Amazon Echo can now add events to your Google Calendar

It's Friday, so that means Amazon is pushing out some updates to the Echo, and todays' big addition sounds like a very useful one. You can now ask Alexa to schedule events on your Google Calendar -- it'll interpret your request and add an item for you. To set it up, just go to the settings section of the Alexa app and tap the "calendar" item.

The Echo has been able to read back your schedule for a while -- including shared Google calendars -- but the ability to actually add events is a pretty great addition. Whether or not that's easier for you than shouting "hey Siri" or "OK Google" and adding items directly through your smartphone remains to be seen, but if Alexa is your digital assistant of choice, you'll definitely enjoy this new feature.

The last few Alexa updates have been more focused on enhancing its smart home credentials. In late March, Amazon added the ability for Echo to control the Nest Learning Thermostat, and Lutron's connected lighting systems started working with the Echo earlier this month.