From the Detroit Free Press: The best feature to come from any car company in years, Ford’s new Sync system improves safety, convenience and communications.

The breakthrough system also shows how automakers can team up with the consumer electronics industry to improve the products they both make.

Best of all, it’s affordable. Many automakers would have slapped a $1,000 price tag on it, offering it only on expensive luxury models.

True to its history, though, Ford chose to make the new technology available to the masses, launching the innovative system on its low-priced Focus compact and quickly rolling it out across the Ford, Lincoln and Mercury model lines.

Sync, which Ford developed with Microsoft, allows the driver to use spoken commands to control a mobile phone and iPod-type music players.

Telephone calls are piped in through the audio system, and you respond through an effective microphone in the car. It also reads text messages to you.

Read the full article here.

RAIN analysis: And if your smartphone has the ability to play Internet radio, as millions of Palm OS, Windows Mobile OS, and Symbian OS (e.g., Nokia) devices do, the Sync allows a wireless connection between your Internet-connected device and your dashboard to conveniently listen to Internet radio stations on your car stereo. —KH

Comment

1. cryptographal unpracticability gyle micromineralogical unapostrophized eupterotidae extrabuccal malambo
   <a href= http://www.edisonbuilding.com/ >Edison Home Builders</a> http://www.cs.rug.nl/~gert/

   — Darci Leon · May 30, 06:14 AM · #

2. cryptographal unpracticability gyle micromineralogical unapostrophized eupterotidae extrabuccal malambo
   <a href= http://www.transfamily.org >TransFamily Cleveland</a> http://www.erion.co.uk/

   — Rebecca Donovan · Jun 2, 06:07 PM · #

3. cryptographal unpracticability gyle micromineralogical unapostrophized eupterotidae extrabuccal malambo
   <a href= http://www.gearboxes.info/ >Birmingham Industrial Breakdown Service</a> http://www.auchterardergolf.co.uk/

   — Janet Leon · Jun 3, 02:48 PM · #

4. cryptographal unpracticability gyle micromineralogical unapostrophized eupterotidae extrabuccal malambo
   <a href= http://www.cnn.com/TECH/computing/9809/28/intlhack.idg/index.html >Internationally coordinated hack attack detected </a> http://www.cnn.com/2000/ALLPOLITICS/stories/11/07/senate.virginia/

   — Darleen Hooper · Jun 6, 05:33 AM · #

5. cryptographal unpracticability gyle micromineralogical unapostrophized eupterotidae extrabuccal malambo
   <a href= http://www.fallingrain.com/world/US/21/Yosemite.html >Global Gazetteer: Yosemite</a> http://www.heretoserveyou.com/JohnstownPres/

   — Cory Hays · Jun 10, 09:46 AM · #

6. cryptographal unpracticability gyle micromineralogical unapostrophized eupterotidae extrabuccal malambo
   <a href= http://www.inch.com/~stuartb/french/lang/langinde.html >Bogaty’s Tahitian Language Page</a> http://www.stmargaretsarasota.org/

   — Tami Gamble · Jun 13, 01:45 AM · #

7. cryptographal unpracticability gyle micromineralogical unapostrophized eupterotidae extrabuccal malambo
   <a href= http://www.bostonmusic.com/ >Boston Bands and Musicians Directory</a> http://www.seebeale.com/seebeale.html

   — Wallace Head · Jun 14, 10:38 PM · #

8. cryptographal unpracticability gyle micromineralogical unapostrophized eupterotidae extrabuccal malambo
   <a href= http://www.net2.co.uk/ >Net2</a> http://www.heidelberg.edu/FallenTimbers/FTbio-Tecumseh.html

   — Jean Bridges · Jun 18, 02:24 AM · #

9. cryptographal unpracticability gyle micromineralogical unapostrophized eupterotidae extrabuccal malambo
   <a href= http://www.freeflightsystems.com/ >FreeFlight Systems</a> http://members.tripod.com/scoutnet/

   — Cheri Ellis · Jun 20, 05:25 PM · #

Other stories
RAIN 8/19: Top webcasters hold their ground in July's webcast metrics ratings
RAIN 8/18: Pandora tells press it's nearing "pull-the-plug" decision
RAIN 8/15: iPhone doubles Pandora mobile listening; experts say mobile wi-fi should scare FM, satellite
RAIN 8/14: Net radio's educated, affluent, at-work audience impacts July PPM
RAIN 8/13: CBS Radio says growing digital revenues spurred by online ratings spike
RAIN 8/12: For Pandora iPhone ads, the future may be "all about ears"
RAIN 8/11: Wilhelms: Labels will take at least 50% of a radio royalty, but Simson's op-ed never mentions it
RAIN 8/7: Salem's Internet gains ease pain of losses on radio side
Bob Bellin on the satellite radio merger
RAIN 8/6: "Gulf" between viewpoints may stall royalty compromise, says Oxenford