Will a computer soon replace Simon Cowell? The Ring ‘n Sing demo, from British company VoxGen, rates your singing abilities by telephone. Dial +44 870 350 2560—as long as you don’t mind humiliation at international rates—and sing along to one of five songs. Speech-recognition software analyzes the pattern of your notes, compares it with the original, and issues a score. But be prepared: An automated judge isn’t necessarily a kinder one. My nervous rendition of “I’m So Excited” earned me a 1 out of 10 and a Cockney-accented “Oh dear! That was horrible!” —Lauren Aaronson