Regardless of the Echo device you choose, its built-in access to Alexa’s artificial intelligence allows you to do all of the following — hands-free — simply by asking Amazon Alexa a question or voicing a command: Control your smart home technology from one central hub Access your calendars and set reminders Get answers to any question you can think of Make phone calls (and video calls with an Echo Show) Get the latest weather and news Follow recipes Shop on Amazon Stream music (and video on an Amazon Echo Show) Play games But honestly, that just barely scratches the surface; there are more than 100,000 Alexa skills that you can utilize via an Echo device, and Amazon is always adding more. It should also be noted that Alexa and Echo devices are built with many layers of privacy protection these days. You can turn the mic off if you don't want Alexa listening, and you can also view and delete your voice recordings. If your Echo device has a camera, the latest models also include a shutter to cover it up when not in use.