Entrepreneur Plus - Short White
For Subscribers

Even More in Sync Ford gives its popular Sync platform an upgrade.

By Ericka Chickowski

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Ford's latest lineup of tech-friendly vehicles boasts updates to the carmaker's popular Sync platform. Designed to interface with Bluetooth-enabled phones, USB memory sticks, iPhones and MP3 music players, Sync lets busy business users plug disparate devices into the dash and create a rolling digital office space.

I took a peek at the newest Sync offering in the lean-and-green 2010 Ford Fusion hybrid, a reliable sedan that has Sync as a standard feature. Equipped with Sync, but no navigation panel, the car was still able to provide me with turn-by-turn directions--along with the news/weather/traffic troika--through a new program called Sync Services. Offered free to Ford customers who buy Sync-enabled vehicles, Sync Services uses the driver's mobile phone as a sort of modem to connect to its wealth of online information. With my BlackBerry tapped wirelessly into the Fusion, I could call up the services using the voice-recognition button on the steering wheel and a few simple commands.

Voice recognition also made it easy to place hands-free speakerphone calls to contacts from my phonebook, which I was able to load into the Sync computer once I paired the phone via Bluetooth. Sync Services offers a streamlined and affordable way to access navigational features without a fancy nav panel while still maintaining the core Sync elements--including steering-wheel-button access to satellite radio, MP3s and speakerphone calling.

This is a subscriber-only article. Join Entrepreneur+ today for access

Editor's Pick

Related Topics

Business News

'Please Fix This': Elon Musk Frantically Emails Employees During Livestream Glitch

Musk attempted to livestream his visit to the U.S.-Mexico border.

Leadership

A Guide to Effective Crisis Leadership — Key Steps to Lead Your Team Through Turbulent Times

The essential strategies and skills required to be a successful crisis leader and guide your organization through difficult times.

Business News

Katy Perry Is Fighting the Founder of 1-800-Flowers for a $15 Million California Mansion He Doesn't Want to Sell Her

The eight-bedroom, 11-bathroom estate sits on nearly nine acres in the Santa Ynez foothills in Montecito.

Business News

These NYC Roommates Created a Fake Restaurant and Accidentally Garnered a 2,000-Person Waitlist — So They Opened a Pop-up for Real.

The Gen Z'ers dubbed their apartment "Mehran's Steak House" on Google Maps during the pandemic.

Personal Finance

5 Entrepreneurial Mindset Principles That Empower Financial Literacy

Adopting the right mindset is key to financial literacy. Follow these five guiding principles to enhance your understanding of wealth creation and growth.