Alexa Youtube Hack

Google releases their developer API for free and it includes the data for Youtube. Now we made a AWS account and with a little payment we have received developer access at amazon. We created a function and used a lambda that can give us query's, and we added a developer key which includes the API for Youtube. Then we exported that function that we created at AWS to the endpoint in the Alexa Developer Console. We found a basic template for a media player app in python 2.7 and we had to alter it to make youtube searches and play any youtube videos. From the developer console we can test out the Alexa.

There were many challenges along the way. For example Trib typed "youtube_di" in the developer key instead of "youtube_dl" which completely ruined our search mechanic. At a certain point it felt like we were doing too much for our own good, but we managed to pull through and it can complete the essential functions of a Youtube app.

We honestly have been very fascinated with the Alexa and we wanted to do something it never could do. We learned how to program our own skills, expanding the possibilities of this great piece of hardware. We will surely love to make more new programs and skills for the Alexa in the future.