Mobile office for Ford pickups

Intended for contractors and others who need to conduct business from their trucks, Ford has introduced a dealer-installed mobile office option for its F-Series pickups.

The core of the system is a hand-held tablet PC from Stargate Mobile running Microsoft Windows XP. Equipped with an integrated GPS receiver, the hand-held includes Microsoft Streets & Trips software, allowing it to function as a high-end navigation system with turn-by-turn directions. Other installed software includes the full Microsoft Office suite with Outlook email, PowerPoint presentation and Excel spreadsheet applications.

Users can add portable printers, credit card scanners, digital cameras and other peripherals to the mobile office via USB ports. Wireless communications over a choice of networks is provided using a cellular modem card.

The new F-Series mobile office also includes a cradle mounted on the truck’s transmission hump, giving the driver an active display for navigation applications as well as a 12V power connection for recharging the portable.

The Ford Mobile Office will be available early next year, according to the company.

For more information, go to media.ford.com/newsroom/release_display.cfm?release=21909.