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Ken Block's dropped his latest crazy-cool clip and he's driving around LA in the Hybrid Function Hoon Vehicle (H.F.H.V.). The multipurpose racecar that's been dubbed the "manic beast" can compete in stage rally, rallycross and gymkhana events — and it's street-legal. So why not take it to the streets for the day, eh? More »
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GM's just announced details on its new Sync-fighting infotainment system called MyLink. As in "Chevy" MyLink and "Buick" MyLink and "GMC" MyLink and...well, you get the picture. Basically, it does everything Sync does. It's a shame it took 'em three years to do it. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5763654&view=rss&microfeed=true New technology in cars brings Ford 14% more revenue. [AutoNews] More »
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GM's next generation OnStar will get a major upgrade and challenge Ford's Sync system with infotainment options. In addition to OnStar's well-known unparalleled route guidance and safety assistance services, the new system will get apps like Facebook. More »
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The ongoing battle between GM's OnStar and Ford's SYNC reaches a new level with Ford planning to announce later today they'll offer Google Maps direction service for free to customers with SYNC system. The free "Send to SYNC" service for its SYNC infotainment system, allowing users to send directions from Google Maps straight to their car via the company's Bluetooth-based traffic and information system. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5557851&view=rss&microfeed=true OnStar? So 1990s. GM's reportedly negotiating with Google to compete with Ford/Microsoft Sync. [MotorTrend] More »
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Ford's adding voice control for Android and Blackberry apps like Pandora to their SYNC in-car infotainment system. Now the only risk in "thumbing up" a Dave Matthews Band song while driving is to your cred. But where's the iPhone control? More »
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Today we answer the question asked by countless dozens — does an iPad work with a Sync-enabled Ford vehicle? More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5512070&view=rss&microfeed=true Ford Sync's now in two million vehicles. Number of people using all the features? 12. More »
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In our experience, the novelty of screaming voice commands at your SYNC-equipped Ford to get it to play one freaking song wears off after a day. Kia's new MIcrosoft-based UVO system beats SYNC to the punch with a solution. More »
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New car technology is great right up to the point you're tagging songs and checking out graphs and then it's "Ahhhhh! WATCH OUT FOR THE NUNS!" Here are ten in-car technologies we find seriously distracting. More »
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Within the next couple years your car will come equipped with an "application store" where you'll download apps to tweet your car's performance, check your emissions and order a hamburger. Below, the first 20 apps you'll download to your car. More »
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Ford's Borg-like Sync system will allow in-car Wi-Fi capability through user's mobile device in its next-gen system. With an appropriate USB mobile broadband modem, passengers can now tweet "I Spy" findings from the road. More »
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In the last month, super big box retailer Best Buy has announced partnerships with both Mitsubishi (for EV vehicles) and now with Ford (syncing customers with SYNC). What's Best Buy up to? More »
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Consumer Electronics Association President Gary Shapiro announced this afternoon Ford's President and CEO Alan Mulally would be delivering the keynote address at the 2010 Consumer Electronics Show. Supposedly, he'll be showing off new hotness in the SYNC system. More »
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Ford's successful voice command multimedia interface is called SYNC, implying a partnership between man and machine. The new BMW multimedia interface is called Voice Control, implying you're the master of all your techno music. More »
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Dennis Kneale, CNBC's bespectacled lunchtime loud-mouth attacked American cars for not having an "iPod jack in every car." Kneale's obviously never heard of Ford's epic Sync system or the aux-in jack in every GM vehicle. More »
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We happened upon this preview of the Sync concept from CES installed in a concept car sharing the same marketing visuals as the Lincoln brand. We're assuming we'll see it at the Detroit Auto Show. More »
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Yesterday we revealed Ford Sync upgrades like turn-by-turn directions and traffic avoidance. Today we can say Sync is heading to Europe there's next-generation system brewing, call it a Sync concept, including Apple-like apps. More »
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Since introduction in 2007, Sync has been a huge success for Ford, closing on 1 million systems sold. Today at CES, Ford's announced some next-generation upgrades including turn-by-turn navigation. More »
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If you thought the GT500KR in the Knight Rider made-for-TV movie was a disgusting piece of product placement, you ain't seen nothin' yet. What could be worse? How about the four remaining contestants in American Idol massacring Johnny Cash's song Ring Of Fire? What makes it extra terrible was the so-called "music video" which involved the Idols bullfighting with a Mustang which was apparently the cousin of KITT. Feel free to watch the clip with your sound turned off— we don't want to scar you. More »
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Microsoft is again shilling its technology out to the masses, but this time offering up its car infotainment system, better known as SYNC, to the Hyundai-Kia Auto Group. The 2010 models will be the first to include the Microsoft entertainment system that still remains nameless as Ford has the name SYNC locked down by the balls. For the time being, the system used by Hyundai and Kia will be similar to that offered by Ford, FIAT and most recently with Suzuki (who decided on the Suzuki TRIP name), but the group is looking at new capabilities that could be added like navigation and emergency call services. Press release below the jump. More »
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We knew that Microsoft was going to look to hawk its Sync system elsewhere—especially with its booming popularity and the soon-to-be expired Ford contract. Now we know who is first to the free market table Alpine and Continental, two aftermarket manufacturers, are already working on integrating the voice command and entertainment system into their own products. Perhaps even more interesting, due to its early popularity, Microsoft is already working on the next generation of Sync and it has a super-exciting codename! More »
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It's no secret that cars are becoming more connected to the virtual world (as drivers are becoming dangerously divorced from the real one), and the price of all that connection isn't going to be absorbed by automakers or the companies responsible for providing the technology. The current model for in-car services like OnStar and XM/Sirius is based on the cell phone business plan, which can offer the technology at little or no cost to most consumers while charging for the service. Microsoft, for its part, is considering advertising as a possible income source. More »
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Ford's exclusive rights to the Microsoft Sync system are set to expire at the end of this year. As a result, Microsoft will be looking to work with more automakers to incorporate its Sync system, which I recently reviewed the hell out of. Martin Thall, general manager of Microsoft's automotive business, told the Freep of Microsoft's plans to extend Sync to the greater automotive world. More »
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I spent the better part of a week, tooling around in a 2008 Ford Focus SE, with one task at hand: to determine whether this newfangled Microsoft Sync system is all it's cracked up to be. I laughed, I cried, I made some calls, and in the end found Sync to be basically sweet. Not that me and Sync didn't have a few spats. At first, I approached the system the same way any average Joe would—I jumped in the car and started playing without picking up the manual or having any prior knowledge of how Sync actually works. That didn't go as smoothly as I was hoping, so I hashed through the manual and got Sync set up to my liking, in as much as I could. And for the final test, I took 'er out for a live road test. [Unboxing, Set Up, Road Test] More »
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The "unboxing" of Sync yesterday didn't go quite as well as I was hoping, but no fear, there's a trusty 80-page manual to guide me through setting up the Sync in-car entertainment system. I was able to connect my Zune to the system pretty easily yesterday, so today's setup revolved mostly around setting up my cellphone, which was quite the task. See some of my frustrations in the video above, and hit the jump for commentary about the Sync system, how I decided to approach it and setting up a cellphone. More »
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You've seen the commercials, but really, how easy is the Microsoft Sync in-car entertainment system to use? I decided to give Sync an unboxing, similar to the ones our brethren do. I'll give you a hint how it went: Don't get your hopes up. This is only Part One of a three-part series, in which I'll wrestle with the technological gods and attempt to achieve success with Microsoft Sync. Stay tuned later this week for my attempts to set everything up and provide a full blown review. A correction to the video: Sync DOES work with a wide variety of MP3 players and cellphones, not just the Microsoft-branded Zune. You can consult SyncMyRide.com for a list of all compatible gadgets. More »
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Well, the Ford Sync system is in full effect with 911 Assist, Sirius Travel Link and more, but that obviously isn't enough. Ford, Lincoln and Mercury will be including factory-installed HD radio in 2009 as well. Wait, HD radio? Where do you put your eyes? More »
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Speak of the devil — the embargo's just dropped on Ford's newest addition to the Sync system unveiled tonight at the 2008 CES show by Microsoft's main man himself — Bill Gates. It's called "911 Assist" and it uses the bluetooth phone connection function of Sync to dial the local 911 operator through your phone if your air bag deploys. It then replays a recorded message alerting the operator you're in a Ford vehicle and oh my goodness, send help immediately 'cause your airbag's just gone off and that probably means you've been in an accident. What's the added cost of such a magical William Shatner-dialing feature? Not a dime more than the money you've already forked over for Sync. It's free and you can get the service added by just taking your current Sync-systemed Ford vehicle over to a service center for a flash memory upgrade. Once the helpful technicians are done, you'll drive quicker than ever, confident your car will dial 911 if you get into a fender-bending, unconsciousness-causing accident. Now just pray your phone's got the GPS function enabled and the local 911 system has the requisite equipment to decipher the signal, or else the best they'll be able to get is a four-block radius of your crash. Still better than nothing at all, right? Oh, and the Sync upgrade will also get you an "OnStar-like vehicle health report." Woo-hoo. Full press release after the jump. More »
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In addition to a tease of even more Sync-ing to come at the 2008 CES show, Ford's just unveiled their newest toy to complement the Sync system. It's called the Sirius Travel Link navigation system — and it's a nav system that uses Sirius's ability to download data to your in-dash system to give drivers and passengers up-to-the-minute information on the little stuff you need when you're driving — stuff like gas prices, traffic, weather, sports scores and movie listings. All the random tidbits of information you can normally get by looking out your windshield or tuning to WWJ your local AM news station. Well, except for the movie listings. The system also supposedly "includes full music "jukebox" capability - with space for up to 2,400 tracks and Gracenote® technology for album cover art..." and will be first available in the 2009 Lincoln MKS. But anyway, it's just what we wanted — yet another opportunity to watch drivers randomly glancing away from the road. Still, it sounds pretty cool — let us know when we can get RSS feeds from our fave web sites added and we're sold. Full press release after the jump. More »
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According to Ford, the company sold Ford, Lincoln and Mercury models equipped with the SYNC system more than twice as fast as those same models without SYNC. While there's probably more to this than just the popularity of SYNC system (how many non-SYNC MKZ's get built?), it can't be ignored that people have to be motivated to fork over the $395 premium it takes to get one on non-standard models. Until other automakers step up, Ford will continue to benefit from the system. Press release below the jump. More »
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Why you should buy this car: More »
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Ford's just revealed they'll be providing HD Digital Radio as a new dealer-installed option available on "nearly every 2008 model year Ford, Lincoln and Mercury." It makes Ford the first automaker to offer the option across "multiple product lines." No word yet whether we'll be able to get it on an Econoline — but we're pretty sure we'll be able to get it on a Focus. While we've never actually heard HD Digital Radio before, we hear it's got beautiful plumage. Also, because it's not the new Sync system, it may not be enough to get folks pining for the Fjords — it's yet another weapon in their automotive aftermarket arsenal. Full press release after the jump. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=303731&view=rss&microfeed=true Maybe instead of calling it the "Ford Focus," they could have just renamed it the "Ford Sync, now with a car!" [Freep] More »
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