There are actually dedicated forums for such devices with the Amazon Echo being the most popular.
http://forums.hardwarezone.com.sg/eat-drink-man-woman-16/2nd-gen-amazon-echo-dot-5460793.html
http://forums.hardwarezone.com.sg/eat-drink-man-woman-16/amazon-echo-alexa-5724391.html
http://forums.hardwarezone.com.sg/eat-drink-man-woman-16/google-home-mini-5727180.html
For me personally, I am experimenting the Smart Home feel by using it in my room.
Thankfully, my Fanco fan also acts as the room's main LED light while I have a dedicated LED strip for my PC Desk along with aircon, TV, Speakers.
Due to my Fanco remote using radio waves instead of infrared, I could not use the Logitech harmony. So I depend on the Broadlink RM Pro RM03 along with the Amazon Echo Dot 2 that I bought off of Carousell.
The seller was extremely nice as to provide even instructions as to set up the whole thing.
I went the extra mile as to even set up my Amazon Echo to register my Singapore address which I have yet seen others achieve. So things like weather and the nearest McDonalds or 7-11 will tell me ones that are actually near my house.
The macros on the Broadlink app are easy to set up. I have mine set to turn on aircon at certain times of the night and then turn off and switch back to my Fanco ceiling fan. So as to not waste electricity but still keep the room cool the whole night.
Similarly, there are macros which are specifically for the Amazon Echo which will activate. For example, if I say 'Alexa, turn on food'. It will switch off my Desk LED strip and switch on main room light and then turn on the TV and speakers at the same time too allowing me to just display my PC screen to the TV instead of my monitor and then use my PS4 controller which has been configured as a remote (though with a simple swipe of the touchbar, I can change it back to controller mode thanks to DS4Windows).
I use Mediaplayer Classic via the K-Lite codec pack since it has MadVR so it can send HDR signal to the TV if I am ever watching such a video like movies if need be. I usually highlight all the videos that I want to watch and with a simple click of 'Add to MPC-HC playlist', it will now play all the Youtube videos that I've downloaded back to back with MadVR even upconverting the quality of some low res videos to 4K if need be automatically.
And with this, I can eat while watching some YT videos or animes or Korean variety as I wish depending on what I add to the playlist which I can switch to the next video at any time thanks to the PS4 controller.
I can just say 'Alexa, turn on away' if I want to go out and it'll shut off all the devices that are turned on without me having to manually switch all the devices off.
Amazon Alexa also works with my Xiaomi Robot Vacuum by using the command 'Alexa, start vacuum' and it will clean my room in about 5 minutes while I go off to shower.
With the Echo Dot 2, I can have it make and receive calls for me though I do not wish to use that feature. I am so used to it that I once accidentally almost called Alexa back in the office in order to turn on the lights there.
It has become 2nd nature without me having to physically move to the device or remote which may not be with me. I love it.
Best of all, it only costs me around $100 for both devices.
I plan to add more around the house in the future since it is just super convenient.
