Ford unveils the "mobile office" at SEMA
If you're in Chevy or Dodge's truck division, this has to be one of those "Why didn't I think of that?" moments.
Ford unveiled today its new mobile office system in the custom "General Contractor" F-250 Super Duty on display at
SEMA.
The mobile office package, which goes on sale in 2006, is a built-in computer with GPS, wireless broadband, digital
camera and printer that is designed to allow a contractor to bid jobs, order and purchase parts and materials, and
process payments while 'on location' from their truck.
The centerpiece of the system is a Stargate Mobile ruggedized touch-screen tablet computer mounted in a cradle over
the transmission tunnel. A general-purpose Windows XP-based PC, the unit can be easily interfaced with a variety of
peripheral devices, including a digital camera, a credit card scanner, GPS (as input to navigation software) and a
broadband wireless cellular PCMCIA card. Better still, the computer is easily removed from the cradle to carry with you
at the job site.
Technically, theres nothing remarkable here. What is remarkable is the the integration of the technology into a
factory option package - hats off to Ford!
[Source: Ford]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Poe 10:50PM (12/18/2005)
As long as it's disabled while the truck is in motion, I'm all for it.
Reply
Sean Flanagan 10:50PM (12/18/2005)
Yeah, great. Not only will these "contractors" be able to page each other incessantly on those godawful Nextel phones while driving, they'll be able to use a computer while driving. Another gadget to keep their eyes off the road and their unnecessary lifted dualie Super Duties drifting into my lane. Makes driving a small car feel VERY comfortable...
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Ryan M 10:50PM (12/18/2005)
That's all good and fine, but what about in 3 years when the truck still has lots of life in it, but the company that produces the proprietary computer that mates with the truck has gone under?
Cars, even American cars (I kid, I kid!), tend to last quite a bit longer than computers.
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retsel 10:50PM (12/18/2005)
my uncle is a small contrator and he had me setup a laptop in a foam harness and with a verizon wireless card and a gps in his f150 super cab and it has a small blue tooth printer and he uses it and loves it...
and uses every day...
h8ters gonna hate...
Reply
Corey Allhands 10:50PM (12/18/2005)
Poe - yeah, let's diable GPS while in motion, dumbass
Sean - who said anything about lifting the vehicles. And, even so, who says its unnecessary? You? ha, You obviously don't do physical labor.
Ryan - Ford is taking on that responsibility. Vehicle manufacturers are required to provide replacement parts for 10 years after a vehicle is produced. That covers everything in the vehicle, so it shouldn't be a problem.
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calvin 10:50PM (12/18/2005)
It is a great convenience, and something that customisers have been doing for a while. Ford appears to be paying attention to how people are customizing trucks and devising ways to improve the ideas of the others br integrating the idea. As long as they always work towards making it better, I have no problem.
I realize that some users are going to have bad habits with things like this, but why should that keep such things away from those that need these things and use them properly.
Reply