Judging by the success of the Apple iPhone and other smart phones, today's consumers are more interested than ever in having a rich mobile-phone experience that includes email, web browsing, games, music, and other types of dynamic interaction. This trend hasn't gone unnoticed by the auto industry, which has been working for years to add support for music players and Bluetooth devices to their product offerings.

Perhaps one of the most ambitious examples of this new trend is Ford Sync, an in-car communication system jointly developed by Microsoft and Ford Motor Company. Using Ford Sync, drivers can use voice commands to check their voicemail, access music on a digital music player, change the radio station, and place calls with a Sync-supported mobile phone. Sync supports dozens of mobile devices, ranging from the iPhone to Windows Mobile-equipped smart phones, and other devices. I had the opportunity to speak with Gary Jablonski, manager of Telematics at Ford Motor Company, about Ford Sync, and what the future holds for this exciting new technology. more>>

SE2 Labs has begun a slow rollout of its much-anticipated ITC One Home Theater Console. The company has shipped 12 systems for real-world testing before putting its distribution program in place next month. A home-theater-in-a-box on steroids for the custom market, the ITC One is currently starring in a dealer roadshow that will conclude in Denver at CEDIA Expo 2008.

According to Mike Pyle, president of SE2 Labs and former custom installer for 15 years, the ITC is a solution to many nagging issues that custom dealers have grappled with, while serving as a compact alternative to stacks of disparate electronics. Pyle says the turnkey ITC One offers dealers a known entity of high-end products that SE2 Labs has engineered, programmed, and integrated to work seamlessly inside a rock-solid aluminum chassis. more>>