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beijing motor show
HuaTai Auto Comes Up With Most Suetastic Logo Ever
Microsoft and BMW are both companies that have been willing to bend to governmental pressure to move product, but we don't see the companies abiding by the logo above from China's HuaTai Group. The company is about to launch a new line of SUV's at the Beijing Motor Show and has been purchasing expensive billboard space. The keen eyes of China Car Times noticed the clever compound logo. Let's see if BMW notices the HuaTai logo when walking by their stand at the show. Awkward! [China Car Times]
gadgets
Microsoft Uses Artificial Intelligence To Address Traffic
Microsoft is taking a stab at the traffic problem with a new service called Clearflow. Clearflow is part of Microsoft's Live Maps service and it uses artificial intelligence to try to one-up the other traffic solving competitors. Rather than just watching the major highways and freeways, Clearflow also addresses the side streets that serve as the most common detour routes when traffic is heavy on the highways. More »
gadgets
Aftermarket Manufacturers Go Sync, Next-Gen Also On The Way
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 »
industry news
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 »
Microsoft Has A Vision For Automotive Electronics: Advertising
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 »
industry news
Expect Microsoft To Get Sync-y With Other Automakers
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 »
ad watch
Wouldn't it be nice to have the Ford/Microsoft Sync system in all aspects of life and not just a 2008 Ford Focus? We know we'd prefer it pretty much anywhere in life rather than a Focus. But, we've got to settle where we can get it — sort of like these Ford commercial created folks who have found life just isn't as easy when they're not using Sync.
Life, Like The Focus, Can Be Made Better With Sync
Wouldn't it be nice to have the Ford/Microsoft Sync system in all aspects of life and not just a 2008 Ford Focus? We know we'd prefer it pretty much anywhere in life rather than a Focus. But, we've got to settle where we can get it — sort of like these Ford commercial created folks who have found life just isn't as easy when they're not using Sync.
Maybe instead of calling it the "Ford Focus," they could have just renamed it the "Ford Sync, now with a car!" [Freep]
getting n'sync
We sent Gawker videographer Alex Goldberg to catch a demonstration of Ford's Microsoft-built Sync audio system out in NYC yesterday. This is the same system we were so amazed with before the Detroit Auto Show. Check out the above video to see a Ford PR staffer talk to his car, and then blatantly pander to our videographer by sending a text message of "gawker rules" to the Sync-ed up phone — all while showing off this amazingly cool system.
Jalopnik Plays With The Ford Sync System Again, Shows Off USB And Text Messaging Capabilities
We sent Gawker videographer Alex Goldberg to catch a demonstration of Ford's Microsoft-built Sync audio system out in NYC yesterday. This is the same system we were so amazed with before the Detroit Auto Show. Check out the above video to see a Ford PR staffer talk to his car, and then blatantly pander to our videographer by sending a text message of "gawker rules" to the Sync-ed up phone — all while showing off this amazingly cool system.
sync on the cheap
Ford Offers Sync System For $395
If you'll be buying one of the 12 vehicles in the Ford, Lincoln or Mercury brands with the option to get your music, phone and text messaging all in Sync via bluetooth, we've now found out you'll be able to get the Microsoft-Ford accessory for less than the cost of an iPhone and just a bit more expensive than a Zune. Ford just released information on pricing and the vehicles the system will be initially available in, and we've got the whole scoop below the jump. If you remember, we had the chance to do an exclusive hands-on with the Sync system back in January before the Detroit Auto Show, and we've got to say again there's no in-vehicle integration system that works better out on the market. At least one of us would gladly pay $395 for the system — there's only that one catch — we're not planning on buying a Ford anytime soon. Rats — foiled again! More »
bezier madness!
A few of Los Jalopniks have art and design experience. One of us has an art degree, one spent some moons arranging important market research in QuarkXPress, and one spent a decade in advertising in and publishing. And we will admit this — none of us ever found MS Paint to be an exceptionally awesome tool for illustrating things. Apparently, this guy didn't know any better and spent Lord knows how many hours capturing the process of drawing a Lamborghini Murcielago in that wretched program. We'd offer to take up a collection to buy the man a copy of Illustrator, but we're too wracked with anxiety after watching the clip.
How To Draw a Murcielago
A few of Los Jalopniks have art and design experience. One of us has an art degree, one spent some moons arranging important market research in QuarkXPress, and one spent a decade in advertising in and publishing. And we will admit this — none of us ever found MS Paint to be an exceptionally awesome tool for illustrating things. Apparently, this guy didn't know any better and spent Lord knows how many hours capturing the process of drawing a Lamborghini Murcielago in that wretched program. We'd offer to take up a collection to buy the man a copy of Illustrator, but we're too wracked with anxiety after watching the clip.
sync-quecento
Blue & Me and Fiat 500
Fiat Auto, Microsoft and components developer Magneti Marelli whipped up the "Blue & Me" system gracing the Fiat 500's furnishings (along with those of other Fiat models). The tech platform uses Microsoft's Windows Mobile operating system to manage a network that integrates voice activation, steering wheel control buttons and the dashboard display and any Bluetooth-enabled mobile phone. The setup is similar to Ford's Sync system; It reads incoming SMS messages aloud to the driver and incorporates music stored on a mobile phone, smart phone, MP3 player or USB memory into the audio system via console-mounted USB port. For a few extra webdollarz, Blue&Me Nav adds navigation and telematics services like emergency management, service info and as-yet indeterminate insurance services. A next evolution, Fiat says, will include interactive navigation and information services like addresses, weather and traffic forecasts, satellite localization in case of theft. The whole dealy underscores the company's tech-urban positioning of the 500, which will likely squeeze higher profit margins out of the Euroeconobox. Click through for corporate-release details. More »
candid camera
Microsoft Live Truck Spotted Prowling On The Highway
It looks like Microsoft's upping the street view ante in the cold map war against Google. Tipster The Red Monkey just sent us the shot to the right. We'll let him continue:"This morning on my way into downtown I spotted the Microsoft live "street view" truck. I only had time to grab one picture before my exit onto J street. Its a cameraphone pic so its not great but you can see the cameras on top of the truck and the Microsoft Live logos on the back. I did not catch the name of the company out on the prowl for them either."So get ready all you sketchy guys coming out of strip clubs, nose-pickers and pissing rednecks — it's Microsoft's turn and the Live truck's a comin' to get you on digital film for your 15 minutes of fame. Or at least 30 minutes or so of time spent on the front page of Digg. More »
news
iPhone "Should" Synch With Ford's Sync Infotainment System
We've just heard from Jason Farmer, Microsoft's project manager for the Sync infotainment system, (yes, the one we just had the exclusive first hand-on with on Sunday) that "it looks pretty good...it has bluetooth and USB, so it should work." Just wanted to make sure you all were the first to know — if you buy a Ford with Sync installed later this year, the magical phone-plus-"i" from Apple you buy just before that will work with it. But if you're looking for more info on the smarter-than-smart phone, you might want to cross the street for some of Gizmodo's day-long coverage of the cool-as-hell device. More »
news
Ford And Microsoft Get In "Sync" To Offer Wireless Internet In Your Car
The Wall Street Journal's confirmed Bill Ford's FoMoCo and Bill Gates' MicrosoftNotMoCo will be unveiling a joint project next weekend at both the Detroit Auto Show and the Consumer Electronic something-or-the-other. We're assuming it's the same one we were talking about before — the one supposedly modeled after the software maker's joint project with Fiat called "Blue & Me" it's a system that:" will allow for hands-free cellphone communication and other wireless information transfers inside the car, including the ability to receive email and download music."We're also hearing... More »
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