Next Ford Option: Microsoft Software?
Rumor has it that one of the many things that'll be announced at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas in January will be a partnership between the Ford Motor Company and Microsoft to put a Microsoft operating system, known as Sync, into new Fords an option. The software will supposedly provide for hands-free phone calls as well as enable e-mail, music downloads, and other data-related activities.
As I read about this, two things popped into my head:
Point one. Back in the late 1990s, Microsoft launched a car electronics platform called AutoPC, based on Windows CE, with much fanfare; it did turn into a commercial product from Clarion, but seemingly went absolutely nowhere. (At the time, I attended a demo at Microsoft headquarters in Redmond--the main thing I remember is the synthesized voice it used, which sounded like an angry porpoise.)
Which is not to say that Sync is doomed to join AutoPC in the dustbin of Microsoft-product history. For one thing, between stuff like GPS and wireless broadband and Bluetooth, the technologies and applications available for car electronics have come a heck of a long way since 1998. Whether Sync will do interesting things and do them well I don't know, but there's no lack of interesting things that could be done.
Point two. One of the most oft-repeated, entertaining technology-related urban legends involves a long series of jokes relating to comparing Microsoft products with cars. (The legend involves GM, not Ford, but hey, it's close enough.)
As often is the case with urban legends, there's a real point hidden somewhere in the fantasy. And that point is that we expect Microsoft products to misbehave and annoy us and generally do things which, if they happened with cars, would be alarming or downright dangerous.
I haven't seen Sync yet, assuming that it exists and will indeed be called Sync. But I'll be intrigued to see if it's simple, reliable, and useful. And if Sync is indeed the name, it's kinda interesting that it's a name that doesn't bring up Windows and all the baggage that brand carries.
Anyhow, I'm going to CES in less than two weeks, and if Sync is indeed unveiled there, I'll be happy. The show has a gigantic hall devoted to car-related products, and as a technology guy, I'm always disappointed by it, since the products that fill it almost always seem to lag far behind the interesting things that could be done with data, networking, and entertainment in an automobile. (We're talking about an industry which hasn't even made an AUX-IN port standard equipment yet.)
I'll be glad when that hall is full of stuff worth writing about in PC World--and Sync would be, if nothing else, a step in the right direction...
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Oh great ! Why would I want any software in my car that crashes all the time? Don't cars crash enough without Micro$oft's contributions?
Buying, using, and selling a car equipped with Sync:
Dealer gives you 1000+ pages of license agreement for using Sync with the car. You should read it before you remove the shrink wrap from the car, but you don't.
So you finally get the car keys, and turn on the car. Before you can read “Where would you like to go today” on the Sync LCD the car turns off because of some RPC worm. You go back to the dealer, he gives you an update CD. Sync ask you to enter the VIN to verify that the Sync unit is installed in the correct vehicle.
So you finally get to drive the car. Sync works good. Then you decide to add some upgrades to your car, ie Turbo. You start seeking problems with Sync because the Turbo kit does not have Microsoft Certificate Signature. You go back to the dealer, he tells you MS is working on fixing the problem and a fix will be issued on the first Tuesday of next month.
To be continued...
After 3months/3000 miles you decide to change the oil and filter on your car. Sync requires you to enter the VIN again to verify that Sync is genuine because too many hardware modifications were made to your car.
--->insert your own imagination when Microsoft decides to develop new “improved” version of Sync<---
After a year you got fed up and decide to sell the car. Can't do it, because on page 835 of EULA, which you didn't read, in section XVII, subsection 32, title 4, paragraph 9a, bullet ii says that you CANNOT resell the car because you don't own it, you only paid for the permission to drive it.
In addition XM, SIRIUS and OnStar are suing Microsoft for unfair business practices.
Isn't it supposed to be spelled Sink.? As in: 'I'm going to Sink my car'.