Ford announced yesterday the latest technology to have been born from their relationship with software giant Microsoft. Named Ford Sync, the technology allows drivers to take advantage of the functionality and convenience of today's latest wireless products through an in-car interface. The feature will be optionally installed this calendar year to several new models including the Five Hundred and MKX from luxury division Lincoln. The carmaker says that the technology will be available on all of their machines in the near future.
Ford Sync allows drivers to operate various devices through voice command by way of steering-wheel mounted buttons. For instance, the system will wirelessly link to a cellular phone, allowing drivers to press a button and dial by saying the appropriate contacts name. If you're into text messaging, you'll be happy to know that the system can even read your incoming messages aloud and allows you to select from a list of pre-defined responses.
If you've got a ring-tune scheme set up to identify certain callers, Ford Sync can play them too. And, it automatically retrieves your cell phone's address book and loads it into the system.
The voice command works with a multitude of digital music players as well, meaning voice-commanded browsing of your tracks and folders while on the road.
"Sync is what today's generation and today's drivers demand in connectivity," says Derrick Kuzak, VP of product development at Ford. "Not only does it offer hands-free phone operation and iPod®, Zune or MP3 player connectivity, it's built on a software platform that is upgradeable and will allow us to offer new features by simply upgrading the software."
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If you've got a ring-tune scheme set up to identify certain callers, Ford Sync can play them too. And, it automatically retrieves your cell phone's address book and loads it into the system.
The voice command works with a multitude of digital music players as well, meaning voice-commanded browsing of your tracks and folders while on the road.
"Sync is what today's generation and today's drivers demand in connectivity," says Derrick Kuzak, VP of product development at Ford. "Not only does it offer hands-free phone operation and iPod®, Zune or MP3 player connectivity, it's built on a software platform that is upgradeable and will allow us to offer new features by simply upgrading the software."