Ford Wants Cloud Computing, Social Media On Sync System

"The Cloud" is hot news these days: it gives people the ability to upload data to the web -- spreadsheets, movies, music files -- and access them from anywhere. That's exciting stuff, and it explains why Ford has cracked open the operating system on its popular Sync software for students at the University of Michigan, allowing them to develop applications that bring cloud computing and social media into  vehicles.  We're totally onboard with opening up source code, though we wonder if this could result in even more distractions for drivers. And here's an equally important question: will mobile internet -- like the kind GM offers on its vehicles -- render Ford's efforts moot? [Wired]

Ford Microsoft SYNCEnlarge Photo"The Cloud" is hot news these days: it gives people the ability to upload data to the web -- spreadsheets, movies, music files -- and access them from anywhere. That's exciting stuff, and it explains why Ford has cracked open the operating system on its popular Sync software for students at the University of Michigan, allowing them to develop applications that bring cloud computing and social media into  vehicles.  We're totally onboard with opening up source code, though we wonder if this could result in even more distractions for drivers. And here's an equally important question: will mobile internet -- like the kind GM offers on its vehicles -- render Ford's efforts moot? [Wired]