LG and will.i.am team up for xboom speakers that mix music with AI banter
will.i.am, The Black Eyed Peas rapper and producer turned entrepreneur, has teamed up with LG to create the audio device you probably didn’t have on your wishlist: a Bluetooth speaker with its own AI DJ.
The new “LG xboom by will.i.am” range comes loaded with FYI.RAiDiO, an interactive service designed to let you chat with a virtual host while your music plays.
FYI.RAiDiO is the product of FYI.AI, will.i.am’s creative technology company. The idea is simple, if a little surreal. Instead of passively streaming tracks, listeners can ask the AI DJ about the artist, request information about upcoming events, or even get lifestyle tips.
Each digital AI DJ, yes there’s more than one, is intended to reflect different cultural perspectives, with the aim of sounding more conversational and less robotic.
Whether people actually want another talkative speaker in their living room is another question, especially when Alexa, Google Assistant, and Siri already compete for attention in the same space, albeit without the different cultural perspectives angle.
xboom boxes
The collaboration with LG brings this service to select models in the xboom range.
Both the Bounce and Grab speakers now include a “MY Button” that opens an instant line to the AI DJ. It effectively turns the hardware from a one-way audio device into something closer to a voice assistant that comments on your playlist.
As far as the hardware goes, the Bounce is the tough one of the group. It features up-bouncing passive radiators, dome tweeters for clear highs, IP67 water and dust resistance, and a 30-hour battery life, making it suitable for outdoor use. It will set you back $199.99.
The Grab is lighter, slimmer, and designed for travel, with dual passive radiators and 20 hours of playtime in a strap-friendly frame. That one is priced at $149.99.
LG is also expanding the range with the Stage 301, a larger model carrying a 6.5-inch woofer and dual midrange drivers, built for gatherings or -- LG says -- busking. It runs on a replaceable 12-hour battery and is available for $299.99.
For those who prefer earbuds, the xboom Buds, which we covered the other day, round out the lineup with graphene drivers, active noise cancelling, and up to 30 hours of listening with the case. They retail for $109.99.
The “LG xboom by will.i.am” range is available online now and through select retailers.
All models work with the FYI app, available for both iOS and Android, but only the Bounce and Grab feature direct FYI.RAiDiO access.
That means not every device in the lineup is going to talk back, which might be a relief for anyone not convinced by the AI DJ experiment.
What do you think about speakers that double as chatty DJs? Let us know in the comments.