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Ford Sync AppLink ready to download for 2011 Ford Fiesta, iPhone support coming early next year
Wouldn't it be nice to connect your phone to your car and control Pandora with your voice? If you drive a 2011 Ford Fiesta, you can do so right now, by downloading the Ford Sync AppLink platform that's finally ready for primetime. So far, Pandora's one of only two apps that natively support voice commands (the other being OpenBeak) and it only works on BlackBerry and Android, but Ford says that Apple's iPhone will play nice with AppLink sometime in "early 2011." You'll find a thorough press release trumpeting the news after the break, and the download should be available at our source link any minute now. Then, you get to transfer it to a USB stick, and plug it into your car. Just imagine saying that to someone fifty years ago.
Pandora for Android adds Ford Sync AppLink compatibility
Hey, new Ford Fiesta owners: did you realize that your plebeian family hauler is actually one of the most geek-awesome vehicles on the road today? We were just reminded of that today on news that the latest version of Pandora for Android supports Ford Sync's AppLink technology, a protocol that lets smartphone apps chat with your car's entertainment system. In short, that means that you'll be able to control Pandora with your car's physical buttons, knobs, and doohickeys along with voice controls, hopefully giving you another great reason to keep the phone firmly planted in your pocket (or storage compartment) and your eyes on the road. The update's available now -- and while you're downloading, you might as well start gathering paperwork for the dealer to run your credit report.
Ford's Sync AppLink bringing in-car voice control to Android, BlackBerry apps
Look, there's a better-than-average chance you're buying a 2011 Ford Fiesta simply because it's the rebirth of the Fiesta, but if you need a little encouragement, look no further. The aforesaid automaker has just confirmed that Sync AppLink will be coming first to next year's Fiesta, enabling drivers to access and control select Android and BlackBerry apps via in-car voice commands and control buttons. At least initially, Pandora, Stitcher and OpenBeak will be AppLink-capable, but we're pretty sure other app makers will be adding updates as the bandwagon swells. In fact, Ford's going to be encouraging such behavior with the creation of the Mobile Application Developer Network, and if all goes well, AppLink will be installed in every single 2011 Ford model with Sync built-in. Of course, only time will tell if our demands for an INXS Pandora playlist leads to one capped off by Baja Men, but hey, at least the concept is sound.
