SYNC You Very Much: Ford to help Microsoft promote Windows 7
Ford and Microsoft, sittin' in a tree... right, you know the rest. With the official October 22nd launch of Windows 7 right around the corner, the Blue Oval has reportedly pledged to support the Washington-based software company's new operating system however it can.
That support will include upgrading all of Ford's own computers from whatever version of Windows they happen to be running (any bets that Ford never made a wholesale switch to Vista?) to the new release. Also making the switch will be Continental Airlines, Starwood Hotels & Resorts and Intel.
Further, these selected companies are currently meeting with Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer to discuss how else they can help promote Windows 7. Ford's tie-in with the house that Bill built stems from the fact that the two companies paired up to launch Ford's excellent SYNC infotainment system back in 2007.
[Source: Auto Observer, Bloomberg]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Teh Lup 6:33PM (9/29/2009)
Autoblog - Bah at your attempt at Vista hating quasi-comedy!
Vista is the shizot, stick to coverage of cars, not their OS's
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BoxerFanatic 6:34PM (9/29/2009)
Do what they want... but don't color me impressed.
I work on end-user computers for a living... and most stuff with maintaining windows is a doddle, except for a couple of things that are the absolute bane of my existence.
Thanks, but no thanks. Don't want M$ in my car any more than I want OwnStar in my car.
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James 7:10PM (9/29/2009)
"SYNC You Very Much: Ford to help Microsoft promote Windows 7"
I'd still prefer my XP Pro over the "glorified Vista" Windows 7...
Sync..but no sync.
C 6:38PM (9/29/2009)
I have a first generation Zune and love that bricky brown bastard. When people ask why I chose the brown one I said because the piss color ran out.
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adrenalnjunky 10:27AM (9/30/2009)
Love mine too. Except for that one day when every one produced locked up at the same time. But it got better the next day. Otherwise it's been a great player, and hey...it's iTunes free!
Autblogist! 6:41PM (9/29/2009)
I predict a Mac vs Windows debate, much like the GT-R vs ZR-1 debate. *sigh*
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jv2k 6:43PM (9/29/2009)
Well mac fans are practically brainwashed by apple, a company that tries to control every aspect of your computing, and Microsoft fans wont admit Vista has issues.
Yaroukh 7:24PM (9/29/2009)
@jv2k: and then there are people that won't admit that Vista users with no issues whatsoever might actually exist :)
jv2k 7:41PM (9/29/2009)
I keep hearing that but my experience using vista on my friend's and family's computer lead to problems. It isn't nearly as bad as a lot of people say but Vista was really just a stop gap for windows 7(kinda like the windows ME only not nearly as terrible).
jv2k 6:41PM (9/29/2009)
Windows 7 is pretty awesome but I doubt that Ford's support is gunna help it much.
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DamnTough 6:47PM (9/29/2009)
This is funny. Ford IT usually takes at least two years to test and deploy a new operating system. They move as slow as molasses.
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Yaroukh 7:18PM (9/29/2009)
well, when you actually use a computer for work you don't want to waste your time playing with its OS (no matter what OS it hosts)
Jorge 6:53PM (9/29/2009)
So my next ford escape will say when is not starting: turn off the engine, get out, close the door, Lock it. And try again!!!?????
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Yaroukh 7:19PM (9/29/2009)
FAIL, b/c this has nothing to do with SW used in Ford vehicles.
MajorGeek 7:14PM (9/29/2009)
If you prefer XP or Vista over 7, you are most likely repeating something someone had told you. As a Microsoft MVP, I have been using it for over a month and it is excellent. holler when you have used it in a production environment for a while. Your going to be hearing good things about 7 over the coming year.
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Joe 7:34PM (9/29/2009)
Agreed. I've been running the Windows 7 release candidate on a 5 year old machine at home, as well as a virtual machine on my laptop in Sun VirtualBox, and it's amazing! I wasn't a huge fan of Vista (downgraded to XP after using it for a month) but Windows 7 is the real deal, and this is coming from a linux/unix administrator. Personally, I hate everything about OSX, with the exception that you can get a command prompt and do what your need on the back end, rather than dealing with hundreds of vague menus. Windows 7 took much of what Apple did with OSX (GUI-wise) and made things cleaner and sleeker, then took everything that people didn't like about Vista and made it better.
jv2k 7:44PM (9/29/2009)
I agree I ran the beta a few months back and it was fantastic.
Only problem was that I had some issues getting some programs and drivers to work, but it was a beta so you can't complain. Still I'm gunna have trouble getting used to windows again when it ships out since I've been using linux mint.
Mike F 8:16PM (9/29/2009)
I've been using the 7 release candidate for a few months and have to say i like it. I had been running Ubuntu for a few months before that, and XP for years before that. I've just had some casual experience with Vista.
XP is stable and familiar, fine for an older machine. Vista in my experience is fine if you have the resources to run it. 7 also uses the resources a bit, but seems worthwhile on a new machine. Nice layout and pretty interface. Everything works well.
Ubuntu was definitely faster than all windows. And despite a different interface, it was easy to use. There were just a few things I couldn't make work in Ubuntu, which is why I grabbed the free 7 release candidate. Now I just need to figure out how to get a final version of 7 for cheap.
Lars 10:22PM (9/29/2009)
MajorGeek-
Leaving aside that your comments here are more considered and informed than most, I believe you about Windows7.
While it was beta testing, Seven was drawing raves from some improbable quarters, including not just Windows skeptics but skeptics in the Macintosh flock. Doubly impressive.
One impression I have from reading, and maybe you can confirm or deny this, is that it is faster and 'lighter' than Vista, which is bloated and heavy by comparison.
Among the praise I read was a consensus that it was more usable, stable, and reliable in beta release than Vista is in candidate release. That is quite a claim. Since I'm boring everybody already I'll add that I'm running Vista on two rigs, Premium and Basic, and they're rock steady.
If it runs better than Vista then this bodes well indeed. For everybody. Yes, I think we will be hearing good things about Windows7 in the coming year.
Related note. I'm not getting compensated to point out that Microsoft Security Essentials just came out of beta today, and it seems as impressive as more industrial users have claimed. (For me it replaces AVG Free.)
So much good news. But wait, there's more. In January the Detroit show should feature the next generation Ford Focus, which will again offer a hatchback.
MajorGeek 10:32PM (9/29/2009)
Faster and lighter, without a doubt. I gave 5 of my geek friends keys and they are in love with the speed of Windows 7. It is similar to Vista with a newer taskbar that takes some getting used to. Having programs immediately open is simply awesome. I have a newer rig but have acheived up to 400 FPS in World Of Warcraft. Most of us in the geek world think of Vista as the old Windows Millenium, the operating system everyone should have skipped. Now if they can do away with Add\Remove programs and installers someday, people would say Macinwho?