Sprint to provide 3G connectivity to Ford in-dash PC

Sprint Nextel's iDEN network has a special place in job site communication. The network's push-to-talk feature is ideal for maintaining constant contact with multiple individuals in separate locations, and its familiar "chirp" is a sound heard echoing across construction sites throughout the country.

Today, Sprint has gone further into the field and announced its partnered with Ford Motor Company in its Ford Work Solutions in-dash PCs. The lineup of Ford F- and E-Series vehicles offering the computers will be available this spring, according to the company.

The systems are built by Fiat subsidiary Magnetti Marelli, run on Windows CE 6.0, and offer a touchscreen interface as well as support for Bluetooth keyboard and mouse. Unlike Ford's SYNC system, which has navigation tools from Telenav, the GPS navigation system in Work Solutions is powered by Garmin.

With a bluetooth headset, the in-dash computer also allows voice calls to be placed through the dash computer. The broadband and voice plan for the Work Solutions computer costs $50 per month, and the entire computer unit will ad $1,195 to the total cost of the vehicle.