You might recall that Ford partnered with Microsoft to produce the Sync system. That partnership appears to be over as Microsoft has been dumped for QNX which is a BlackBerry product. Here’s what AutoWeek has to say:
The new system, which Ford calls “Sync 3,” uses BlackBerry Ltd.’s in-car operating system, QNX, instead of the Microsoft Corp. technology that has underpinned Sync since its introduction in 2007.
Sync 3 will be available starting in the 2016 model year and offered throughout the full Ford and Lincoln lineups by the end of the 2016 calendar year, Ford said today.
With Sync 3, Ford hopes to resolve the bugs and complaints that turned MyFord Touch from an industry-leading feature into a liability. Raj Nair, Ford’s product development chief and chief technical officer, said the company incorporated more survey data and feedback into Sync 3 than it has when rolling out any new vehicle.
Nair said Sync 3 — so named because it’s the third generation of Sync, with the second being MyFord Touch — is designed to be more intuitive and quicker than the current system, which Ford introduced in 2010 to make its vehicles stand out among technology-craving, smartphone-carrying consumers. He said it’s designed to be “device agnostic,” working with any type of smartphone, though it does include Siri Eyes Free capability for more seamless integration with Apple Inc.’s iPhones.
“We don’t want you making a purchase decision about a $30,000 automobile based on your $200 smartphone,” Nair told reporters at a demonstration this week.
The funny thing is that this was rumored almost 11 months ago. Clearly, it took a while to actually come true. I for one think this is a good move for Ford as both CarPlay from Apple and Android Auto from Google will force car companies who use neither to step up their game to keep pace. It also removes one hell of a boat anchor from around their neck.
As an aside, this is another boost to BlackBerry and a big slap to the face for Microsoft. I wonder how the former and latter will spin that?
BREAKING: Ontario Government Website Hacked [UPDATED x2]
Posted in Commentary with tags Canada, Hacked on December 12, 2014 by itnerdAs I type this, if you decided to visit Ontario.ca right now, this is what you would see (Click to enlarge):
Clearly the website has been hacked and defaced. Since this is run by the Ontario Government, you can bet there will be a lot of questions being asked and heads rolling potentially.
As this is breaking news, I’ll post more info as I get it.
UPDATE: I have been looking at the handiwork of this hacker and though this appears on the surface to be a defacement, it did set off my anti-virus software:
Clearly, there’s something under the surface, which is why I didn’t link to Ontario.ca. If you go there, you do so at your own risk. Also, there is a video playing on the site which is MC Hammer’s “Can’t Touch This.” I wonder if the person who did this will be saying that when the cops come to arrest them.
UPDATE #2: Global News is reporting on a statement from the Ontario Premier’s Office that claims that the website wasn’t hacked:
A spokeswoman for Premier Kathleen Wynne says the hacking involved a third-party domain routing service that directs traffic to the government’s site.
Zita Astravas issued an emailed statement that the government’s own websites were not affected.
She says no personal information or any government data was compromised and the websites remain secure.
As I type this, normal service has returned to the Ontario.ca website.
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