COMPANY car drivers who do much of their business through social media can be even more productive with Ford’s latest technology to keep us connected.
Its Meople.Connector app, available for iOS and Android devices, will be introduced to Ford’s connectivity system SYNC AppLink to enable drivers to use voice-control to listen to messages from social media sites such as Twitter and LinkedIn.
Social media on go
- Ford announces a new app for connectivity system SYNC AppLink that will enable safe use of social media on the move;
- Meople.Connector is Ford’s first partner app to offer updates from networks, including Twitter and LinkedIn, and voice-controlled responses;
- Ford will show in-car apps in operation at next month’s Web Summit in Dublin, inviting developers to take part in a 24-hour challenge to design apps for AppLink, with prizes in excess of £50,000 up for grabs.
After drivers are alerted to messages, they can then use voice commands to “Read”, “Answer”, or “Skip”, the message. Should they choose to respond to the message, they can do so using pre-determined messages, which can be customised by the user.
With Ford’s Meople app, drivers can select how often updates are received, and to send their current location to friends, family and colleagues.
First introduced in Europe in 2013, Ford’s SYNC AppLink technology enables drivers to voice-activate a range of smartphone apps, including Audioteka, AUPEO!, Cityseeker by Wcities, Cyclops, Eventseeker by Wcities, Glympse, Goal Live Scores, Radioplayer, Roald Dahl Audiobooks and Spotify.
Meople.Connector is the company’s first AppLink-enabled social media app for SYNC.
The Reuters Institute Digital News Report 2015 shows that those aged 44 and under are most likely to get news online, including from social media. By 2018 it is estimated that worldwide one-in-three people will be using social media.
Don Butler, executive director, connected vehicle and services at Ford, said: “For many people today, social media is fundamental to staying up-to-date and informed. From a reminder that it’s a friend’s birthday, to hearing the minute your football team scores a goal, to breaking news, social media is part of the fabric of modern life.
“By adding further news and personal communications, we are helping to ensure customers can stay seamlessly connected throughout their day in a safe and stress-free way.”
Ford will show in-car apps in operation at Web Summit, one of the world’s leading technology conferences, which takes place in Dublin on November 3-5. In addition, the company is inviting developers to take part in a 24-hour challenge to design apps for SYNC AppLink, giving programmers a chance at £54,000 prize money and the opportunity to develop new apps with Ford.
