DialIdol is both the name of a computer program for Microsoft Windows and its associated website that tracks voting trends for American Idol contestants. The program allows users to automatically vote for the American Idol contestants of their choice using their PC's modem. The program then reports back to the main website, which keeps track of the results based on the percentage of calls for each contestant that result in a busy signal. DialIdol assumes that more busy signals means more callers are attempting to vote for that contestant. DialIdol was created during the fourth season of American Idol and was released to the public at the start of the fifth season.
Users can choose to vote equally for their chosen contestants, choose to keep certain contestants "safe" (by voting for their chosen contestant who is ranked the lowest), or choose to keep certain contestants "unsafe" (by voting for the lowest-ranked contestant who is not on their list).
In addition to American Idol, the software and website may also be used to vote, as well as track voting trends for, Dancing with the Stars, So You Think You Can Dance, and The X Factor. In 2006, DialIdol also supported Celebrity Duets and Canadian Idol. DialIdol did not support So You Think You Can Dance season 8.
Notable Predictions
Season 4 Predictions
For its first ever prediction, in the final 6, DialIdol predicted that either Constantine Maroulis or Vonzell Solomon would be eliminated. Maroulis was eliminated. In the final 4, DialIdol incorrectly predicted that Vonzell Solomon would be eliminated. Anthony Fedorov was eliminated. In the final 3, DialIdol correctly predicted that Vonzell Solomon would be eliminated. In the finale, DialIdol correctly predicted that Carrie Underwood would win.
Season 5 Predictions
In the final 16, DialIdol incorrectly predicted that Lisa Tucker would be one of the two female semifinalists eliminated along with Kinnik Sky. Kinnik Sky was eliminated, but Ayla Brown was the other female semifinalist eliminated. On the other hand, DialIdol correctly predicted that Gedeon McKinney and Will Makar would be the two male semifinalists eliminated. In the final 12, DialIdol predicted that either Ace Young, Kevin Covais, or Lisa Tucker would be eliminated and that Melissa McGhee would make it through. Melissa McGhee was eliminated. In the final 11, DialIdol incorrectly predicted that Elliott Yamin would be eliminated. Kevin Covais was eliminated. In the final 9, DialIdol predicted a bottom three of Paris Bennett, Elliott Yamin, and Mandisa, with only Yamin and Mandisa considered to be at risk. All three were in the bottom three, with Mandisa being eliminated and Bennett being sent to safety before Yamin. In the final 8, DialIdol predicted that either Bucky Covington or Ace Young would be eliminated. Bucky Covington was eliminated. In the final 7, DialIdol correctly predicted that Ace Young would be eliminated. In the final 6, DialIdol predicted that either Paris Bennett or Kellie Pickler would be eliminated, with Paris guaranteed to be in the bottom two and Kellie also guaranteed to be in the bottom three if one was declared. Kellie Pickler was eliminated and Paris Bennett was in the bottom two. In the final 5, DialIdol predicted that either Paris Bennett or Katharine McPhee would be eliminated. Paris Bennett was eliminated. In the final 4, DialIdol predicted that either Chris Daughtry or Katharine McPhee would be eliminated and that if a bottom two was declared, it would consist of those two. Chris Daughtry was eliminated and he and Katharine were indeed the bottom two. In the final 3, DialIdol correctly predicted that Taylor Hicks would make it to the finale. Hicks advanced along with Katharine McPhee. In the finale, DialIdol correctly predicted that Taylor Hicks would win.