Sync Services - for what?

[spr]

Hi..

So am really digging the entire SYNC & MFT thing.. but I am a little..uhm... uninspired or perhaps confused (?) with what SYNC 'services' can do.

I have a NAV system and it does turn by turn directions, so I dont need special 'SYNC services' to make a phone call and do that, right?

I see you can show a map with traffic on it on 'syncmyride.com', but that isnt available in the vehicle from sync services I believe.

Audio Traffic reports? maybe I could try that.

Stocks, News, Horoscopes.. movie listings... does anyone use these things.. and if so, what do you think? I mean - if you have Sirius (which also came with it) you have news channels etc.

In short - I don't really see a real reason for me to use it yet? If I could get a traffic overlay on the NAV map however....

 

[dco43054]

I found Sync services 100% worthless for anyone with a "smart" phone. I have an iPhone and why would I want Sync to give me turn by turn directions when it is native on my phone? For Sync to work it has to dial out on the phone and is using cell minutes.

Absolutely worthless. The best part of MFT, when it works, is the big backup camera. Voice commands are valuable - again - when they work.

 

[spr]

Well... the thing I like about both SYNC and MFT is the fact that I keep my head up and eyes on the road MUCH more than before. I think this is fantatstic and I think the voice control is fantastic too - I am having very good results with it. Backup camera as you mentioned is key.

But yes I agree - I have a nav with turn by turn directions already - so sync services seem largely unnecessary.

I'll wait on 'horoscopes' and robotic-read news and traffic updates too. Is the NAV system able to find gas stations? I think SYNC services can..not sure... but that would be helpful occasionally too. (Again - without having to pull out your phone and mess with it while driving).

I suppose if I was on the road 24x7 doing sales maybe the 'Travel Link' thing would be useful... but that is more of a Sirius product, right?

A friend just bought her kid an Escape *without* a NAV system and I found it interesting that she can use SYNC services to still get turn by turn directions without having a NAV system... I guess in that case it would actually be very useful if you really wanted to keep your attention on the road and not on your phone for that sort of thing.

 

[FordIVTteam]

Well... the thing I like about both SYNC and MFT is the fact that I keep my head up and eyes on the road MUCH more than before. I think this is fantatstic and I think the voice control is fantastic too - I am having very good results with it. Backup camera as you mentioned is key.

But yes I agree - I have a nav with turn by turn directions already - so sync services seem largely unnecessary.

I'll wait on 'horoscopes' and robotic-read news and traffic updates too. Is the NAV system able to find gas stations? I think SYNC services can..not sure... but that would be helpful occasionally too. (Again - without having to pull out your phone and mess with it while driving).

I suppose if I was on the road 24x7 doing sales maybe the 'Travel Link' thing would be useful... but that is more of a Sirius product, right?

A friend just bought her kid an Escape *without* a NAV system and I found it interesting that she can use SYNC services to still get turn by turn directions without having a NAV system... I guess in that case it would actually be very useful if you really wanted to keep your attention on the road and not on your phone for that sort of thing.

Hey, spr!

There are a lot of useful things about SYNC Services. If you can't find your destination on navigation, you can summon Services to see if it's in there. If you decide not to renew your Travel Link subscription with Sirius XM, you'll still be able to receive Traffic, Movies, Stocks, and Weather. Like dco43054 pointed out, it does use your cell phone minutes; it's good for people that don't have unlimited data plans and can't use a phone app. Last but not least, you can use Operator Assist to get directions if navigation and SYNC Services cannot find what you're looking for.

Also, I like the robotic horoscope voice.

Rebecca

 

[spr]

Rebecca - I agree - operator assist is a nice thing to keep in your back pocket for when you may need it..as well as SYNC Services.

Guess we will have to see how often I use the 'services' part of SYNC.

gads. Now I just know Im going to check my horoscope on the way home tonight. You know.. 'for science'. ...

 

[Toddgfd]

The coolest thing about Sync that I have found is with directions. Often if I am traveling to an address, I make the plans from my house or at work. I log onto the Sync App or on the desktop and find the address and send it to Sync. When I get in the car and hit services, it says that a new destination is ready, and would I like to proceed. I don't need to take time to set the address when I'm in the car. THAT is neat.

 

[LukerDooker]

Sync also transfers car maintenance data to Owner site

hm that is pretty cool...

Also Sync transfers Vehicle health data and you can see
real data / maintenance items in your owner portal.

 

[FordIVTteam]

If any of you would like more information on MFT features, here are a few links:

http://support.ford.com/topics/sync-technology-sync-myford-touch
http://www.ford.com/technology/sync/
http://www.ford.com/technology/sync/sync-commands/

Don't hesitate to contact me should you have questions.

Rebecca

 

[spr]

The coolest thing about Sync that I have found is with directions. Often if I am traveling to an address, I make the plans from my house or at work. I log onto the Sync App or on the desktop and find the address and send it to Sync. When I get in the car and hit services, it says that a new destination is ready, and would I like to proceed. I don't need to take time to set the address when I'm in the car. THAT is neat.

That is a great example of something I have used and will use.

 

[WDinSD]

The coolest thing about Sync that I have found is with directions. Often if I am traveling to an address, I make the plans from my house or at work. I log onto the Sync App or on the desktop and find the address and send it to Sync. When I get in the car and hit services, it says that a new destination is ready, and would I like to proceed. I don't need to take time to set the address when I'm in the car. THAT is neat.

Yup- I use the sync app on my iphone when I'm going to places where I don't know the exact location. It works very good, the routes could use some updating. (We have a new highway opened over a year, that runs about a half mile from the old highway. Sync says I'm off route) but other than that it's been reliable.

 

[jallennh]

I just tried it by downloading a destination from mapquest, but when I said services, it found the directions, but would not display them on MFT. Since I do not have Nav, does it eve work?

 

[Express]

If you download send to car from the App Store you can use your iphone and google maps to to send any map location to Ford sync just get in say services and drive ,it loads automatically Great !

 

[emrldnrgh]

ROTFLMAO ! Sorry Folk , . . icouldn't help it! I was thinking out loud that I have enough people tellin' me where to go, I sure as hell don't need my car to , too. HA , Ha , ha , . . .

 

[Mlarv5]

Hi..

So am really digging the entire SYNC & MFT thing.. but I am a little..uhm... uninspired or perhaps confused (?) with what SYNC 'services' can do.

I have a NAV system and it does turn by turn directions, so I dont need special 'SYNC services' to make a phone call and do that, right?

I see you can show a map with traffic on it on 'syncmyride.com', but that isnt available in the vehicle from sync services I believe.

Audio Traffic reports? maybe I could try that.

Stocks, News, Horoscopes.. movie listings... does anyone use these things.. and if so, what do you think? I mean - if you have Sirius (which also came with it) you have news channels etc.

In short - I don't really see a real reason for me to use it yet? If I could get a traffic overlay on the NAV map however....

I agree I have it in my Mustang and well I will be nice and say it is a Micro Soft Product. I have tried reading up on how to use the APPS along with an Iphone and I am glad I have a Garmin because it just does not work. As for news and horoscope etc all I can say is Why? I have had some success with the Blue Tooth streaming but I can not control the APP (Iheart radio) though it. I plug it into the USB port and the stream starts and stops right away. I unplug it from the USB port and it streams all day. So now I have a phone charger in the console to keep my phone charged. Sync Destinations I have never been able to get it to work BT or USB. I see these really neat marketing videos, but not any that show you how to connect them and make them work cause the books online and offline don't seem to. All in all I can do with out it.

 

[FordIVTteam]

I just tried it by downloading a destination from mapquest, but when I said services, it found the directions, but would not display them on MFT. Since I do not have Nav, does it eve work?

Hey, jallennh,

Are you referring to a map not showing on the display, or the turns weren't showing? Here's a video of what should happen:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rqfcGEk8ZkI

Is this your experience? Let me know what's happening when you get a chance.

Rebecca

 

[sgtdon]

Do you have to have Sirius XM?

I was thinking about signing up for Sync Services and would like to know if you have to have Sirius XM to use the Sync Turn by turn directions? I only have Sync and My Ford, I DO NOT HAVE M.F.T.

Also, anyone had problems with SIRIUS hounding you to sign up after you have told them no a couple times???

 

[FordIVTteam]

I was thinking about signing up for Sync Services and would like to know if you have to have Sirius XM to use the Sync Turn by turn directions? I only have Sync and My Ford, I DO NOT HAVE M.F.T....

You don't need a SiriusXM subscription for SYNC Services, sgtdon.

Rebecca

 

[jallennh]

Rebecca, Jim will suffice. I saw a video where if you did not have NAV on your MFT, you could go to Mapquest ( since google is no longer avail), punch in a destination, and download it to the MFT. Now, with that being said, the demo actually shows a NAV map from mapquest from start to finish, and voice directions. It's the actual mapquest map I am trying to get displayed.

 

[jallennh]

Rebecca, here is the youtube link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ImkLvGNVV5I

 

[sgtdon]

Thank you FORDIVTTEAM!