AppLink software for SYNC comes to Fiesta first, adds iPhone
Filed under: Technology, Ford
It's a good day for Ford Sync users. The Blue Oval has officially announced two big leaps forward for the company's infotainment system for smartphone users. For the first time, Apple users will find that their iPhone is now fully compatible with Sync. Previously, the system was only usable with devices that used RIM or Android operating systems. What's more, users can now control the applications on their smartphones using a hands-free, voice-operated system. So far, there are only a handful of apps that will gel with Sync voice activation, including Pandora internet radio, Stitcher news radio and OpenBeak (a Twitter client), though Ford says that there are more on the way.
The new and improved Sync will first show up in 14,000 Ford Fiesta models, though the free Sync application will eventually be equipped on every Sync-equipped Ford and Lincoln vehicle. Fiesta owners can get the ball rolling by logging into their Sync account online and pointing their browser toward the Update and Customize section of the site. Hit the jump for the full press release.
[Source: Ford]
Continue reading AppLink software for SYNC comes to Fiesta first, adds iPhone
AppLink software for SYNC comes to Fiesta first, adds iPhone originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 27 Dec 2010 08:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsWill Ford’s Sync lose ground to Fiat’s Blue & Me?
Filed under: Technology, Ford, Fiat
It recognizes hundreds of voice commands. It will interface with your Bluetooth-enabled smart phone. It was co-developed with Microsoft. Sounds like Ford's popular SYNC tech, right? Sure does, but it also smacks of Fiat's Blue & Me system that has been in production in Europe since 2007. The technology will be available stateside when the tiny Fiat 500 goes on sale early in 2011. The cost? $500 in a base 500, and the system is standard on uplevel Sport and Lounge models.
Like the Fiat 500 itself, Blue & Me certainly sound compelling, but it's one small niche product in a sea of cars, trucks and crossovers. Perhaps more significant is the fact that Fiat's infotainment tech could be available in Chrysler products as early as 2012. And while B&M apparently doesn't do everything as well as SYNC, it also carries some advantages of its own. For instance, 500 Sport and Lounge buyers can shell out an extra $400 for an optional Tom Tom navigation system that interfaces with the voice command system. Fiat also enables drivers to download their driving habits to a USB stick and load it to a website called Eco:Ville. The site will process the data and give drivers tips for more efficient driving.
So will Blue & Me become as popular as SYNC? Who knows, but at the very least it's nice to see that competition for Ford's system is on the way.
[Source: Detroit Free Press]
Will Ford's Sync lose ground to Fiat's Blue & Me? originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 30 Nov 2010 18:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsFord transaction prices up 14% due to Sync, other technology
Filed under: Technology, Ford
It's no secret Ford wanted Sync to become a sought-after value add for consumers, but it's probably news even to The Blue Oval just how much its desires have come true. From 2008 to 2009 the company's revenue per unit climbed from about $22,900 to $26,100, a 14 percent increase. Ford's VP of product Derek Kuzak said a third of that, about $1,000 per car, was due to newly available tech options.
True, Sync alone could take credit, with offerings like MyTouch also bolstering Ford's image in the eyes of buyers. Kuzak said another portion of the increase was due to people simply opting for higher trim levels. But one-third of buyers are said to have been swayed by SYNC, making it a great lead-in to get them into a pricier option. Ford is expanding its MyTouch system to 80 percent of its line, and there's sure to be more where that came from.
[Source: Automotive News - Sub. Req.]
Ford transaction prices up 14% due to Sync, other technology originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 25 Oct 2010 09:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsFord begins using WiFi to install Sync on assembly lines
Filed under: Plants/Manufacturing, Technology, Crossover, Ford
In case you thought installing SYNC into Ford vehicles was a ho-hum-whatever affair, that's not the case - Ford puts a lot of thought into it. The Blue Oval's latest assembly line advance is to have SYNC's infotainment software installed into the 2011 Ford Edge via WiFi. Made possible by the the latest version of SYNC with WiFi access, the new process allows Ford to save money on parts and inventory by using a common module among vehicles in different cars and made in different plants. After the Edge, the Lincoln MKX and 2011 Explorer will gain the same systems. Follow the jump for the press release.
[Source: Ford]
Continue reading Ford begins using WiFi to install Sync on assembly lines
Ford begins using WiFi to install Sync on assembly lines originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 31 Aug 2010 08:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsFord improves voice recognition for SYNC, adds Send-to-Car for Google Maps [w/video]
Filed under: Technology, Videos, Ford
Ford SYNC 2011 demonstration - click above to watch the video
Those that have been paying attention to Autoblog for any length of time will know that the staff here have long been enamored with the voice recognition (VR) technology that is a part of Ford's SYNC system. SYNC VR generally does a better job of recognizing commands than any other such system and has a flatter menu structure than most.
For its 2011 iteration, Ford and its technology partner Nuance have significantly upgraded the system which now recognizes more than 10,000 commands without having to traverse a single menu. One of the frustrations of dealing with other VR systems has been figuring out the specific commands required to enter a destination or make a call. Nuance has implemented an array of aliases that let users say the same thing in different ways such as "play track" or "play song."
Starting this week, owners of SYNC-equipped cars can now send directions from Google Maps on their computer directly to their car - even if they don't have a navigation system. The send-to-car system has been available for several weeks on General Motors OnStar-equipped vehicles and Ford brings the number of automakers that support this technology to 20 worldwide including Audi and BMW. Check out the technology in the video and press release available after the jump.
[Sources: Ford, Google]
Ford improves voice recognition for SYNC, adds Send-to-Car for Google Maps [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 16 Jul 2010 13:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsReport: 2011 Ford SYNC system can block features while vehicle is moving
Filed under: Technology, Ford
Ray LaHood, the Department of Transportation's boss, recently had the revelation that looking down at your phone for four seconds while behind the wheel means you're "driving the length of a football field without watching the road." The DoT goes on to claim that distracted driving took the lives of up to 6,000 Americans in 2008 alone, with many more severely injured. Ford knows the stats and believes that texting while driving should be banned, but at the same time, many of the company's vehicles come with SYNC, arguably the most interactive infotainment system on the market.
The Detroit News reports that Ford's second generation SYNC system will address distracted driving head-on with the ability to block out all external stimuli while the vehicle is in motion. The "Do Not Disturb" switch will be available first in the MyFord Touch-equipped 2011 Ford Edge and Lincoln MKX models. The DND button will block phone calls and text messages while retaining hands-free calling and 911 Assist, which dials up 911 in the event of an emergency. Also blocked is typing on a keypad for text or Internet and narrowing navigation and phone choices. The only question now is: Who's going to turn the feature on?
[Source: The Detroit News]
Report: 2011 Ford SYNC system can block features while vehicle is moving originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 08 Jul 2010 14:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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