Getting Started

First time using Alek? Make sure you follow this first!

Table of contents

Alek is primarily a text to speech app - it allows you to type messages, press a button, and have that message spoken out loud. However what makes Alek different is that it can suggest responses tailored to you based on the conversation you're having!

In order to take advantage of those suggestions, we need to follow a few basic setup steps.

Last Updated: 8th October 2024 (out-dated)

Step One - Sign up

If you haven't already, open the app by clicking here.

You will be greeted with a screen like the below:

sign_in

You can sign up using an existing Google account, or you can create an account specific for Alek. Choose your preferred option and follow the instructions.

Currently Alek requires an admin approval before you can access the app, so you may need to wait a few hours for your account to be approved (it shouldn't take long).

Step Two - Initial Login

Once your account has been approved, you can log in by clicking the "Go to app" button in the top right. Log in using the account that you signed up with.

When you first log in, you will be greeted with a message asking for permission to use your microphone - you need to press "Allow" or "Approved". This will vary depending on what device or browser you're accessing from, but it should look something like the below:

allow_mic

Step Three - Enter your background

Next is one of the most important tasks when using Alek - you need to tell it a bit about yourself.

First, click in to the settings menu in the top right, highlighted below:

settings_button_highlighted-1

Then, in the settings menu, you first need to enter your first name in the top box.

Underneath that is where you enter your background. There are a few important things when you are typing your background:

  • Your background will save between sessions, so you will only need to write it once.
  • You must write it in the third person - so instead of saying "I live in New Zealand", you would say "Daniel lives in New Zealand".
  • You should include a bit about yourself, but it doesn't have to be over the top. Just think of things that are important for your conversations (where you live, what you do for work, names of your family members and how they're related).
  • You can write as much or as little as you want, although writing more is likely to give you better suggestions later on.
  • For more tips and advice on writing your background, refer to this How To guide: Tips for writing your background

Don't worry too much, you can always adjust your background in the future!

Once you're finished, you can press the "Save" button at the bottom of the menu.

Step Four - Choose your voice

Lastly, right at the bottom is an option to pick which voice you want to use. You can change this at any time, so feel free to try them all out.

Step Five - Setup your first conversation

Great, now all that's left to do is setup your first conversation.

Once you're back on the main screen, click the side bar highlighted below:

conversating_settings_bar_highlighted

Once you're in that menu, you just need to write the name of the person you're talking to. If you've mentioned them in your background, this will help Alek connect the conversation to anything you shared about them!

And that's it, you're all setup and ready to go. Refer to this guide on having your first conversation for next steps.