How to turn Amazon Echo into the brains of your smarthome

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Adding devices to Wink

In the companion app for Wink, you can add any number of different connected devices in just a few seconds.

Published: August 10, 2015 -- 15:41 GMT (08:41 PDT)
Caption by: Kevin Tofel
Naming lights in Wink

You can't tell Alexa what lights to turn on if they don't have names. Be descriptive so that your voice commands sound logical for any and all users.

Published: August 10, 2015 -- 15:41 GMT (08:41 PDT)
Caption by: Kevin Tofel
Grouping devices in Wink

Here I've bundled a pair of connected lights in my Family Room into a single group. Note that Alexa can't read the group information, so you have to re-create them manually in the Echo companion app.

Published: August 10, 2015 -- 15:41 GMT (08:41 PDT)
Caption by: Kevin Tofel
Introducing Alexa

Before Alexa can control any smarthome gadgets, you'll have to link a hub to her. Use the middle section for this process.

Published: August 10, 2015 -- 15:41 GMT (08:41 PDT)
Caption by: Kevin Tofel
Authorizing Wink

By singing in to Wink through the Echo app, you're giving Amazon access to learn about installed devices.

Published: August 10, 2015 -- 15:41 GMT (08:41 PDT)
Caption by: Kevin Tofel
Alexa meet Wink. Wink meet Alexa.

At this point, the Echo knows there's a smarthome hub on the same network. Now to gather up all the devices it can control.

Published: August 10, 2015 -- 15:41 GMT (08:41 PDT)
Caption by: Kevin Tofel
Time to find devices

Tap the Discover Devices option and the Echo will find them all in your home using the Wink account access and hub.

Published: August 10, 2015 -- 15:41 GMT (08:41 PDT)
Caption by: Kevin Tofel
Echo searching for devices

Since I've authorized Amazon to access my Wink account, it's retrieving my connected devices. When this steps complete, Alexa will actually say aloud how many devices she found.

Published: August 10, 2015 -- 15:41 GMT (08:41 PDT)
Caption by: Kevin Tofel
Found 'em!

All four of my bulbs were discovered by the Echo and Alexa can now switch them on or off based on my spoken word. If you have any grouped devices, you're not quite done yet.

Published: August 10, 2015 -- 15:41 GMT (08:41 PDT)
Caption by: Kevin Tofel
Making groups

It's a pretty simple process: Just choose a descriptive name for a group and select which devices are a part of it.

Published: August 10, 2015 -- 15:41 GMT (08:41 PDT)
Caption by: Kevin Tofel

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Follow these simple steps to introduce Alexa to your smarthome devices or hubs and your wish will be her command.

Grouping devices in Wink

Here I've bundled a pair of connected lights in my Family Room into a single group. Note that Alexa can't read the group information, so you have to re-create them manually in the Echo companion app.

Published: August 10, 2015 -- 15:41 GMT (08:41 PDT)

Caption by: Kevin Tofel

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