Singster is a new Windows Phone app that turns your smartphone into a social karaoke machine, by letting you sing along to some of your favourite songs, with both a word and note guide, and offeing a real-time scoring system. What's more you can record your performance using your phone's camera, upload it to the Singster website, and share if with the world via social media (if you're feeling brave). 

Part of the motivation to upload songs is provided by the social element of the app, something that matches well with the general ethos of karaoke. You can find and follow friends who are using the app and, as Singster explains, "meet incredible singers from all over the world". You can view other performances, "love" them, and leave supportive comments.

The Windows Phone Singster app is divided into five main sections: activity (view social log and newly added songs), songs (browse songs by genre, popularity, date added), competitions (compete against other users), performance (view others singing), and singers (find other users).

The core element of the app is of course the karaoke experience. Once you've found a song you interested in singing the app will download the necessary information from the web, and then kick off karaoke mode. This mode, which has been very well implemented, shows both a word and a note guide overlaid on the view from the front camera (i.e. you). As you sing along the performance is recorded for optional upload to the Singster service.

The social elements of Singster are currently fairly limited, because there aren't many people using the service. However, as more people start to use the app (or web equivalent) it should become a compelling element of the app. As things stand there aren't enough performances (or singers) to really get a feel for this side of the app, but like the karaoke mode the implementation is polished, especially for a first release.

What really stands out about Singster it that it is very easy to use. All you have to is sing - the app handles the words, backing music, video recoding, and upload. In contrast to a DIY cover song it also handles licensing issues related to the music.

Singster is a graduate of the joint Microsoft-Nokia AppCampus program, which provides support and limited funding to mobile entrepreneurs. That means Singster should remain a Windows Phone exclusive for a short time (although it is clear iOS and Android versions are on the way, where it will have to compete against apps like Singstar).

Given the polish of the app and the well though out implementation of the social karaoke concept it's entirely possible that Singster will become one of the stars of the program, which is effectively part of the effort to close the app gap on Microsoft's mobile platform.

Windows Phone Store description:

With Singster you can sing all your favorite karaoke songs, whenever and where ever! More than 1300 classic karaoke party hits are available instantly. You can record your performances and take part in thrilling competitions. Sing your favorite songs from a huge catalog of top hits, or perfect a song and then share it with the world.

Singster, which is only available for Windows Phone 8, is a free download from the Windows Phone Store. The first 20 songs are free, the remaining catalogue, which currently consists of around 1300 songs can be unlocked by subscription (€0.99 for one day, €2.99 for 7 days,  and €8.99 for 30 days).