Forget chocolate and flowers - Use your tech to say 'I love you' this Valentine's Day

Love is in the air as we approach Valentine’s Day. You can gift your special someone with the usual chocolates and flowers, but why not try something unique this year?

You don’t need to break the bank to get a great gift. Does your beloved enjoy beer, picnics or journaling? If so, tap or click here to check out our list of 15 great Valentine’s gifts for every budget.

Perhaps your partner is a lover of tech. In this case, we’ve got some fun and thoughtful ways to show you care.

If you’re together

No need to go out shopping. You can set up these gifts using your smart devices at home.

Set up an Alexa Blueprint

With Alexa Skill Blueprints, you can easily create and publish your own skills. Just choose a template and fill in the blanks.

Go to blueprints.amazon.com to see the templates. Let’s try Hallmark Valentine’s Greeting. The next few steps are easy:

  • Choose a theme.
  • Choose between Alexa-narrated messages or record your own 90-second messages.
  • Keep the current image, choose a new image from the library or upload your own.
  • Keep the current wish or write your own.
  • Pick a name for your skill.
  • Send your greeting card to others by sharing your skill with the recipient.

Set the mood with your smart home

Have fun with this one. Tell Alexa to set the mood by dimming the lights to 35% and putting on a list of their favorite music. If you have color-changing bulbs in the bedroom, say something like “Alexa, it’s naughty time,” and have them change to red while Barry White plays out the speaker.

Alexa routines let you group actions and activate them with a single command. Here’s how:

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