Michelle_Williams's Blog

Tech companies always seem to be in the fast lane. Now automakers are finally catching on and catching up so we can take our gadgets on the go!

Even better, new advances means you can use your phone, IPod or GPS system without even lifting a finger!  Voice activation makes it all possible.  Shout out a demand and your dashboard will make it happen!

Check out my story for a 'test drive' but here is a brief summary and some other 'extra cool' features I didn't have time to mention in my piece.

Ford now offers 'Sync.' Developed with Microsoft, Sync allows consumers to bring nearly any mobile phone or digital media player in their vehicles and operate them by voice command or by using the steering wheel or radio controls.

Extra cool: I loved the fact that anytime you updated information on your cell phone, like adding a contact to your address book, your vehicle gets the update too.

The Chrysler Town and Country minivan is equipped with an dual-DVD entertainment system so passengers in every row each have their own screen. So little Johnny in the second row can watch cartoons while Suzy in the third row can watch a Disney DVD (using headsets) and mom and dad can listen to something completely different up front!

Extra cool: I liked the fact that if you forgot the kids' DVDs they can still be entertained on a long trip by Disney, Nickelodeon or the Cartoon channel, all available on satellite TV.

The Mercedes-C class offers a navigation system with voice recognition that includes real-time traffic.

Extra cool: The glove box has a built-in charger for your IPod and it's air-conditioned (yup, the glove box has AC) so your gadget doesn't overheat! Plus the Mercedes has a hard drive that can record CDs to its own internal memory.