Solution: Use Alexa to Send a Text on a Flip Phone
By: Frank Engelman. Updated: September 24, 2021.
The Problem: Need Help Making Alexa Useful
I am setting up Alexa for my parent who lives at a distance. I am unsure what features to include, or how to set it up so it is as useful as possible..... More about the Problem
Solution: Use Alexa to Send a Text on a Flip Phone
I was recently trying out the Jitterbug Flip2 phone — a "senior friendly" flip phone made by GreatCall, now called Lively and now owned by Best Buy.
While I have long been a fan of moving people away from Flip phones to smart phones, I found a feature I really liked when I was evaluating this Jitterbug Flip2. I found you can set it up so that you can use Alexa to do voice to texts, which in my mind can make a big difference for people who don't weant to learn to use a smart phone but still want to be able to swap texts with friends or family members.
See my review of the Jitterbug Flip2 here. Read on for how to use Alexa to send texts.
Voice to Text
I think the “key feature” is that you can use Alexa to send text messages to your contacts with your voice! This is a HUGE improvement over the “key pad” method”. Here is the phrase you would use to do that.
“Alexa, ask Lively to text Frankie”
You will then be prompted through the creation and approval of a message to send.
You can also place a voice call by saying:
“Alexa, ask Lively to call Frankie”
OK, but that sounds like a cumbersome command to remember.
If you are willing to create a couple of Alexa Routines, you can make the command much simpler per my attached samples using “custom actions” in Alexa Routines.
To see samples of the routines below, go to:
You will then be able to say:
- “Alexa, text Frankie”
- “Alexa, call Frankie”
You can even have multiple verbal commands for the same Routine such as:
- “Alexa, send a text to Frankie” or “Alexa, message Frankie” or any command you think they would be suitable!
Another benefit of creating Alexa Routines is because Lively didn’t provide a way to verbally respond to a text, although you could always use this command upon receiving a text:
- “Alexa, ask Lively to text Frankie”
Instead, I suggest that you create another Alexa Routine that allows you to say:
- “Alexa, Respond to Frankie”
Here is a YouTube video of the Alexa Routines in action:
More Like This
This is part of a series of "Problems" and DIY Technology "Solutions" to the challenges faced by older adults, by Frank Engelman.
- For more problems and solutions like this see: DIY Technology Solutions to Things Bothering My Aging Relatives by Frank Engelman.
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Discuss this solution
from Tabetha (member) at June 11, 2022
My uncle is visually impaired and cannot see the text that alexa put on screen. Is there a way to have her read it back to him?
from Nikki (unverified) at July 27, 2022
I’m wondering this same thing. I wonder if she can read it back & send it or does the OK button need to be selected
from faengelm (member) at June 12, 2022
I haven't personally tested the "audible speaking of a received text message" on the MiniVision2, but this external reviewer claims it works on the RAZmobility MiniVision 2