Amazon’s Alexa is now connecting New Albany residents with community events and services. The same smart-speaker device that you use to turn the lights on, play music, etc., can now answer questions relating to New Albany. Amazon Echo and Google Home will now be able to respond to questions about New Albany. For example, these devices will be able to answer questions like “what day is trash day?” “How do I apply for a city job?” Or ask about local events and their dates.  In partnership with Buckeye Interactive, a New Albany-based company, the city spent $11,600 to develop the voice-command system. The voice-activated system went live on May 13th and is available for residents now. “I think it just gives residents another way to access other information,” said city spokesman Scott McAfee to ThisWeek Community News.

For questions that Alexa or Google is not answering, you can send an email to info@newalbanyohio.org or check out newalbanyohio.org/faq.