will.i.am to Tour World for Intel’s Ultrabook™ Project

will.i.am to Tour World for Intel’s Ultrabook™ Project

Part Travelogue, Part Insider’s Guide, this Music Expedition will Send will.i.am
to 12 International Cities in 12 Months Creating 12 Original Pieces of Content

will.i.am, Intel’s director of creative innovation and international recording artist, is gearing up for another world tour. This time, however, he will be traveling around the globe as part of the Intel Ultrabook™ Project. Mirroring the musician’s vision of a richer, more participatory music experience for his fans, the Ultrabook Project will put music at the epicenter of social content to create the ultimate musical expedition. Fans will be able to see what will.i.am sees and experiences, and showcases the inspiration for and creation process behind each of the pieces of music. The 12-city, 12-month tour, which will kick off in Mexico City at the end of the month, will produce 12 original pieces of music inspired by the cities will.i.am visits. Ten- thousand downloads of each piece of music will be available exclusively on intel.com.

Likely additional tour stops include Australia, Brazil, China, England, India, Korea and the United States. During each stop on the Ultrabook Project tour, will.i.am will collaborate with local artists, gain inspiration from fashion, design and architecture trends and with insight from each unique culture he will develop and perform an original song using an Ultrabook device. Through Timeline, the new interactive music player created by agency partner Razorfish, fans will also be able to participate in the tour by watching the progress, interacting with each other, listening to the music, and ultimately downloading a limited number of free downloads along the way exclusively at www.intel.com/ultrabookproject.

Adding another new experience to the Ultrabook Project, a state-of-the-art 360-degree camera captured the musician’s activities in each city. The willpower360 app, available on Intel’s AppUp Center, gives users yet another ultra personal and unique glimpse into the artist’s journey around the world.


Bridging Music and UltrabookTM Innovation

The Ultrabook Project is about bringing together the audience and artist through technology. The next step in music evolution, the Ultrabook Project shows the future of a fuller, richer experience of music – one that is active and participatory and not just about passive listening.

will.i.am, in describing the Ultrabook Project, said, “The band of the future includes a digital artist and code writer and this is a big step toward making that a reality.”

Just as will.i.am is advancing the experience of music, Intel is ushering in the next stage of computing with the Ultrabook. Johan Jervøe, vice president and director of Intel’s Partner Marketing Group, said “Ultrabook devices put sleek style, intense performance and an amazing experience in the hands of users around the world and this tour with will.i.am will help bring those features and values to life.”

Musicians are constantly being inspired by their surroundings, which makes the Ultrabook a perfect device for them. Because of its lightweight design, superior battery life and ability to quickly complete the task at hand, it is simply an extension of anyone’s instrument collection to express themselves – no matter their walk of life.

Timeline, an interactive music player, displays content throughout the song as it relates to the lyrics (images that served as inspiration, videos of local musicians, etcetera.). It also allows users to comment within the song and share with their friends on Facebook and Twitter.

The new music player will be housed on Intel's homepage, and will be optimized for such mobile devices as tablets and smartphones. It will also feature a dedicated Ultrabook device section that invites users to explore the new features and designs.

"Intel understands the transformative power of digital technology, which is evident in their innovative product line. In that spirit, Razorfish created Timeline to revolutionize how consumers will experience music in the future. Through the Ultrabook, we are remaking the way consumers connect with music and artists,” said Christopher Follett, executive creative director of Razorfish West.

Stops on the Ultrabook Project tour will be announced and unveiled online at www.intel.com/ultrabookproject. Also, for all of the latest updates on the Ultrabook Project, follow @Intel using #Ultrabook.

The Ultrabook device is an emerging new breed of no-compromise computers that will increasingly combine best-in-class performance, improved responsiveness and battery life, and built-in security in thin, elegant, must-have mobile designs. Intel’s vision for Ultrabook devices entails a multi-year, industry-wide endeavor that will roll out in phases where new experiences and features will be added.