Ford's office on wheels

Call it the mobile, mobile office.

At a recent event in New York City, Ford demoed its in-dash computer, a mobile solution for contract workers whose office is their truck. The in-dash computer, part of Ford Work Solutions, enables owners to view and print documents, access their home computer and even surf the web and check email, without ever leaving the job site. (Literally - these features cannot be used while driving.) The in-dash PC is available optionally in Ford's 2009 F-150, F-Series Super Duty trucks and E-Series vans.

The in-dash PC, which runs the Windows CE 6.0 Operating System, has a 6.5-inch touch screen, 4 GB of onboard memory, an SD slot for added memory and a USB port. Bluetooth capable, the PC can be paired with the included wireless keyboard/mouse, an optional wireless printer and mobile phones for hands-free calls. High-speed internet access is provided by Sprint Mobile Broadband using the Opera Mobile browser. Its email program can sync web-based e-mail accounts.These features all come at a cost, outlined at the bottom of this post.

You can view, edit and print word processing files, spreadsheets, presentations and PDFs. If you forget to bring files with you on a USB key or SD card, you can remotely access your home PC using the LogMeIn service and view files of any type. If you need print an invoice or other important document, you can purchase the HP OfficeJet H470wbt Mobile Printer, which connects to the in-dash PC via Bluetooth. (It's also 802.11b/g compatible for use with your home wireless network.) You can't just use any Bluetooth printer though; this model is currently the only wireless printer that is certified to work with the in-dash system. In the future, GPS navigation with traffic updates powered by Garmin will also be available.

The benefits of the in-dash computer is that you don't have to worry about charging up the battery like you do a laptop. The downside is that the computer is not password-protected, so you shouldn't store any personal information on its hard drive in case of theft. It also does not come with antivirus software, so if you have infected files on a USB key or you visit a rogue site online, you're not protected. Currently, external software cannot be installed on the system.

Here's what it costs:

In-Dash Computer	$1200
HP OfficeJet H470wbt Mobile Printer	$300
LogMeIn	$50 per year for one computer
Sprint Mobile Broadband	$60 per month for 5 GB of data usage, 5 cents per MB after (one-year contract required)