Brian Donohue is currently a product engineer at Pinterest, which acquired his previous company, Instapaper. Brian was the CEO of Instapaper, where he led the product roadmap, software development, and business operations.
After taking the company Amazon Echo home for the weekend, Brian immediately recognized the power and potential of the platform and began developing custom skills. His first skill, called Nonsmoker, allows former smokers to track how long it has been since they quit smoking; it is available in the Alexa app.
In addition to active development with the Alexa Skills Kit, Brian also founded the NYC Amazon Alexa Meetup. The meetup has held several successful events, including a workshop to show Alexa enthusiasts how to build their own custom skills and another event focused on the smart home.
- Nonsmoker: Becoming a nonsmoker is difficult but incredibly rewarding. With this skill, Alexa will keep track of when you stopped smoking and allow you to find out how long it's been since your final cigarette. Please note this skill is designed for people ages 18 and older, and may not be suitable for children.
Contributions
- Founded NYC Amazon Alexa Meetup
- Organizer of SF Amazon Alexa Meetup
- “Build Your First Alexa Skill” Medium post
- Open-source Alexa “Hello, World” template
- Open-source conference room-availability skill
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