I've never been a big fan of electronic entertainment gadgets. It's probably because my learning curve peaks at an eight-track tape player. So when I was invited to a presentation of Ford's new Sync, I thought to myself: “The things I do for my readers.” What I should have said was: “Man … where have I been all my life?!!”

Sync was developed in collaboration with Microsoft and is a fully integrated, voice-activated in-car communications and entertainment system that works with most Bluetooth-enabled mobile phones and digital media players. Beginning this fall it will be available in 12 Ford, Lincoln and Mercury products and nearly all of the company's products within two years.

Sync is a Ford-exclusive technology based on Microsoft Auto software. It's an on-board computer platform loaded with software that provides consumers the ability to bring digital media players such as iPods, Microsoft Zunes and other MP3 players, along with Bluetooth-enabled mobile phones into their vehicles and operate all of them via voice commands or with the vehicle's steering wheel or radio controls.

I know what else you're thinking …”What was the impetus for developing such a system?” Quite simply, look at the numbers. A 2006 survey found that nearly 25 percent of households in the U.S. had at least one media player and ownership among younger consumers aged 18-24 had at least one. Furthermore, according to the Consumer Electronics Association, there are more than 200 million mobile phones in this country. More and more of them contain Bluetooth technology that use a short-range communications mechanism that replaces traditional cable connections for portable devices.

Names and numbers from your mobile phone book are automatically synchronized, so to place a call to anyone in your book, you simply say “Call” followed by the person's name. Similarly you can use your voice to select an artist, genre, album or even a specific song from your music library. In case you develop laryngitis, you can use the steering wheel buttons.

Sync will notify the driver of incoming text messages and is able to read them aloud using text-to-speech capability. The system is even smart enough to translate such messaging expressions as “LOL,” and “TTYL.” (Even I'm not that smart.) Replies can be selected from a list of predefined responses.

Sync was recently awarded a Popular Mechanics “Breakthrough Award.” It recognizes products that set new benchmarks in design, creativity and engineering. Sync was one of only 10 products so honored in 2007.

If you're like me you're thinking about how much a system like Sync would cost. I figured it would be something like a computerized navigation system -- about $2,000. I was asking myself whether it's prudent for someone to consider such an option if it could conceivably cost over 10 percent of the car's price. Thus, I was totally blown away when the presenter said on vehicles where Sync is optional the price is $395. As I said in my Ford Focus review a few weeks ago, if you're buying a car that can be Sync equipped and you choose not to spend the $395, get help ... right now! You're a danger to those around you. On some trim levels, like the Focus SES and Ford Edge Limited, Sync is standard equipment.

It took less than 10 minutes for Sync to make a believer out of me … and I'm not a gadget head. It will probably take the average person in Sync's key demographics about 10 seconds. My question for them is: “What took you so long?”