The iPhone 4S and Siri were introduced to the public in Oct. 2011 - Siri, the voice of the iPhone, has met "Samantha," the voice Ford Sync, and they seem to be getting along well...
The new iPhone uses a woman's voice to listen to your questions and she responds with answers. Her nickname is Siri. Ford's Microsoft Sync infotainment system uses its woman's voice, her code name in the development stages was Samantha. So Samantha, let's meet Siri! It's unusual when you start hearing multiple voices from your dashboard!
One of the biggest complaints about the iPhone and its use with Sync is its inability to do text-to-voice messaging. That is, until now. The new iPhone 4S has its intelligent assistant with Siri. The new iPhone and Siri can read text messages into voice. And with a little "training" an iPhone 4S user can get Siri to use the Sync system to "transmit" the message through the vehicle's sound system. This creates a safer roadway when a driver can just listen to test messages rather than try to read one on their cell phone.
To get this to work, you should begin with a clean "paired" iPhone 4S on a Ford Sync-equipped vehicle. The new MyFordTouch equipped vehicles (the 2011 and 2012 Edge and Explorer have this). With the car started, press and hold the Home button on the iPhone for a couple of seconds to summon Siri. This opens the Bluetooth connection between the phone and Sync. You can then speak aloud to ask a question of Siri over the vehicle's microphone and hear the response through the vehicles audio system. Refer to this YouTube video for ideas...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3vjW0ZvjZyw
Here's a Newsy segment talking about Siri and Sync...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R3gyTPO9G_4
As you heard in the Newsy video, if a Sync user has an updated Sync version, then it can handle the text-to-voice messaging -- specifically with Android and Blackberry phones. The MAP protocol isn't used by Apple. So iPhones 3G, 3GS, and 4 cannot perform the text-to-voice text messaging. Apple cites the potential for the phone being too hackable if that option were turned on. The Apple iPhone 4S does offer its unique way of handling text-to-voice messaging.
So, for now, iPhone 4S users and Siri can bring voice-activated commands to higher level in Sync-equipped vehicles. Sorry all of you users of the iPhone 4, 3GS and 3G. It seems that the in-vehicle technology field is very volatile. What doesn't work today, could easily change by tomorrow. Apple just released today (Nov. 12, 2011) a new software update to OS 5.0.1 for the iPhone. The new update fixes bugs affecting battery life (but early reports are questioning if it's enough of a fix. It also adds multitasking gestures for original iPad, it resolves bugs with documents in the Cloud and it improves voice recognition for Australian users using dictation.
Apple may have to create few more updates to resolve some of the Bluetooth issues that users are reporting. Many Ford Sync users are finding that the Bluetooth streaming music goes in and out after they upgrade an iPhone 3GS or iPhone4 with the new iOS 5 operating system. Visit the Sync website and their User Forums for more information.
Vince Hennigan works at a Ford dealership as a Technology Consultant. The advent of new technologies has left a lot of vehicle owners with questions. If you need assistance or have a question, contact me fordtechlane@gmail.com
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