Hopefully Microsoft will leave car brakes alone. I already rebooted twice today already...
FORD SYNC WILL MAKE IN-CAR CONNECTIVITY MORE AFFORDABLE THAN EVER
* Ford Sync™ - developed in collaboration with Microsoft - is a fully integrated, voice-activated in-car communications and entertainment system that works with most Bluetooth-enabled mobile phones and digital media players.* Sync will be standard on Lincoln products and widely available on Ford and Mercury vehicles. Option price: $395.* Sync will be available in 12 Ford, Lincoln and Mercury products beginning this fall, and in nearly all Ford, Lincoln and Mercury products within two years.
DEARBORN, Mich., August 9, 2007 - Ford Motor Company today confirmed the distribution and pricing strategy of Ford Sync, an advanced in-car communication and entertainment system developed in collaboration with Microsoft. Sync will be standard on Lincoln vehicles and widely available on Ford and Mercury vehicles. In most cases, Sync will be included as standard equipment on high-series models from Ford and Mercury - the Ford Edge Limited or Ford Focus SES, for example. On models where Sync is optional, it will be priced at $395.
"Consumer reaction to Sync has been extremely positive since our launch earlier this year," says Cisco Codina, Ford's group vice president of North America Marketing, Sales and Service. "This positive reaction has convinced us to make the system widely available across our range of Ford, Lincoln and Mercury products.
The simplicity and capability of Sync have tremendous appeal and the affordability we are confirming today is certain to drive ever greater interest." Sync is a Ford-exclusive technology based on Microsoft Auto software which provides consumers the convenience and flexibility to bring digital media players - Apple iPods, Microsoft Zunes, and other MP3 players - and Bluetooth-enabled mobile phones into their vehicle and operate the devices via voice commands or with the vehicle's steering wheel or radio controls. Simply stated: with Sync, consumers are able to use their voice to command their digital media players and Bluetooth mobile phones.
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Sync is an on-board computer platform loaded with software that seamlessly integrates the vehicle with today's popular portable electronic devices. Since it is a software-based system, it is updatable and should be able to support the devices and services of tomorrow.
