The app that makes you look SMART: Words U swaps text in messages to make it look like you have better vocabulary
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Phones have been blamed for creating a generation of people who can only communicate in so-called 'text speak' and smiley faces.
But a pair of New York developers is hoping to expand our vocabularies with the launch of its Words U app.
The app uses an algorithm to automatically replace words in messages with synonyms – and users can collect words to compete with their friends.
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The free Words U iOS app was created by New York-based Sam Mendelson and Allan Zhang. It changes the words used in text messages while keeping the sentence structure and meaning the same. The original words are shown right and the updated words are shown left
'Learning new vocabulary can be stressful and challenging, but it doesn't have to be,' explained Sam Mendleson and Allan Zhang.
'With Words U, your casual conversations become learning opportunities.'
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They added that Words U is 'much smarter than an electronic thesaurus' because it maintains the sentence structure and the idiomatic usage of words it replaces.
There are more than 800 words that can be used, and subsequently collected, and the aim is to achieve the 'words crown' by collecting them all.
The general meaning of a new word is the same as the word it is replacing, but users can tap it to see a full dictionary definition (pictured). They can also revert it back to the original word, and recipients can press the lightbulb icon to see what the sender initially typed
The general meaning of a new word is the same as the word it is replacing, but users can tap it to see a full dictionary definition.
This also shows the history of the usage of the word.
They can also revert it back to the original word, and recipients can press the lightbulb icon to see what the sender initially typed.
It is only currently available in the US and the words have been taken from college curriculums including those used in English SAT exams.
And once the initial list of words has been learnt and collected users can download extension packs for $6.99.
Words U is also only available in English, but the firm told The Next Web it is hoping to develop foreign language versions if the app is a success.
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