Gracenote developers use Ford APIs to make HABU Music smartphone app available for Ford SYNC® AppLink™-equipped vehicles HABU Music is the first-ever app that enables drivers to play automatically generated playlists based on mood using voice commands HABU takes advantage of the enormous library of song metadata and music descriptors compiled by Gracenote Using the Ford SYNC® AppLink™ API, Gracenote developers are providing drivers a unique way to rock out to music to match their mood – using simple voice commands with the HABU Music App. The latest HABU Music App software update will be available later this month. The HABU smartphone app for iPhone makes it easy to navigate expansive music collections, letting drivers tap into their music to enjoy a playlist to fit just about any mood, without having to remember artist or track names. “It’s great to see our partners and developers achieving success with the Ford developer program and demonstrating the ease of integrating AppLink into apps like HABU,” said Julius Marchwicki, global product manager for Ford SYNC AppLink. “Ford is dedicated to making it easy for developers to work with us, and we’re excited to add HABU to the AppLink platform, making it the first mood-based playlisting app available from any automaker.” HABU takes advantage of the enormous library of metadata provided by Gracenote to analyze music collections and organize songs based on their mood characteristics. HABU groups songs into 25 moods that can be accessed using simple voice commands. When HABU is paired with SYNC AppLink, drivers can tap into automatically generated playlists by pressing the SYNC button on the steering wheel and saying “Play upbeat,” “Play rowdy,” “Play relaxing,” or whatever their mood might be. “The SYNC AppLink APIs give our developers the tools to transform HABU from a visually rich experience on smartphones and tablets into one that is hands-free, driven by simple voice commands in Ford vehicles,” said Eric Allen, vice president of services at Gracenote. “The result of our work with Ford is a music experience that lets drivers keep their focus on the road while easily enjoying more of the music they have in their collection.” A sample of moods and synonyms that drivers can request includes: Excited, happy, party, euphoric Rowdy, wild, loud Aggressive, hard, angry, triumphant Sensual, sexy, hot, sultry Cool, hip, funky Easygoing, carefree, cheerful, charming, friendly Romantic, sweet, heartfelt, love, loving Energizing, pump me up, pump it, dance, motivate Peaceful, calming, calm, soothing, relaxing, sleepy Somber, sad, dark, solemn, eerie Empowering, empowered, inspirational, uplifting, expressive, comforting SYNC AppLink is available on more than 1.5 million Ford vehicles including Fiesta, Mustang, Edge, Explorer, Flex, Expedition, Transit Connect, Fusion, Taurus, F-150, Super Duty, Focus, E-Series and C-MAX hybrids. Learn more about HABU Music: http://www.habumusic.com/
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