#Ford Taurus -- So I've mentioned that I'm traveling without a navigation system. I've done this before obviously, and with pre-printed Google Maps instructions and a road atlas, it's not a big deal. But one thing I really miss is the ability to look up POIs on the spur of the moment -- for instance, to find a coffee shop when I'm feeling tired.
The new Sync Services app offers the ability to find businesses along your route, but after trying it a dozen times during this trip, I'm not sold on its effectiveness. The main shortcoming is that it uses your cell phone signal as its connection, so if you don't have a cell phone signal, you can't get directions. I don't hit many dead zones (on T-Mobile), but I quickly find that the system's voice recognition capabilities are compromised whenever I have a weak signal. Combine that with, say, a multi-syllabic city and state (Tuscaloosa, Alabama), and it can be frustrating to use.
I offer this video, and another after the jump, as evidence of my hit-and-miss experience with Sync Services. Another potential issue is that without a map in front of you, it's hard to know exactly where in an unfamiliar city a particular POI will be (is it on your way or will you have to back-track?). I should note, though, that Sync Services works pretty well when I already have a specific destination in mind, like say the Microtel at 803 N. Access Road in Longview, TX. And, obviously, Sync is far better than nothing when you're really and truly lost; it stores your home and work addresses.
Finally, please enjoy the shaky, hand-held cinematography, and please know that I'll be very disappointed if you don't make fun of my voiceover work.
Erin Riches, Senior Editor @ 1,543 miles
gdmstrb says:
02:58 PM, 06/24/09
Ugh, how frustrating. Voice command obviously has a long way to go, and that's regardless of brand.
I've had this happen in both Infiniti products we have (because the NAV locks you out of almost everything when you are in motion). It is infuriating, which leads to a higher pitch, which leads to the voice command not understanding a damn thing you've said. Having said that I've driven a few vehicles with SYNC and typically it works fine for what it's worth, and at least there isn't an added surcharge (yearly) like there is with OnStar....for the first 3 years that is.
carfreak8394 says:
03:03 PM, 06/24/09
Oh my gosh. You were so patient. I would have gotten so frustrated, I would have just looked for a Starbucks on a road sign or something. lol.
daskiing1 says:
04:38 PM, 06/24/09
im sure the sync app commands are nice, but it sure sounds like a TomTom will still trump any odd voice-command service.
ne1butu2 says:
04:55 PM, 06/24/09
Yikes! Does it work substantially better with a good cell signal? It's frustrating that it couldn't understand "Starbucks" right after that was listed as one of the options.
sustainability says:
06:27 PM, 06/24/09
I think Erin has some sexy voice ;-) And she's patient, too.
94accord_lover says:
06:27 PM, 06/24/09
I, too, am amazed at your patience with the system. I probably would've lost it and started swearing at it, but I'm sure that would do no good. When it works, it works nicely, but the multiple repetitions of the city and state would have me very upset. I've had some experience with the OnStar turn-by-turn directions, and it's a nice service, but not worth the $9.95 monthly charges. I'd rather pay $200 for a nice TomTom or Garmin Nuvi with bluetooth and traffic avoidance or something like that, and have the services they offer for free.
estreka says:
06:32 PM, 06/24/09
Erin, I've got to admit, you are really patient. I'm not sure I would have submitted myself to such torture.
Then again, I'm not a coffee nut!
qualitycontrol says:
06:48 PM, 06/24/09
Are you kidding me? Even the lowest Sukuki model available has navigation, and it's only like 500 bucks. Small, removable and made by Garmin, but none-the-less navigation. If it's going to be as user unfriendly as iDrive on cocaine, Ford's better off just scraping the system or waiting to reintroduce it when they work the kinks out. Or, they could just put cheap Garmin systems in. This is ridiculous, and borders on the insanity that is the Mercedes Benz bluetooth system. Definitely a deal-breaker, but like she said, beats having nothing when you're completely lost.
igeekone says:
08:21 PM, 06/24/09
It might have not heard her loud enough. This service is not exclusive to SYNC it's using the Microsoft bought Tellme 411 service. Call 1-800-555-TELL and you'll get the same thing. I tried Tuscaloosa, Alabama in a slower voice and it worked. So you can try it if you don't have SYNC.
7driver says:
09:12 PM, 06/24/09
Great. Now I'm going to have "Tuscaloosa Alabama" running through my head for the next couple days :-)
alman08 says:
09:21 PM, 06/24/09
great... that would be one option and I can skip
actualsize says:
09:35 PM, 06/24/09
71 miles? After all that, the nearest coffee is 71 miles?
tony_e30 says:
05:44 PM, 06/25/09
In the time it took to find a Starbucks in Oxford, MS, I could have found every Starbucks in the US and then mapped a route to each one of them on a Garmin Nuvi. Not sure I'm sold on the SYNC system without the accompanying navigation.
b_boy_007 says:
08:10 PM, 06/25/09
I would have skipped taking the radar detector and taken a nav system instead. Voice recognition technology still sucks big time. I have yet to find a system that understands English accents that my family and I all possess. You know, England, the place where the language originates.