Getting Started
Enable the NFB-NEWSLINE Alexa Skill
Search for “National Federation of the Blind” in the Alexa app or Alexa Skills store and enable the skill.
Open the skill
Say: “Alexa, open National Federation.”
Log in
Say: “Alexa, ask National Federation to log in.” Provide your subscriber ID and security code when prompted. Say “log in” clearly as two separate words.
Amazon skill link to be added.
Reading Publications
Say the name of the publication you want to hear:
“Alexa, ask National Federation to read the Honolulu Star-Advertiser.”
“Alexa, ask National Federation to read The New York Times.”
“Alexa, ask National Federation to read The Wall Street Journal.”
Navigating Sections and Articles
| Say | What happens |
|---|---|
| “Alexa, Next” | Next article |
| “Alexa, Previous” | Previous article |
| “…go to next section” | Forward one section |
| “…go to previous section” | Back one section |
| “…what sections are available” | List sections in current publication |
| “…list issues” | Show available issues |
| “…list publications from Hawaii” | Browse Hawaiʻi-specific papers |
“…” stands for “Alexa, ask National Federation to”.
Managing Favorites
| Say | What happens |
|---|---|
| “…add this to my favorites” | Save current publication |
| “…list my favorites” | Hear your saved publications |
| “…delete this from my favorites” | Remove current publication |
Adjusting Voice and Reading Speed
To change the reading voice (rotates through Kate, Paul, Mark, Sophie, and Eloquence): “Alexa, ask National Federation to change the voice.”
To adjust reading speed:
| Say | What happens |
|---|---|
| “…read a little faster” | Small speed increase (or “a little slower”) |
| “…read much faster” | Large speed increase (or “much slower”) |
Emailing Content
| Say | What happens |
|---|---|
| “…email me this article” | Sends the current article to the email on your account |
| “…email me this section” | Sends the current section |
| “…email me this publication” | Sends the full publication |
Tips for Best Results
Say “log in” as two separate words.
If Alexa doesn’t recognize a command, repeat it with the full phrase: “Alexa, ask National Federation to…”
Works on all Alexa-enabled devices: Echo, Echo Dot, Echo Show, Echo Pop.
Need Help?
Marcus Bass
Hawaiʻi Program Coordinator, NFB-NEWSLINE Hawaiʻi
NFB-NEWSLINE National Helpline
Account issues, technical help, general inquiries
Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM–5:00 PM Eastern Time