Useful Products by Mark Chapman

Echo Dot I got an Amazon Echo Dot for Christmas and I love it, it’s made my life so much easier. Amazon Echo Dot is a hands-free, voice-controlled device with a small builtin speaker - it can also connect to your speakers or headphones over Bluetooth or an audio cable to play stereo sound to any speakers you choose. Echo Dot connects to the Alexa Voice Service to play music, provide information, news, sports scores, weather and audiobooks. The Echo Dot is always learning and keeps being updated with more features and accessories being added every month.

If you sign up to Amazon Prime, members can also ask Alexa to order eligible products they’ve ordered before and many Prime products. All you have to do is ask.

Echo Dot can hear you from across the room - even in noisy environments or while playing music. When you want to use Echo Dot, just say the wake word “Alexa” and Echo Dot responds.

You can buy the Amazon Echo or the Echo Dot. The Echo has an in-built speaker, but is unable to connect to other speakers and at £150 is a bit on the expensive side. The Echo Dot on the other hand can connect to any other speakers and at £49 is a lot more reasonable.

It allows me play music and turn the radio on without me having to ask someone to do it for me. All I have to do is say “Alexa, play…” and voilà it starts playing. It virtually has almost every song you can think of. It not only lets me play music but it allows me to control my lights and my TV. I had to buy Philips Hue lights and a Logitech Harmony Hub extra, which connects to my wi-fi and the Echo so that I can turn my lights and TV on and off with just my voice. It cost me a bit to get it all set up but it is well worth it because it has given me independence, just being able to control things by myself its amazing how much confidence it gives you.

Useful Products - At Home

Hands free hairdryer stands

If you have difficulty holding a hairdryer this convenient stand holds the hairdryer steady with a flexible neck that can be adjusted to any angle from its tabletop base. An alternative version has a flexible arm and a strong sucker that can stick to your bathroom mirror.

Shampoo Hair Funnel

Designed for washing hair in an upright position if you have difficulty tilting your head back.

Wheelchair Umbrella

Being in a wheelchair it is easy to get caught out in a rain shower or in bright sun with no shade, but with this compact umbrella shelter is always at hand.

TP-Link Smart Plug HS100 Wi-Fi

This can be used from a smart phone or Alexa to operate lights or other appliances at home.

Our thanks go to Jane Bradley and Stephen Clough for these suggestions.