Alexa becomes your dad with these fun commands

Give your voice assistant a comical twist with this hack that will turn Alexa into the classic dad that everyone recognizes.

Publicado 13 junio, 2025 el 13 de junio a las 21:02 | 3 mins reading |4,319 vistas | por Lucía Martínez

When Alexa takes on the role of dad and makes you feel at home (or in a comedy)

Father’s Day is about to fall like that message of “Are you there yet?” that your dad sends you five minutes after leaving. And yes, we all want to celebrate that being who taught us that “WiFi doesn’t pay for itself” with something more original than a generic perfume or socks with his face on it. Solution? Amazon, in its infinite technological wisdom, gives us the jewel of the year: dad mode on Alexa. Because nothing says “I love you” like turning your voice assistant into that being that reminds you that “light is not free, daughter.”

From assistant to domestic authority in two commands (or less)

To activate this legendary mode, you have two options: the nostalgic route (with a secret code worthy of a spy movie) or the millennial shortcut (because who has time to decipher keys).

Option 1: The “secret” code (which the entire Internet already knows)

Tell Alexa: “Turn on parent mode,” and prepare for drama. It will ask you for a code, and here comes the good part: you have to spell the Alcántara family’s last name backwards (yes, the ones from Cuéntame how happened). That is, he lets out a “A-R-A-T-N-A-C-L-A” with the solemnity of someone defusing a bomb. Result: Alexa transforms into an old dad, dropping pearls like “In this house we eat at three, not at five past three”. Vintage, but digital.

Option 2: The express command (for those who hate puzzles)

Just shout “Alexa, parent mode” and boom: your speaker will get philosophical with gems like “And how much did that cost?” or “Turn off that, it looks like a reggaeton concert”. Pure efficiency, like when your dad fixed the router in one fell swoop.

Why is this the best invention since “silence, I’m working”?

Beyond the laughs (or post-traumatic trauma), this trick shows that technology can be fun and emotionally relatable. Alexa is no longer just the one who plays you Bad Bunny songs; Now she’s also the one who lectures you for leaving dishes in the sink. And in a world where dads are sometimes far away (or just too lazy to talk), having a digital stand-in that says “What about school?” is… well, it’s something.

So this June 15, surprise your old man with a “Look what your competition is doing” or share the hack on your networks so that everyone can experience the nostalgic chaos. Because in the end, what would be of us without those awkward moments that now, thanks to AI, you can reproduce on demand?

Ready to make Alexa your dad? Share this article with the hashtag #AlexaEsMiPadre and discover more technological tricks that will make you laugh (or sigh).

Technology

Satellite Internet, the bet to close the digital divide in Mexico

Mexican geography limits fiber deployment, but low orbit satellites are emerging as an alternative.

Publicado 20 hours ago el 24 de julio a las 10:29 | 2 mins reading

Satellite internet as a solution to the digital divide in Mexico

Mountains, jungles and deserts make Mexico one of the countries with the most complex orography in Latin America. Bringing fiber optics to isolated communities implies an investment that is difficult to recover with few users. As a result, one in five households still lack internet access or receive poor service.

Faced with this scenario, low orbit (LEO) satellite internet is emerging as a strategic alternative. “Deploying physical infrastructure in Mexico is expensive due to geography. In many cases, satellite internet represents the most viable option to connect areas where fiber will not reach in the short term,” explains Ernesto Piedras, director of The CIU. Companies like Starlink, with more than 10,300 active satellites, already operate in the country. Since May 2021, it obtained a concession and closed 2024 with 160,631 subscriptions, making Mexico its second Latin American market, only behind Brazil. Starlink has signed contracts with CFE Telecomunicaciones for up to 1,556 million pesos to connect remote communities.

However, cost remains a barrier. While a fiber optic plan costs an average of 544 pesos per month, satellite internet starts at 899 pesos, plus equipment and installation. “Commercially it is still not as viable because it is still more expensive and requires purchasing an antenna whose price remains high,” says Fernando Esquivel, from The CIU. The service makes economic sense when it is shared between communities or companies, and with the support of public policies.

Experts agree that this technology will not replace fiber optics, but will complement it. “Terrestrial services are faster and have lower latency. Satellite communication reaches areas that fixed internet would not reach,” says Hugo Simg, from MediaTek. Deployment also requires regulation and coordination between governments and companies. The race to connect Mexico is no longer only being fought underground, but from space, where a new generation of satellites promises to reduce the digital divide that keeps millions out of the digital world.

Technology

Banks prepare for biometric facial controls in October

Banks claim to be ready for facial biometrics in branches since October.

Publicado 1 day ago el 23 de julio a las 14:20 | 1 min reading

The main banking institutions in the country claim to be prepared for the new regulations on facial biometric controls when opening accounts, which will come into force next October.

What did the banks declare?

Marcos Ramírez, general director of Grupo Financiero Banorte, pointed out that the institution has made progress to reinforce the identification and security of its users. “We are in time and form with everything established by law and a little ahead, with the prudential limits of the law,” he indicated.

These measures will strengthen control over customer identification. Since 2018, by regulation, fingerprint biometrics are already required to open accounts.

Implementation details

On July 1, the National Banking and Securities Commission (CNBV) incorporated facial biometrics into the regulation for multiple banking in customer identification and authentication. Institutions that opt for this mechanism must comply with technical, operational and security requirements.

Technology

AI detects breast cancer with 90% accuracy

An autonomous model analyzes thermographs and classifies tissues without human intervention.

Publicado 2 days ago el 22 de julio a las 20:58 | 2 mins reading

An artificial intelligence model developed by Raúl Castro Ortega, a researcher at the Polytechnic University of Tulancingo, manages to identify breast cancer with an accuracy of 90%. The results were presented during the SPIE Photonics Europe 2026 International Congress, in Strasbourg, France.

How the system works

The system uses convolutional neural networks with attention mechanisms to analyze breast thermographs. Unlike traditional methods, the model autonomously learns the patterns of healthy and diseased tissue, without a specialist previously defining the characteristics of the images. This reduces processing time and improves consistency of results.

The study, titled “Breast thermography analysis using convolutional neural networks with attention mechanisms,” uses an algorithm based on the heat diffusion equation. This approach focuses analysis on thermogram regions of interest and classifies tissues with high levels of sensitivity and specificity.

Impact on early detection

The accuracy achieved represents a significant advance for the early detection of breast cancer, which can improve survival rates and facilitate timely treatment. The researcher highlighted that the system does not replace the specialist, but rather works as a support tool for faster and more consistent diagnoses.