Jibo Music available through a free, over-the-air software update and will showcase iHeartRadio original stations across genres as well as news and talk content
BOSTON - Dec. 13, 2017 - Jibo, Inc. today announced the launch of Jibo Music, available Monday, December 18 on all Jibo robots through a free, over-the-air software update. To launch Jibo Music, the company has teamed up with iHeartRadio, iHeartMedia's free all-in-one digital music, podcasting and live streaming radio service.
Jibo's expressive character is packed with personality and sets him apart from other technology products. Simply say, "Hey Jibo, play music" and Jibo will stream an iHeartRadio Original station from your favorite genre of music. Jibo will showcase his love of music with a short dance each time Jibo Music launches or when a new song starts to surprise and delight his family and friends.
Jibo Music will include a variety of music genres including pop, alternative, classic rock, jazz, country, dance, and hip-hop. Plus, Jibo will display the album artwork, song title, and artist name as the music plays. Jibo Music can also be accessed through Jibo's touch screen. In addition to music, Jibo can also play iHeartRadio's news and talk content from NPR and NBC News Radio. Jibo Music will focus on music and news at launch with additional programming to follow.
"The ability to play music via voice command is hugely attractive to consumers and the #1 requested skill customers want Jibo to provide," said Steve Chambers, Chief Executive Officer, Jibo, Inc. "We set out to create a different music experience that combines a variety of music genres, done the Jibo way: with killer dance moves, expanded programming content and on-screen visualizations over time – and iHeartRadio is a perfect launch partner for Jibo Music. This is the first of many new skills that we're rolling out to Jibo owners via free, over-the-air software updates over the coming months."
"Jibo has moves! We are excited to provide the music to really help showcase his dancing skills and to get Jibo's friends and family moving along with him," said Jessica Jerrick, Executive Vice President of Business Development and Partnerships, iHeartMedia. "iHeartRadio is committed to providing the very best music, news and entertainment to listeners everywhere they are. Jibo is fun and innovative, and we are glad that iHeartRadio is the launch partner for Jibo Music."
In addition to playing music, Jibo can answer a wide variety of questions, play the role of photographer at your next party, help you stay updated on a loved one's flight status, and control your smart home devices through an integration with IFTTT.
Jibo was built by some of the most respected minds in social robotics and artificial intelligence, including Massachusetts Institute of Technology professor and industry pioneer, Cynthia Breazeal. He was recently named one the "Best Inventions of 2017" by TIME Magazine, appearing on the publication's cover for the double issue.
To learn more about Jibo or order a Jibo, visit www.jibo.com.
About Jibo, Inc.
Founded in 2012, Jibo, Inc. is widely known for creating the eponymous robot, Jibo: the first social robot for the home. Jibo is built to interact and communicate with the people around him, and he uses advanced Natural Language Understanding (NLU) along with speech and facial recognition to forge relationships with his family. Jibo, Inc. officially launched Jibo to the public in 2017 after nearly three years of intensive development and optimization. The company is privately held and headquartered in Boston, with additional offices in the Silicon Valley.