*By Tracey Cheek*
The Butterball Turkey Talk-Line has been answering the questions of stressed-out Thanksgiving hosts for decades, but this year it is turning to Amazon Alexa to modernize how it helps with turkey prep.
The Turkey Talk-Line typically receives around 10,000 calls each Thanksgiving. Last year, it got almost 3,000 texts as well. For 2018, Butterball partnered with Amazon so people could easily get in touch with turkey experts simply by asking their Alexa-enabed device questions like: "Alexa, ask Butterball how long I should cook my turkey?"
"It's a voice-over by actual Turkey Talk-Line experts, so you get that human connection," Kyle Lock, Senior Director of Retail and Marketing at Butterball, told Cheddar. "This isn't just Amazon answering your questions, it's Butterball using your Amazon device."
How-to videos created by Turkey Talk-Line experts are also available through Amazon Alexa products.
Some of the most common questions that the turkey experts receive range from "What do I buy?" to "How do I thaw a turkey?" But this year, one question took the internet by storm.
Millennials and college students have been participating in the viral #TurkeyChallenge by texting their parents, "How long would it take to microwave a 25-pound turkey?" Responses typically range from disgust to confusion, but Butterball gave Cheddar some advice for anyone actually considering the unconventional technique.
"Don't panic," Lock said. "If the only way you have to cook a turkey is your microwave, it can be done, and the folks at 1-800-Butterball can help you get there."
For full interview click [here](https://cheddar.com/videos/butterball-turns-to-tech-to-help-you-cook-a-turkey).
Taking a look at investment strategy as the new year gets into full swing.
Americans stepped up their spending in December more than expected, closing out the holiday season and the year on an upbeat tone. The Commerce Department said retail sales rose 0.6% in December compared with a November’s 0.3% increase.
A New York architect charged in a string of slayings known as the Gilgo Beach killings was accused in a 25-year-old Connecticut woman's death.
Uber purchased Drizly in a cash-and-stock deal for $1.1 billion in 2021. The drink delivery app will shut down in March, according to Uber.
After Donald Trump's victory at the Iowa caucus, Nikki Haley and DeSantis continue their campaigns as New Hampshire's primary looms.
Christine Short, VP of Research at Wall Street Horizon, shares insights on small and big banks earnings, a fresh round of layoffs in the tech world, and what to expect from upcoming rate decisions.
More executives are feeling better about the global economy. But a growing number don’t think their companies will survive the coming decade without a major overhaul because of pressure from climate change and technology like artificial intelligence.
The International Olympic Committee has signed the first beer brand in the 40-year history of a sponsorship program that earns billions of dollars for the organization and international sports.
The latest calculations from several science agencies showing Earth obliterated global heat records last year may seem scary. But scientists worry that what’s behind those numbers could be even worse.
Along with the $122 million from delinquent millionaires in October, nearly half a billion dollars in back taxes from rich tax cheats has been collected.
