sing

Name that tune

If you're having trouble naming that tune, just fire up SoundHound to speak, sing, hum, type, or record a song for the music-identification service to identify. It will return a song, complete with YouTube links, lyrics (when available), a list of albums on which the song has appeared, and even a link to purchase the song through Amazon. But more than just a song-identifier, SoundHound also shows you tons of information on the artist, including a bio and feeds from the artist's Facebook and Twitter accounts. It lets you bookmark tracks, and shows you lists of similar artists, … Read more

Become a hip-hop superstar with AutoRap (not really)

Right when you launch AutoRap, you can get started by tapping your screen and speaking. The app immediately records your speech until you tap the screen again to stop it. After a few seconds of "rappification" (AutoRap's proprietary syllable-mapping technology), the app will replay your recording, autotuned, timing-adjusted, and laid over one of its generic rap beats.

Off the bat, you get two free beats to play with: Turkey Burgers and OneOneOne (I've never heard of them either). You can use these as many times and as often as you like. If you want more beats, … Read more

Who's Siri? Singapore get its own concierge app

Siri may not be able to search for businesses outside of the U.S. or understand Asian accents, but Singaporeans need not fret. They now have Def!nd.

Just launched by local telco SingTel, Def!nd is a digital concierge app that's able to do some things Siri cannot. Def!nd can locate nearby restaurants and amenities, book taxis, and find shopping deals. Through the app, users can even book a restaurant and receive an SMS confirmation.

The best part? You don't have to be a SingTel subscriber or own an iPhone 4S to use Def!nd. … Read more

Singlish-speaking Siri rival seen in Singapore

Apple's Siri voice assistant may soon have some competition in Singapore.

Local carrier SingTel has cooked up its own voice-recognition assistant application for iPhone and Android that's designed to understand the locals, reports Agence France-Presse.

The app, called DeF!ND, is able to pick up on what the AFP refers to as "Singlish" which is a blend of English and words in languages from neighboring countries, along with a helping of local accents.

By comparison, Apple's Siri (which is still in beta) currently supports English, French, and German. Apple has said that it's bringing … Read more

Japan's (Freakily) Realistic Singing Humanoid Robot

Rate this one freaky but nonetheless intriguing. During the just-concluded CEATC tech exposition, show goers got a look at a singing robot that mimicks a human singer with startling accuracy.

Japan's National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, the country's biggest public research organization with around 3,200 employees, has shown off a variety of robots at previous CEATC shows. But the body and facial movements of this latest incarnation, called the HRP-4, or the "diva-bot," are a notch higher than earlier versions.

Although still a bit on the stiff side, she can belt out … Read more

Sing-along app for kids

Wheels on the Bus is an interactive storybook for preschoolers based on the much-beloved song of the same name (similar to the app Old MacDonald, also from developer Duck Duck Moose). As with Old MacDonald, kids can navigate through eight scenes from the song with forward and back buttons--everything from the wheels on the bus to the driver, baker, and even bubbles on the bus--and each scene provides at least one opportunity for a touch-screen slide or "poke" interaction, whether you're "swishing" the wipers or opening and shutting the doors.

The song plays the appropriate … Read more

Create audio messages from song samples

Internet memes travel in waves. A fun site can lie dormant for years before suddenly being rediscovered.

The latest example I've found is Let Them Sing It For You, which has been around for years, but has been drawing new attention on blogs in the last couple of weeks. On Tuesday, I received my first personalized message through the service.

Created in 2003 by Eric Bunger, Let Them Sing It For You is a simple but fun Web application that lets you enter a text message, then translates the words into audio. The catch: it uses popular song snippets … Read more

SingTel Singapore Grand Prix: A Preview in Pictures

In 2008, FIA Formula One World Championship reintroduced the Singapore Grand Prix to its legions of fans after years of inactivity. Despite this fact, the race that takes place at the scenic Marina Bay in Singapore has a history that dates back to the mid 1960s. In fact, a lot of the appeal of this particular F1 event is its course that runs around the picturesque Marina Bay area vicinity, and also because of its night race that takes place amid the bay's incredible visuals. And with that said, this is the very reason I have selected this particular … Read more

Unleash your inner 'American Idol' with iSing

Forget Randy, Simon, and whoever's filling Paula's shoes this week. If you've got mad vocal skillz, dawg, or you want to see what it's like to sit in the judge's chair, grab iSing--the "worldwide talent contest" for iPhone and iPod Touch.

When you run the app, you'll see a list of song entries from other iSing users. Tap any thumbnail to stream a clip, then vote on it by tapping the thumbs-up or thumbs-down button.

Entries with the most positive votes bubble to the top of the "charts," earning … Read more