Just Sing It!

Just Sing It Turns iPhone Karaoke Into A Social Game, By Anthony Ha,, Tech Crunch

This article is about an app that turns “your” singing into a social sharing experience!

 

karaoke app Just Sing It. By AnyoneGame.

karaoke app Just Sing It. By AnyoneGame.

“There are plenty of smartphone karaoke apps, but no one has really figured out how to turn the act of singing into your phone into an addictive social experience — at least not in the United States — according to Alec Andronikov, CEO of mobile startup AnyoneGame.
That’s why Andronikov and AnyoneGame have developed a new app called Just Sing It. The app allows you to choose a song based on genre and difficulty, find other users in an app, and sing to them. You can also adjust the sound using different voice effects.
Then it’s up to other users to guess the name of the song. If they’re right, then both the singer and the listener earn virtual coins, which can be used to unlock additional content. You can buy coins too, which is how Just Sing It makes money.
Andronikov noted that most Just Sing It users are in their 20s, and that 85 percent of them are female. There’s already a subtle dating dynamic evolving, Andronikov said, with many guys trying to find cute women to sing to in the app, and asking for other ways to interact with those women — right now, all they can do is sing. Andronikov said he plans to add messaging features and virtual gifts. He also plans to launch contests where the most popular singers can be rewarded with even more coins.” Read more…

Language Skill Activities.

While-reading

Vocabulary

Words in context.

Directions:  Have students read infer the meanings of the words (in bold) taken from the article.

  1. There are plenty of smartphone karaoke apps.
  2. The app allows you to choose a song based on genre and difficulty.
  3. There are other karaoke apps out there, and they often include a significant social networking element.
  4. There’s already a subtle dating dynamic evolving.
  5. He also plans to launch contests.

 

Questions for Reading Comprehension

True / False

Directions:  The following statements were taken from the article.  If  a statement is true, students write (T) if  a statement is false they  write (F)  and  provide the correct answer from the article.

There are not many smartphone karaoke apps.

The app allows you to find other users in an app and sing to them.

You can’t adjust the sound so players must use the same voice.

The app StarMaker is tied to the TV shows The Voice and American Idol.

Post-reading 

Questions for Discussion

  1. Do you think Just Sing It will turn into a big  business? Provide reasons why or why not.
  2. According to the article, “There’s already a subtle dating dynamic evolving…with many guys trying to find cute women to sing to in the app.” From the point of view of a young person, would this be something attractive? Explain why or why not.
  3. Explain the following saying in your own words:

 

“Some see private enterprise as a predatory target to be shot, others as a cow to be milked, but few are those who see it as a sturdy horse pulling the wagon.”

-Winston Churchill-

 (From: Forbes Thought Of The Day)

 

Answer Key

Vocabulary

  1. karaoke |ˌkarēˈōkē|-noun-a form of entertainment, offered typically by bars and clubs, in which people take turns singing popular songs into a microphone over prerecorded backing tracks.
  2. genre |ˈZHänrə|-noun-a category of artistic composition, as in music or literature, characterized by similarities in form, style, or subject matter.
  3. significant |sigˈnifikənt|-adjective-sufficiently great or important to be worthy of attention; noteworthy: a significant increase in sales.
  4. subtle |ˈsətl|-adjective ( subtler , subtlest )-(esp. of a change or distinction) so delicate or precise as to be difficult to analyze or describe: his language expresses rich and subtle meanings.
  5. launch 1 |lônCH, länCH|-verb [ with obj. ]-start or set in motion (an activity or enterprise): she was launching a campaign against ugly architecture.-• introduce (a new product or publication) to the public for the first time: the company has launched a software package specifically for the legal sector.

Source: New Oxford American Dictionary

Questions for Reading Comprehension

F- There are plenty of smartphone karaoke apps.

T- The app allows you to find other users in an app and sing to them.

F- You can also adjust the sound using different voice effects.

T-The app StarMaker is tied to the TV shows The Voice and American Idol.