs Research forecasts that S&P 500 earnings-per-share will grow 7% in 2025 to $262. That’s slightly above the median strategist 2025 forecast for a 6% increase to $260.
The team’s estimate incorporates a modest drag on economic growth and a one-time boost to inflation from tariffs, which is likely to weigh on some sectors. But this is expected to be offset by growth in certain sectors such as information technology, communication services, and healthcare.
Kostin’s team forecasts that the S&P 500 will return 5% over the next 12 months, reaching 6500.
Key determinants in whether that forecast proves too ambitious or too conservative include the pace at which AV providers can scale their operations and the degree of competition. Our researchers say they will continue to monitor whether improving AI training technology and models, as well as simulation tools, will lead to an increased number of AV tech providers over time.
But there are early signs of AV scaling success. Data shows that consumers are gravitating toward AVs in select rideshare markets where they are available. The safety record of Waymo, a self-driving technology company, so far is also encouraging. The company’s studies show that its vehicles had far fewer airbag deployment crashes and injury-causing crashes as compared to human drivers.
How expensive will autonomous vehicles be?
As AVs increase their scale, their costs are coming down. Each successive generation of AVs is incorporating more purpose-built hardware. For example, one company was able to greatly decrease the number of installed cameras as it transitioned from its fifth-generation model to the sixth. Those kinds of improvements are helping to significantly reduce the average cost of an AV in the US. That said, AV costs in the US will likely remain above AV costs in China, which launched the technology earlier and where market economics are different.
Driving costs per mile are also on the decline. Enabled in part by lower hardware costs, depreciation costs per mile could drop from about 35 cents in 2025 to 15 cents in 2040 for a representative AV, our researchers estimate. Insurance costs are expected to decline from 50 cents a mile to about 23 cents over the same timeframe.
Other big savings could be realized as AV companies are able to rely on fewer remote operators, who don’t directly drive the vehicles but act as a safety net by providing virtual assistance in navigating complex or ambiguous situations. Our team predicts one remote operator could manage 35 cars by 2040, up from 10 in 2030 and only three at present.
Will drivers pick robotaxis over car ownership?
As AVs and robotaxis proliferate, will people stop buying cars? Delaney and his colleagues conclude that view is probably too negative, given that the per-mile cost of owning and operating a personal vehicle in the US is at most a little over $1, compared with more than $2 per mile for the average rideshare.
As AV costs continue to decline over the next decade or two, they believe users may choose to own an AV rather than rent one for a ride, particularly if they can sleep and engage in other activities while they’re traveling.
“Importantly, this aligns with the ambitions of several manufacturers”, they write in the report. “However, we think AV shipments in the US for the next 3-5 years will be mostly or entirely for commercial applications.”
Since its arrival in 2014, Alexa has changed drastically from the voice assistant that was originally released. Instead of being an easier way to trigger music, or add to your to-do list, it’s now an effective tool for managing all the different parts of your busy life. With the addition of new AI-powered features from Alexa Plus, your favorite voice assistant is more capable than ever.
From organizing your schedule to controlling smart devices, Alexa can help simplify your daily routine and bring a new level of convenience to your space. Whether you want to automate chores, manage your Fire TV, or just streamline your mornings, these advanced voice commands make Alexa a compelling tool in any connected home. If you haven’t explored what it can do lately, now’s a good time to see how much more useful it’s become with AI-powered features now available.
Though a recent CNET survey found that 73% of US adults using home voice assistants have privacy concerns about AI integrations, Alexa was the most trusted voice assistant among respondents.
Want to unlock Alexa’s full potential? You just need to learn the right commands. If you have an Echo device at home, here’s a complete guide to all the voice commands worth trying.
Newest Amazon Alexa commands
Amazon recently launched Alexa Plus, a major AI-powered upgrade to its voice assistant. This new version brings significantly improved conversational abilities and smart home control. The upgrade costs $19.99 monthly but is free for Amazon Prime subscribers. The upgraded system, first demoed back in 2023, can handle more complex requests, remember personal details and perform multiple actions through natural conversation. With these spring cleaning and organization features, Alexa+ aims to make managing your home more intuitive than ever. Notable new commands include:
“Alexa, remember my frequent flyer number is 123456789” allows Alexa+ to store important personal details for future reference. You can replace the “xxx” with any personal information you want it to store.
“Alexa, play the music upstairs” or “Alexa, play music everywhere except the baby’s room” enables seamless music control across multiple rooms.
“Alexa, I’m chilly” demonstrates how Alexa+ can now understand implied commands, automatically turning up your thermostat without direct instructions.
“Alexa, show me all the footage of the dogs in the backyard this week” integrates with Ring’s Smart Video Search to find specific moments in your security footage.
“Alexa, what’s playing now on Fire TV?” connects your Echo devices with your Fire TV for enhanced media control.
Watch this: Amazon’s Alexa Gets More Conversational With AI
Prior to that, Amazon had announced new hardware products while also talking up a few new additions to the already vast Alexa commands library, including:
The “Hey, Disney” command, which allows you to get information and play around with some of Disney’s most beloved characters, will unlock features with Disney’s Magic Band Plus to play game-show style trivia games and more.
With the new premium $35 Alexa Voice Remote Pro, you can say “Alexa, find my remote” into any Echo device you own (or the dedicated Remote Finder button in the Fire TV app) to play a sound from your remote, making it easier to find when it’s lost.
The 3rd-gen Fire TV Cube also has a few new Alexa commands, like “Alexa, watch ESPN on cable” so that you don’t have to manually change inputs on your TV, and if you have a compatible webcam that you can connect into the Fire TV Cube, you can say something like “Alexa, call dad” to video call friends and family on your TV.
Amazon also announced the second-generation Amazon Echo Auto, which drivers can use to play music, make calls and even talk with an agent to request help by saying, “Hey Alexa, call roadside assistance.”
If you’re into shopping, you can say something like “Alexa, show me the green-pleated skirt” to find specific clothing items using the Shop the Look feature, which you can also use for home and beauty products.
Using Amazon to make purchases from Whole Foods for curbside pickup? You can say “Alexa, check into Whole Foods” to let the grocery store know you’re there.
And if you want to turn on a light or some other smart home device, you can now schedule it. For example, you can say “Hey Alexa, turn off the kitchen lights in 5 minutes.”
Summoning Alexa
By default, Amazon’s connected speakers all have the same wake word. To cue up a request, just say, “Alexa.” You can change the wake word to something else if, say, your own name is Alexa, or you’d just prefer an alternative. You can also trigger your smart assistant with Amazon, Echo or Computer. To change it, in the Alexa app go to Settings then Device Settings then select the Echo device you’d like to change the wake word on (you have to change each device’s settings individually).
If you have an Amazon Tap, Dash Wand or the Amazon Fire TV voice remote, you’ll need to press a button to wake Alexa. Amazon updated the Tap with a hands-free mode that you must enable in the settings. The only wake word available to the Amazon Tap is Alexa.
There’s also a feature called Follow-Up Mode that makes it easier and faster to issue multiple commands to Alexa without having to keep repeating the wake word, if you enable it. When you do, Alexa will continue to listen for another command after it’s completed your first request. You can keep issuing more commands until you’re done or you say, “Stop.”
Amazon has also built on this a multiple commands feature by allowing you to string two related commands into one. You can say something like, “Alexa, play folk music at volume six,” or, “Alexa, add bread, milk and eggs to my shopping list.”
Your Echo device can be convenient in the kitchen, the living room or anywhere for that matter.
Amazon
Other places you can access Alexa
While the most obvious or natural way to use Alexa may be through an Echo speaker from Amazon, it’s not the only way you can call up Amazon’s digital assistant.
In fact, there are more and more ways to access Alexa being created all the time, and you don’t even need any specialized devices. Here are some of the most prominent ways to use Alexa with the devices you already have:
You can enable the mobile apps to listen for Alexa when they’re open (this will, however, disable your phone from listening for its native digital assistant’s wake word — i.e. “Hey, Siri” or “Hey, Google” won’t work while you have the Alexa app open). Otherwise, you can tap the Alexa icon to call up the assistant.
On an updated Windows computer, you can summon Cortana and say, “Open Alexa.” After the initial connection is made, saying this will cue up Amazon’s assistant through Cortana.
Alexa Echo Auto allows you to connect your phone to Alexa in your car. The Echo Auto is capable of carrying out many of the same commands and features as your home device, but with some restrictions (it won’t unlock your doors, for example).
The complete list of Alexa commands
The list of Alexa commands is expansive and grows with every new service or device it supports. Alexa isn’t perfect, but it’s pretty great at understanding natural language, so you don’t always have to speak the commands exactly as you see them below. Many commands work when worded several different ways or even with words omitted.
When you consider the possible third-party commands through Skills — essentially the apps of Amazon’s Alexa — the list goes on even further. To learn what individual skills are capable of, visit the skill’s page from the Amazon Alexa app or alexa.amazon.com.
Here are all the native Alexa commands.
Basic Alexa commands
Ask for help: “Alexa, help.”
Mute or unmute: “Alexa, mute” or, “Alexa, unmute.”
Stop or pause: “Alexa, stop” or, “Alexa, shut up.”
Change volume: “Alexa, set the volume to 5,” “Alexa, louder” or, “Alexa, turn up/down the volume.”
Alexa commands for Echo Show
The Echo Show devices and Echo Spot are the only Echo speakers with touchscreen displays. This means you can tell them to show you things.
Ask for what the Echo Show can display: “Alexa, what can you show me?”
Show your calendar: “Alexa, show my calendar.”
Show pictures: “Alexa, show my photos” or, “Alexa, show me pictures of cats.”
View your cameras or other rooms: “Alexa, show the living room camera.”
View movie trailers: “Alexa, show me the trailer for Wakanda Forever.”
Movie showtimes: “Alexa, show me movie showtimes.”
View the forecast: “Alexa, show me the weekend forecast.”
Play YouTube videos: “Alexa, show me travel videos on YouTube.”
Display recipes: “Alexa, show me a slow cooker recipe from Allrecipes.”
View your Flash Briefing: “Alexa, play my video Flash Briefing.”
See your timers: “Alexa, show me my timers.”
Open a visual skill: “Alexa, open Uber.”
You can ask your Echo show to show you things using voice commands.
Chris Monroe/CNET
Alexa commands for Fire TV and Fire TV Stick
You can now use compatible Echo devices (Echo, Echo Dot, Echo Look, Echo Show and Amazon Tap) to control your Fire TV and Fire TV Sticks.
Control Fire TV: “Alexa, [pause, play, resume, stop, fast-forward, rewind] on Fire TV.”
Search movies or TV: “Alexa, search for [movie to TV show title] on Fire TV” or, “Alexa, find [movie or TV show title] on Fire TV.”
Find work by a certain actor: “Alexa, show me titles with [actor] on Fire TV.”
Open apps: “Alexa, open [app name] on Fire TV” or, “Alexa, launch [app name] on Fire TV.”
Return home: “Alexa, return home.”
Alexa commands for Fire TV Edition televisions
Amazon also builds its Fire TV operating system into televisions like the Element EL4KAMZ17 series. All of the commands above work on those too, in addition to a few TV-specific commands below.
Turn on or off the TV: “Alexa, turn on Fire TV” or, “Alexa, turn off Fire TV.”
Change the volume of Fire TV: “Alexa, set the volume to [level] on Fire TV” or, “Alexa, turn [up/down] the volume on Fire TV.”
Mute Fire TV: “Alexa, [mute/unmute] Fire TV.”
Change the channel when watching an antenna: “Alexa, go to [channel or network name] on Fire TV.”
Change inputs: “Alexa, switch to PlayStation on Fire TV” or, “Alexa, switch to HDMI 1 on Fire TV.”
Open antenna program guide: “Alexa, open TV guide on Fire TV.”
Alexa commands also work with Fire TV products.
Sarah Tew/CNET
Alexa commands to control media
Adjust audio settings: “Alexa, set the bass to four.”
Play music: “Alexa, play some music.”
Play music on other (or multiple) Alexa devices: “Alexa, play [artist/album/song/genre] in the living room” or, “Alexa, play [music] everywhere.”
Cue specific song or artist: “Alexa, play music by [artist].”
Play a song based on context: “Alexa, play the latest Avett Brothers album” or, “Alexa, play that song that goes ‘Gotta gotta be down, because I want it all.’”
Play music based on a theme: “Alexa, play baby-making music” or, “Alexa, play rock music for working.”
Play the song of the day: “Alexa, play the song of the day.”
Play Spotify music: “Alexa, play on Spotify.”
Play Pandora station: “Alexa, play [artist] station on Pandora.”
Play a radio station: “Alexa, play [radio station call letters, example: WEBN].”
Play an audiobook: “Alexa, play Ultimate Alexa Command Guide: 200+ Voice Commands to Take Control of Your Echo Devices on Audible,” “Alexa, read Ultimate Alexa Command Guide: 200+ Voice Commands to Take Control of Your Echo Devices” or, “Alexa, play the book, Ultimate Alexa Command Guide: 200+ Voice Commands to Take Control of Your Echo Devices.”
Resume the last played audiobook: “Alexa, resume my book.”
Skip audiobook chapters: “Alexa, next chapter” or, “Alexa, previous chapter.”
Play a bedtime story: “Alexa, open Storytime.”
Listen to Alexa read you a Kindle book: “Alexa, read my Kindle book.”
Set a sleep timer: “Alexa set a sleep timer for 45 minutes” or, “Alexa, stop playing in 45 minutes.”
Song information: “Alexa, what’s playing?”
Music controls: “Alexa, play” or, “Alexa, next.”
Control music playback on another Alexa speaker: “Alexa, stop in the kitchen” or, “Alexa, next in the office.”
Restart song: “Alexa, restart.”
Add a song to your Prime Music library: “Alexa, add this song.”
Create a playlist in Amazon Music: “Alexa, create a new playlist,” or, “Alexa, create a ‘Friday Chill’ playlist.”
Add a song to a playlist in Amazon Music: “Alexa, add this song to my playlist,” or, “Alexa, add this to my playlist.”
Like or dislike a song on Pandora and iHeartRadio: “Alexa, I like this song” or, “Alexa, thumbs down.”
Start Amazon Music Unlimited trial: “Alexa, start my free trial of Amazon Music Unlimited.”
“Alexa, wake me up every day at 8 a.m. to music” allows users to set their mornings off right with music from Pandora, Spotify, TuneIn, iHeartRadio and Vevo.
Alexa commands to control time and dates
Set an alarm: “Alexa, set an alarm for 7 a.m.” or, “Alexa, wake me up at 7 in the morning.”
Set a music alarm: “Alexa, wake me up to [artist, song, genre, playlist or album] at 8 a.m.,” “Alexa, set an alarm to Band of Horses” or, “Alexa, wake me up to Kiss FM on TuneIn.”
Set a repeating alarm: “Alexa, set a repeating alarm for weekdays at 7 a.m.”
Set a timer: “Alexa, timer” or, “Alexa, set a timer for 15 minutes.”
Set a music timer: “Alexa, set a 15-minute timer to My Heart will Go On”
Create a named timer: “Alexa, set a pizza timer for 20 minutes.”
Set multiple timers: “Alexa, set a second timer for 5 minutes.”
Check timer status: “Alexa, how much time is left on the pizza timer?” or, “Alexa, what are my timers?”
Cancel a timer: “Alexa, cancel the pizza timer” or, “Alexa, cancel the 15-minute timer.”
Ask the time: “Alexa, what time is it?”
Ask the date: “Alexa, what’s the date?”
Ask when the next alarm is: “Alexa, when’s my next alarm?”
Cancel an alarm: “Alexa, cancel my alarm for 2 p.m.”
Snooze alarm: “Alexa, snooze.”
Check dates: “Alexa, when is [holiday] this year?”
Alexa commands for calls and messaging
You can make calls and leave voicemails to other Echo users, as well as “Drop In” to your own echo devices, either to voice or video chat with whoever’s in the room (or just to monitor the space like a security camera). If you have an Android, you can send text messages with Alexa.
Call another Echo user: “Alexa, call [name].”
Answer an incoming call: “Alexa, answer the call” or, “Alexa, answer.”
Hang up: “Alexa, hang up” or, “Alexa, end the call.”
Message another Echo user: “Alexa, message [name]” or, “Alexa, send [name] a message.”
Play messages: “Alexa, play messages.”
Send an SMS: “Alexa, send an SMS to [contact name]” or, “Alexa, send an SMS.”
Use Drop In on one of your own devices: “Alexa, drop in on the living room.”
Drop In on another user (requires the other user to allow you to Drop In anytime): “Alexa, drop in on [name].”
Turn off the video during an ongoing call (only works with Echo Show): “Alexa, turn video off.”
Make an announcement: “Alexa, announce it’s dinner time,” “Alexa, broadcast it’s time to go” or, “Alexa, tell everyone good night.”
Number check: “Alexa, open phone number check” → “tell me about 301-555-5555” or “please provide information about 301-555-5555.”
Alexa commands for purchasing
Reorder essentials from Amazon: “Alexa, buy more deodorant” or, “Alexa, reorder deodorant.”
Track packages from Amazon: “Alexa, where’s my stuff?” or, “Alexa, track my order.”
Order an Amazon Alexa device: “Alexa, order an Echo,” “Alexa, order an Echo Dot” or, “Alexa, order an Amazon Tap.”
Add an item to your cart: “Alexa, add garbage bags to my cart.”
Order an Uber or Lyft with their skills: “Alexa, ask Uber to request a ride” or, “Alexa, ask Lyft for a ride.”
While listening to music in Amazon Music: “Alexa, buy this song” or, “Alexa, buy this album.”
Find new music to purchase: “Alexa, shop for new music by [artist].”
Purchase a song or album from an artist: “Alexa, buy [song or album] by [artist].”
Ask about deals: “Alexa, what are your deals?”
For good recommendations on products, Alexa has you covered. Just say “Alexa, find me a good smartphone on Amazon,” and it will find products based on Amazon customer ratings and reviews.
Control purchases, shopping lists and notifications with your Echo device.
Chris Monroe/CNET
Alexa commands to control notifications
To turn on notifications, open the Alexa app and select to Settings,then Notifications, then Shopping Notifications and toggle it on. Your Echo speakers will light up yellow when you have new notifications.
Check missed notifications: “Alexa, what did I miss?” “Alexa, read my notifications” or, “Alexa, what are my notifications?”
Navigate through notifications: “Alexa, next” or, “Alexa, previous.”
Delete notifications: “Alexa, delete all of my notifications.”
Alexa commands for to-do and shopping lists
Add task to to-do list: “Alexa, add ‘go to the grocery store’ to my to-do list” or, “Alexa, I need to make an appointment with the doctor.”
Create a new to-do item: “Alexa, create a to-do.”
Check calendar events: “Alexa, what’s on my calendar for tomorrow?”
Add an event to a calendar: “Alexa, add [event] to my calendar for [day] at [time]” or, “Alexa, add an event to my calendar.”
Move a calendar event: “Alexa, move my meeting from 12 to 3.”
Create a shopping list: “Alexa, add eggs to my shopping list” or, “Alexa, I need to buy laundry detergent.”
Check your shopping list: “Alexa, what’s on my shopping list?”
Create a reminder: “Alexa, reminder” or, “Alexa, remind me to check the oven in 5 minutes.”
Check on existing reminders: “Alexa, what are my reminders this weekend?” or, “Alexa, what reminders do I have tomorrow?”
Donate money to your favorite charity by saying “Alexa, make a donation to American Cancer Institute Inc.” or any number of approved charities.
Want to check your American Express balance? Just say “Alexa, open Amex,” and look at your account.
Alexa commands for news and weather
Ask for your Flash Briefing: “Alexa, what’s my Flash Briefing?”
Add music news to your Flash Briefing: “Alexa, enable Today in Music.”
Check headlines: “Alexa, what’s in the news?”
Check weather: “Alexa, what’s the weather like?” or, “Alexa, will it rain today?” You can also ask “Alexa, will I need an umbrella today?”
Get a weather forecast: “Alexa, what’s the weather going to be like this weekend?
Get traffic information: “Alexa, what’s my commute look like?” or, “Alexa, what’s traffic like?”
Entertainment-related Alexa commands
Find movies in nearby theaters: “Alexa, what movies are playing?” or, “Alexa, what action movies are playing tonight?”
Get information on movies playing: “Alexa, tell me about the movie Ultimate Alexa Command Guide: 200+ Voice Commands to Take Control of Your Echo Devices.”
Get movie quotes: “Give me a [movie] quote.”
Get IMDb rating: “Alexa, what is the IMDb rating for [movie or TV show]?”
Get casting for a movie or show: “Alexa, who plays in [movie or TV show]?”
Find out who an actor is: “Alexa, who plays [character] in [movie or TV show]?”
Find an actor’s latest work: “Alexa, what is [actor]’s latest movie?”
Find out who sings a particular song: “Who sings the song Ultimate Alexa Command Guide: 200+ Voice Commands to Take Control of Your Echo Devices?”
Get the names of band members: “Who is in the band [name]?”
Get album information: “What year did [band] release [song or album]?”
Find popular music from an artist: “Alexa, what’s popular from [artist]?”
Sample music from an artist: “Alexa, sample songs by [artist].”
Find a particular album or song: “Alexa, find [song or album] by [artist].”
Alexa can answer all of your music and movie-related questions.
Amazon
Alexa commands for food and businesses
Get a recipe: “Alexa, how do you make chocolate chip cookies?”
Discover nearby restaurants: “Alexa, find me a nearby pizza restaurant” or, “Alexa, what’s the nearest coffee shop?”
Get operating hours or a phone number for local businesses: “Alexa, find the address for Bank of America” or, “Alexa, find business hours for Harris Teeter.”
Saying “Alexa, open Wine Finder” lets Alexa help you match the best vino with your meal. If you tell Alexa you’re eating shrimp, it will tell you the best wine.
Alexa commands for help with math
Convert units: “Alexa, how many [units] are in [units]?”
Convert units: “Alexa, how many [units] are in 2 [units]?”
Basic math: “Alexa, what’s 5 plus 7?” or, “Alexa, what’s 56 times 33?”
Advanced math: “Alexa, 70 factorial.” (Warning: Alexa will list numbers you didn’t know existed for about a minute.)
Alexa commands that can settle a score
Roll a die: “Alexa, roll a die” or, “Alexa, roll a 26-sided die.”
Flip a coin: “Alexa, flip a coin.”
Pick a number: “Alexa, pick a number between 1 and 50.”
Kids can ask Alexa to play parent-approved music and stories with the Echo Dot Kids Edition.
Julie Snyder
Alexa commands for help with definitions and spelling
Get the definition of a word: “Alexa, what’s the definition of [word]?”
Get the spelling of a word: “Alexa, how do you spell [word]?”
Sports-related Alexa commands
Check the results of a finished game: “Alexa, what was the score of the [team] game?”
Ask if a team won: “Alexa, did the [team] win?”
Ask when the next game is scheduled: “Alexa, when do the [team] play next?”
Find out the results of your favorite teams: “Alexa, give me my Sports Update.”
Get Fantasy Football update with the Yahoo Fantasy Football skill: “Alexa, ask Yahoo Fantasy Football for a score update” or, “Alexa, ask Yahoo Fantasy Football if Patrick Mahomes is playing this week.”
Get league standings: “Alexa, what are the MLB standings?”
Alexa commands for Voicecast
Send current listening to a Fire tablet: “Alexa, send that to my Fire tablet.”
Send to a different profile’s Fire tablet: “Alexa, show this on [name]’s Fire tablet.”
Alexa commands for your smart home
Alexa can integrate with loads of smart home platforms, such as SmartThings, Philips Hue, Wink, Insteon, Lutron, Belkin WeMo and many more. Some require you to enable skills, and some don’t.
Here is a selection of the commands you can use for controlling your smart home, although there are dozens more.
Turn lights on or off: “Alexa, turn on the lights” or, “Alexa, turn off the living room lights.”
Dim the lights: “Alexa, dim the lights to 50%.”
Change the color of the lights: “Alexa, make the living room lights red” or, ” Alexa, turn the lights to soft white.”
Change the color temperature of the lights: “Alexa, make the kitchen lights a little warmer.”
Adjust temperature: “Alexa, raise the temperature 1 degree.”
Set temperature: “Alexa, set the temperature to 72.”
Lock your doors: “Alexa, lock my back door.”
Close your garage door: “Alexa, ask Garageio to close my garage.”
Discover smart home devices: “Alexa, discover my devices.”
Use IFTTT recipes: “Alexa, trigger [IFTTT recipe].”
Activate a scene (limited to Control4, Insteon, Lutron Caséta Wireless, Philips Hue, SmartThings and Wink): “Alexa, turn on Movie Time” or, “Alexa, turn on Bedtime.”
Control GE appliances with the Geneva skill: “Alexa, tell Geneva to preheat my oven to 400 degrees” or, “Alexa, ask Geneva if my laundry is dry.”
Locate a lost phone with the TrackR Lost My Phone skill: “Alexa, ask TrackR to find my phone.”
Control the TV via Harmony hub: “Alexa, turn on the TV” or, “Alexa, turn on Netflix.”
The Polk Command Bar has Alexa embedded in its soundbar that provides great sound quality.
Saying “Alexa, run Away Mode” produces conversations to scare off any potential burglars.
Alexa Guard can help keep your home safe by alerting you when it picks up the sounds of smoke alarms or breaking glass. It works with the Amazon smart door bell, a Ring and an ADT security system. To set this feature, simply say “Alexa, I’m leaving.”
Alexa can integrate with loads of smart home platforms and devices.
Josh Miller/CNET
Use Alexa commands with Bluetooth
Pair a Bluetooth device: “Alexa, pair” or “Alexa, Bluetooth.”
Connect to a Bluetooth device: “Alexa, connect to my phone.”
Disconnect from a Bluetooth device: “Alexa, disconnect from my phone.”
Alexa commands for profiles and user accounts
Switch profiles: “Alexa, switch accounts.”
Check which profile is active: “Alexa, which profile is this?”
Use Alexa commands with Skills
Skills are third-party applications for Alexa speakers. They allow you to connect third-party software and hardware to your speaker, as well as play games and add different news sources to your Flash Briefing. Originally, they had to be enabled before you could use them, but Amazon has since made that process automatic (just ask for the Skill and it will enable when it’s used).
Use a skill: “Alexa, open Earplay.”
Find kid’s skills: “Alexa, what kid’s skills do you have?
Enable skills: “Alexa, enable Jeopardy!”
Disable skills: “Alexa, disable Domino’s.”
Bartender skill gives you access to more than 12,000 cocktail recipes: “Alexa, open the bartender.”
Use Alexa commands with Cortana
Microsoft’s Cortana is available as a skill — but rather than just being a skill, it opens the door to a completely separate digital assistant through your Alexa speakers.
Once you’ve added the skill, enabled permissions and connected your Microsoft and Amazon accounts, just say, “Alexa, open Cortana.” When you’re speaking to Cortana you can check your emails, ask for the next event on your calendar or add items to your to-do list.
For now, the Cortana skill is limited because it’s a public preview of what the full integration will be in the future.
Search using Alexa commands
Get Wikipedia information: “Alexa, Wikipedia: [subject].”
Tell Alexa to continue reading a Wikipedia entry: “Alexa, tell me more.”
Ask a general question: “Alexa, how tall is [person or object’s name]?”
Ask Quora a question: “Alexa, ask Quora if crustaceans feel pain when you boil them.”
Get a Game of Thrones quote: “Alexa, give me a Game of Thrones quote.”
Whether it’s a bull or a bear market, you can check your stock values by saying, “Alexa, ask Opening Bell for Microsoft” (or any other publicly traded company).
Holiday-related Alexa commands
Find out when a holiday is: “Alexa, when is [holiday]?”
Holiday limerick: “Alexa, tell me a holiday limerick.”
Learn about a holiday: “Alexa, why do we celebrate [holiday]?”
Ask about Santa: “Alexa, how old is Santa Claus?” “Alexa, is Santa Claus real?” or, “Alexa, where does Santa Claus live?”
Ask about Santa’s reindeer: “Alexa, who’s your favorite reindeer?” “Alexa, what can you tell me about Santa’s reindeer?” or, “Alexa, what do you know about Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer?”
Track Santa: “Alexa, where is Santa?” or, “Alexa, track Santa.”
Sing a Christmas carol: “Alexa, sing a Christmas carol.”
Have Alexa read “The Night Before Christmas”: “Alexa, read “The Night Before Christmas.”
Spin the dreidel: “Alexa, spin the dreidel.”
Ask for holiday jokes: “Alexa, open my gift,” “Alexa, how ugly is your/my holiday sweater?” or, “Alexa, tell me a snowman joke.”
Ask for holiday movies?: “Alexa, what’s your favorite holiday movie?” or, “Alexa, what are the top holiday movies?”
Ring in the holiday season — or the spooky season — using you Echo devices.
Molly Price/CNET
Easter eggs for your Amazon Echo
Alexa comes chock-full of Easter eggs and jokes — the list is long. We cover the strange world of Alexa Easter eggs here, noting some of the more popular or prominent commands that prompt a snarky or humorous response.
“Alexa, give me an Easter egg.”
“Alexa, good morning.”
“Alexa, tell me a joke.”
“Alexa, beam me up.”
“Alexa, set phasers to kill.”
“Alexa. Tea. Earl Grey. Hot.”
“Alexa, my name is Inigo Montoya.”
“Alexa, I want the truth.”
“Alexa, party on, Wayne.”
“Alexa, show me the money.”
“Alexa, what’s the first (or second) rule of Fight Club?”
“Alexa, surely you can’t be serious.”
“Alexa, are you SkyNet?”
“Alexa, party time!”
“Alexa, open the pod bay doors.”
“Alexa, when am I going to die?”
“Alexa, what is your quest?”
“Alexa, nice to see you, to see you…”
“Alexa, don’t mention the war.”
“Alexa, this is a dead parrot.”
“Alexa, what is your cunning plan?”
For even more, check out this Reddit thread dedicated to Alexa Easter eggs.
As part of the CRISTAL (CII Resolved ISM in STar-forming galaxies with ALMA) survey, astronomers peered back to when the Universe was only about one billion years old.
This artist’s impression of the formation of a galaxy in the early Universe featuring clumps of star-forming galaxies, with carbon gas shown in red, and dark dust shown in black. This process is documented in detail throughout the many galaxies observed in ALMA’s CRISTAL survey. Image credit: NSF / AUI / NRAO / B. Saxton.
“ALMA’s incredible ability to see through dust and gas has allowed us to observe these distant galaxies in remarkable detail,” said Dr. Rodrigo Ignacio Herrera Camus, an astronomer at the Universidad de Concepción.
“We’re not just seeing blobs of light; we’re resolving the internal structures of these galaxies and learning about the processes happening within them.”
In the CRISTAL survey, the astronomers focused on a sample of star-forming galaxies that showed the typical relationship between a galaxy’s mass and its star formation rate.
The ALMA observations revealed that some galaxies showed signs of orderly rotation, suggesting the formation of early disks. Others displayed chaotic motions and disturbed shapes, indicative of galaxies colliding and merging.
ALMA also detected clouds of gas, revealed by their emission of a specific type of light from ionized carbon, extending far beyond the regions where stars formed. This suggested that galaxies are surrounded by vast gas reservoirs, potentially fueling future star formation or being expelled by powerful outflows.
Many galaxies exhibited star formation occurring in distinct clumps, providing insights into how stars are born in these early systems.
The family portrait of early galaxy formation created from the research of the CRISTAL survey. Image credit: CRISTAL Large Program.
One particularly intriguing finding is the discovery of an early galaxy named CRISTAL-10.
This galaxy exhibits an extreme deficit of ionized carbon emission relative to its far-infrared light, a ratio similar to that seen in Arp 220, one of the most luminous and obscured galaxies in the local Universe.
Further study of this galaxy could reveal the interstellar medium’s power source and physical state in the early Universe.
“CRISTAL provides the kind of detailed data that simply wasn’t possible before ALMA,” Dr. Herrera Camus said.
“We’ve got a new family portrait of early galaxy evolution.”
“These observations are challenging our existing models of galaxy formation and providing new avenues for research.”
“The CRISTAL survey demonstrates the power of ALMA for studying galaxy evolution in the early Universe.”
“By tracing the cold gas and dust that fuel star formation, ALMA is helping scientists piece together the story of how galaxies like our own Milky Way came to be.”
WIMBLEDON — Zeynep Sonmez has made history at Wimbledon by defeating Wang Xinyu 7-5, 7-5 to become the first Turkish player — either woman or man — to reach the third round of a major in the Open Era.
Wimbledon: Scores | Order of play | Draws
Only two players from Türkiye had previously won Grand Slam main-draw matches in the Open Era. Former No. 60 Cagla Buyukakcay, the highest-ever WTA-ranked player from her nation, made three Grand Slam second rounds in 2016-17, though none at Wimbledon. Sonmez’s 7-6(3), 6-3 first-round defeat of Jaqueline Cristian had already made her the first Turkish woman to notch a victory at SW19. On the ATP side, former No. 77 Marsel Ilhan made seven Grand Slam second rounds between 2009 and 2015, including twice at Wimbledon, but never went further.
Prior to the Open Era, the last Turkish woman to reach the third round of a major was Bahtiye Musluoglu, who reached that stage of Roland Garros 1950.
Champions Reel: How Zeynep Sonmez won Merida 2024
Sonmez had been unaware ahead of her match that history was at stake.
“I didn’t even know,” she said. Indeed, while the third round of a major is a milestone for her country, it’s not one that Sonmez specifically set her sights on while growing up.
“I never dreamed of reaching the third round of Wimbledon,” she continued. “I dreamed of winning it.”
No. 88-ranked Sonmez came from 4-1 down in the first set and sealed victory with a brave hold from 0-40 down on Court 17, packed with passionate and vocal fans of both players. After match point, the 23-year-old spent several minutes taking selfies with as many of those who had cheered her on as possible.
Some had travelled all the way from Istanbul to support their countrywoman. One of those was Hudai, who led a group of supporters in rousing chants of “Sonuna kadar destekleyeceğiz seni, Zeynep” (“We will support you to the end, Zeynep”).
Afterwards, Hudai told wtatennis.com that this was his first Wimbledon. He and his friends had run to the tiny Court 17 in order to ensure seats for Sonmez’s match — a decision that had paid off.
“We were really excited to see her — it’s like our second round,” he said. “It was a hard match, there were ups and downs but we tried to make her really feel all the support.”
Tugba, who had waved a small Turkish flag throughout, agreed.
“I am honored to support Zeynep,” she said. “She’s a very exciting woman for us. I’ve been watching Wimbledon since my 20s, but this is the first year for me here.”
Afterwards, Sonmez had a message for the fans in turn.
“I want to say thank you so much for all the support, in both my first and second rounds,” she said. “I feel there are a lot of Turkish people, and it makes me very happy.”
Turkish journalist Alpasen Duven said that Sonmez’s star is rising back at home. Her maiden WTA title in Merida last November rocketed her into the Top 100, making her the second Turkish woman to achieve either of those accomplishments (following Buyukakcay, the 2016 Istanbul champion).
“She’s not yet a mainstream celebrity like top footballers or Olympic medalists in Türkiye,” he wrote via email. “But her profile is rising fast after Wimbledon. The general public sees her as a breath of fresh air for Turkish sports — someone achieving at the global level without controversy. The media and public frame her as hard-working, focused, and determined — someone who has succeeded despite the odds in a sport where Türkiye has little tradition of global success.”
Sonmez’s fans may have brought Türkiye to a small corner of Wimbledon this week, but there’s one aspect of her home country that she’s still missing. Last year, she was able to check out several of London’s many excellent Turkish restaurants — but she’s been too busy on court to do so again this year.
“I really want to go, because I really miss Turkish food,” Sonmez said. What would her order be? A classic kebab, of course. “Çöp şiş — but not lamb!”
iOS 26 adds new functionality to the AirPods, which will be available this fall when Apple releases iOS 26 and new AirPods firmware to the public.
Camera Remote
The AirPods can be used as a camera remote for the Camera app or third-party iOS camera apps. Just connect your AirPods to your iPhone, open the Camera app, and then press and hold on the AirPods stem to take a photo or start a video recording.
When you’re finished, a second press and hold gesture will stop the recording. If you have an Apple Watch, you can already control your iPhone remotely from your wrist, but the AirPods have the potential to be even quicker since it’s a physical gesture rather than a series of steps that include opening an Apple Watch app.
Studio-Quality Recording
The AirPods 4 and the AirPods Pro 2 support recording studio-quality audio for interviews, podcasts, songs, videos, and more. Apple says that the feature can be used to record high-quality vocals while on the go, with background sounds filtered out thanks to Voice Isolation.
You can record higher-quality audio when making videos or using your devices to do things like record a podcast.
Improved Audio Quality
The H2 chip in the AirPods 4 and AirPods Pro 2 brings more natural vocal texture and clarity to iPhone calls, FaceTime calls, and all CallKit-enabled apps like Zoom.
Studio-quality audio recording and improved call quality are available across iPhone, iPad, and Mac, and support the Camera app, Voice Memos, Messages dictation, third-party camera apps, and video conferencing apps.
Beta Updates
With iOS 26, Apple is adding an option to more easily install beta updates on AirPods. There’s a new update interface when you connect your AirPods to your iPhone and tap into them in the Settings app.
Pause Audio for Sleep
If you’re listening to music, a podcast, or a book while you’re in bed and you’re wearing AirPods, the AirPods will pause your audio when you fall asleep if you toggle on the new “Pause Media When Falling Asleep” option.
You’ll find it in the AirPods settings after connecting your AirPods to your iPhone, but you’ll need the new AirPods firmware and iOS 26. In addition to saving your spot in an audiobook or podcast, it will also preserve battery by turning your AirPods off so they’re not running all night.
This feature also works with Beats earbuds.
Keep Audio in Headphones
iOS 26 addresses an irritating issue that happens with CarPlay and AirPods. There’s a new “Keep Audio in Headphones” option that prevents audio from switching to car speakers or Bluetooth speakers when you’re listening to music through the AirPods.
With the option on, your music will continue playing in your AirPods when you get in the car. You can turn it on in iOS 26 by going to Settings > General > AirPlay and Continuity.
Read More
We have a dedicated iOS 26 roundup that goes into detail on all of the new features that are available in the update.
July 2025 is shaping up to be one of the most dynamic and celebratory months in handball’s recent history, with a global calendar brimming with top-level competitions and grassroots initiatives.
At the center of this vibrant schedule is International Handball Week, taking place from 12 to 18 July. This dedicated week is more than a symbolic gesture; it is a worldwide celebration of handball’s unifying power, with federations, clubs, and communities across every continent delivering activities to highlight the sport’s diversity and spirit.
This International Handball Week is expected to draw unprecedented attention to handball, engaging new fans and reaffirming the sport’s role as a bridge between cultures and generations.
Handball will be played throughout the globe this month, on all continents, with several IHF Trophies being scheduled. Twelve teams will line up at the start of the IHF Trophy North America and the Caribbean – Junior in Canada, between 16 and 20 July, with six teams taking part in the IHF Trophy South America in Lima, Peru, between 23 and 27 July.
The month begins with the EHF YAC17 Beach Handball EURO, running from 3 to 6 July in Alanya, Türkiye. This youth tournament showcases the next generation of European talent on the sand, offering young athletes a chance to compete at the highest level and experience the unique atmosphere of international beach handball, coming right after the 2025 IHF Men’s and Women’s Youth Beach Handball World Championships, won by Spain.
After the 18 men’s and 18 women’s teams feature at the EHF YAC17 Beach Handball EURO, it is time for the senior EHF Beach Handball EURO to take place, between 8 and 13 July, also in Alanya, Türkiye.
Beach handball fans will be drawn to the 2025 IHF Beach Handball Global Tour Stage 2, which features top international teams and showcases the sport’s dynamic, spectator-friendly format. The event’s second stage will be held in Laredo, Spain, on 29 and 30 July.
Back to indoor competitions, the 2025 NACHC Men’s Club Championship will take place between 4 and 8 July in Las Vegas, United States of America, with seven teams from five countries at the start. The winner of the competition will qualify for the 2025 IHF Men’s Club World Championship in Egypt.
The Women’s 19 EHF EURO 2025, held from 9 to 20 July, gathers the continent’s top under-19 women’s teams. It serves as a showcase for emerging talent and offers a glimpse into the future of European women’s handball, taking place in Podgorica, Montenegro. Tickets for the 2026 IHF Women’s Junior World Championship will be available for the best teams at the start of the competition, where 24 teams line up.
In Asia, the 11th Asian Women’s Youth Championship, running from 18 to 26 July, is a key event for Asian federations, offering young athletes invaluable international experience and helping to raise the standard of women’s handball across the continent. This is also a qualifying event for the 2026 IHF Women’s Junior World Championship, and will feature eight teams set to battle for the trophy in Jinggangshan, People’s Republic of China.
The 2025 European Youth Olympic Festival, taking place 20 to 26 July, offers a multi-sport environment where Europe’s best young athletes, including handball players, compete and experience the Olympic spirit. Eight teams will take part in the men’s competition (U-17) and eight teams will play in the women’s competition in Skopje, North Macedonia.
Finally, the month closes with the W17 EHF EURO, beginning 30 July and running into August, where Europe’s top under-17 women’s teams take center stage, offering a glimpse at the future stars of the game.
With International Handball Week as the centerpiece, July 2025 is set to be a true festival of handball, celebrating the sport’s growth, diversity, and the shared passion of its global community.
The U.S. is about to break a record for the number of reported measles cases in a year since the infection was considered eliminated in 2000.
According to the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there have been 1,267 confirmed measles cases so far this year.
The last annual high was 1,274 during an outbreak in 2019. Prior to 2000, the record high number of cases occurred in 1990.
The CDC said 12% of the measles cases to date have required hospitalization. Three cases have resulted in deaths, including two young children in Texas — the epicenter of the ongoing outbreak — and an adult in New Mexico.
Nearly 40 states have reported at least one measles case so far this year, but Texas still has the highest outbreak numbers with over 700 cases.
RELATED STORY | As summer travel increases, measles cases continue to rise
The Wyoming Department of Health reported its first case of measles in the state in 15 years.
Overwhelming — 92% — of the cases involved individuals who had not been vaccinated against the infection.
Health experts said the best way to avoid getting the highly contagious infection is to get the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine. The first shot is recommended for children between 12 and 15 months old, and the second between 4 and 6 years old.
RELATED STORY | Travel and outbreaks: Should you vaccinate your child earlier for measles?
Adults can get another MMR shot if there are concerns about immunity waning off, according to the CDC.
Measles is spread through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes. The CDC said you can get measles just by being in a room that an infected person was in up to two hours beforehand.
It’s more than just the rash associated with the infection. Measles impacts the respiratory system, and cause a high fever, runny nose, cough and red, watery eyes.
The CDC said most kids will recover from measles, but infection can lead to dangerous complications such as pneumonia, blindness, brain swelling and even death.
BALOCHISTAN: Surrounded by an intense heatwave and extended power outages, Osta Muhammad’s spoiled medicines are reported to have been sold in medical stores in the district, raising serious public health challenges, ARY News reported.
According to local health authorities, thermosensitive drugs are being stored at extreme heat, reaching up to 50°C, far above the preferred scale for pharmaceutical safety.
The heatwave impact on pharmaceuticals has been a burning question across Balochistan, with Osta Muhammad’s spoiled medicines specifically highlighted.
As per the confirmation of the District Health Officer (DHO), patients have suffered serious health problems after consuming expired medicines. “These spoiled medicines are being sold openly, and patients are at risk of life-threatening reactions,” the DHO stated.
Medical experts highlight that storage of medicines at a raised temperature can convert them into poison or even toxins. “The chemical composition of many drugs breaks down when exposed to excessive heat, especially those requiring refrigeration,” a senior pharmacist stated in Karachi.
Meanwhile, store owners defend Osta Muhammad’s spoiled medicines by stating that they cannot afford generators to maintain proper storage conditions during load shedding.
This situation reflects comparable events occurring throughout Pakistan. In recent months, authorities in Sargodha and Nawabshah have shut down several medical stores for distributing unregistered or expired medicines.
The problem is further intensified by insufficient enforcement measures and a lack of public awareness, particularly in rural communities.
Read More: DRAP’s rapid alert fuels Punjab’s drug crackdown
In a resolute action to protect public health, the Punjab Drug Control Directorate has launched a key crackdown on counterfeit medicines in Punjab, indicating that the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) to issue a national emergency warning.
According to media reports and official sources, the operation exposed counterfeit drugs in Punjab, which were being sold under the names of well-established pharmaceutical brands.
Included medicines were being sold for the treatment of fever, throat infections, fungal conditions, and gynaecological illnesses.
