Ford's "General Contractor"
F-250 Super Duty Truck

A truck designed with contractors in mind
Microsoft Corp. and Stargate Mobile have teamed with Ford Motor Co. on a mobile office system for Ford’s “General Contractor” F-250 Super Duty Truck.

The Ford mobile office system is a small, lightweight computer that can be docked inside the vehicle or taken anywhere on the job site. The system features the Microsoft Windows XP Professional operating system, global positioning satellite (GPS) technology, wireless broadband access, a printer, a credit card scanner and a digital camera.

A Stargate Mobile computer is mounted on the transmission tunnel hump within easy reach of the driver. Once the computer is securely mounted in its vehicle cradle, it is powered by the truck’s battery. The driver can remove the touch-screen computer and carry it like an ordinary laptop. Its screen is visible in sunlight so that several workers can huddle around for an impromptu meeting. While on the road, the system’s GPS navigation system can provide turn-by-turn directions. The computer even plays MP3 files and Internet radio over the vehicle’s stereo system.

Ford plans to offer the unique mobile technology as a dealer-installed accessory through the Genuine Ford Accessories program.