Hound is a relatively new voice assistant app that seems better than Google and Siri.

I just discovered and began to play with Hound this morning.  Here are some of the things I asked Siri and Hound – and only Hound could answer.

How much sugar is in 8 strawberries, 12 grapes, 2 bananas and an orange?

 Did it rain in New York City two weeks ago?

 What’s the weather in Encino?  How about a month from today?

 What song is this?  (I can hum, or sing, or “la la la” to a tune)

 What’s the mortgage payment on a one- million dollar home with 20 percent down,

a 4 percent interest rate, for 15 years?

 What’s the population of France, and the capital of the Czech Republic, and the currency of Cambodia, and the area code for Panama?

 How much will it cost to take Uber from the Burbank Airport to Oxnard?

 What’s the population of Manhattan Beach and Berkeley? How far apart are they?

 Translate “I would appreciate your gift of five cigars” in Hebrew. (Siri can’t do Hebrew.)

 Show me pictures of two girls holding a cat

 Show me a movie with Ryan Gosling playing today.

 Show hotels in Oceanside that cost less than $60 a night, have a pool, and free breakfast, and are on the beach.

 So how do I expect I will be using Hound?

In my car, I will say, “Open Hound.”  Then, hands free, while I am driving, I can say things like, “Okay, Hound, take me to the nearest Arco gas station.  “Okay, Hound, how far is it to the mall?”

In bed, I can say, “Okay, Hound, translate “What a great day this was” in Hebrew, in Spanish, in Thai.

Will I forsake Siri altogether?  Probably, yes.

Will Hound threaten Alexa?  No.

Alexa can do things that Hound can only dream of right now.

For example, I can program Alexa to play games, read me facts, and turn on/off my lights.

I wonder if I can get Alexa to talk to Hound?  “Alexa, ask Hound to tell Siri we miss her.”

Mr.  Ebsen may be contacted at robertzebsen@gmail.com