Autoblog

Ford developed its SYNC system with Microsoft and has an 18-month exclusive license to sell the system, which is something we weren't aware of until recently. It turns out, however, that the exclusive rights aren't being wasted: Ford reports that SYNC-equipped cars are finding twice as many buyers as cars without SYNC. One dealer said "People who won't spend a dollar more for power door locks have to have SYNC." Keep in mind this news is coming from Ford, but clearly SYNC is appealing to the common customer.

The multi-media controlling option appears to have won so many over by being easy to learn, genuinely useful for different age groups, and cheap at only $395. Scott Burgess of The Detroit News, when building his dream car, called it "the best $395 option of 2007." It also appears to be inverting the car buying decision for some, with people knowing that they want a car with SYNC then choosing among the available models.

SYNC is still young, though. If the kinds of things that PC owners and Microsoft critics have bemoaned for ages begin to creep in, then the fortunes of SYNC could sink just as quickly. But for now it's good times, and if you've been checking out SYNC from the sidelines, you might be interested to know that v2.0 will be on display at the Consumer Electronics Show in a couple weeks.

[Source: Ford]

We feel Engadget's pain.

The Vique GPS sounds like the perfect multimedia entertainment system for a tech-oriented driver and his or her passengers. Got music? Vique supports MP3, WMA, and OGG formats. Same with DVDs and DivX if you're willing to risk watching movies and driving simultaneously. A USB port is also available to expand those options with, for example, a laptop. And GPS is available... but with a catch. The Vique GPS is marketed strictly for the South Korean market, so you need to be stalking the streets of Seoul with this thing.

[Source: Engadget]