Amazon Echo users can now choose from over 12,000 skills for Alexa to execute

Amazon skills kit. Image: Amazon[/caption]For the uninitiated, Alexa skills refer to a collection of self-service commands that can be executed by Alexa, integrated into the voice-controlled smart speakers. The skills allow Alexa to play music, set alarms and timers, provide information, check your calendar, weather, sports scores, manage to-do and shopping lists, control smart home devices and more.Offering users a range of 11,000 skills by Global and Indian developers at launch, the store now offers more than 12,000 skills. Popular developers already offering skills on the store include Ted Talks, Saavn, ESPNcricinfo, Ola, Tarla Dalal, Zomato, Freshmenu and Goibibo among others.To find a skill and enable it, users can head over to the skills section in the Alexa app and browse for the skills and then click 'enable'. If the name of a skill is already known, the user can just ask Alexa to enable the skill. The Alexa companion app can also be handy in finding and adding skills.The app can be downloaded from the Google Play Store as well as on the App Store for iOS users.Amazon is also calling out interested developers who can sign up for the Amazon Developer portal for free and learn how to start building for voice with the Alexa Skills Kit.