What were the lyrics to that song? Know this in real time with the Lyric Speaker, which displays the lyrics to songs it plays through a neat interface in the speaker itself.
The lyrics are shown automatically in beautiful motion graphics, in sync with the actual song you are playing through your mobile device. The speaker can do this by connecting with a cloud database called PetitLyrics to generate the lyrics and also graphics that match the mood and structure of the song. For example, it displays softer graphics for mellow tracks and powerful graphics for more up-beat numbers.
The developers, SIX Inc., call this Lyric Sync Technology and claim it is the first of its kind in the world.
The speaker is part of a line of recent interesting Internet of Things devices that are set to transform the way we live.
“Amid the rapid digitization of the music industry, not many people will think much about the lyrics booklet that came with the cover sleeve of a physical CD or the purpose it served,” says Jin Saito, Creative Director of SIX. “The Lyric Speaker is an Internet of Things speaker that brings back the utility of a lyrics booklet but takes it to the next level using technology and stunning visuals.”
The speaker was first announced in 2014 but last year made a stir at SXSW (South by Southwest), which is fast becoming the event of choice for globally minded Japanese agencies to showcase their IoT prototypes and build buzz.
After becoming the first Japanese company to win a Best Bootstrap Company award at the 2015 SXSW Accelerator, SIX Inc. has now launched the Lyric Speaker commercially.
Pre-orders start in June, with deliveries in Japan set for September. The Lyric Speaker will then be available from Isetan department stores around the country. It is expected to receive a full overseas release in late 2017, but is currently available from Japan Trend Shop.
