Read Barry Sonnenfeld's review of the Sync voice software for cars

Last week, I test-drove a new Ford Edge into Manhattan and repeatedly got into the same conversation with strangers. The toll lady at the Midtown Tunnel: "Jeez, what kind of car is that? It looks great. An Edge? I'm gonna buy one." I had the same exact conversation with a garage attendant. With an aggressive front that looks like a Nissan Murano and a better-looking back end than J.Lo, the Edge makes its competition look stodgy. Sweetie (the wife) claims that I love every new car I test -- "the honeymoon period," she calls it -- but the new Edge really is great.

I was loaned the car to test Ford's new Sync system, a Microsoft-engineered, voice-controlled environment that automatically integrates phone and music. Sync comes standard on the luxury-model Edge I tested but is also available as an option on most new-model Fords for about $400.

After plugging my iPod in to the USB port located in the armrest (which also powers and charges the player), I was soon commanding Sync to play my music. "Play track: 'Eve of Destruction.' " Or "Play artist: It's a Beautiful Day." No matter what I threw at it, Sync got it right. (Sweetie was in hysterics listening to the car voice pronounce "Mott the Hoople.") Unlike the clipped, angry voices on some of the GPS systems I've tested, the Sync's female voice was welcoming, helpful, and friendly. And she never judged my song selection.

Considering how unhappy I've been with Microsoft's operating software for smart phones, I'm impressed at what an excellent job it did designing Sync. It's simple and intuitive. Using Bluetooth, the system quickly located my BlackBerry and downloaded my phone book. One cool feature (that doesn't work on my Verizon BlackBerry but works on many other phones) is Sync's ability to read text messages aloud. I had my assistant Joi send the following message to an AT&T RAZR phone I was borrowing: "U R LOL funny. XOXO Joi." The car chimed that I had received a text message, I pressed a button on the display screen, and Sync's lovely voice said, "You are laugh-out-loud funny. Hugs and kisses, Joi." Dang, I loved this car!

I've had the Edge for a week, and I still love it. I've been driving Chloe (the kid) up and down the main drag of East Hampton, New York, windows open, telling Sync to play Kanye West, showing the local boys how cool we are.

Barry Sonnenfeld is the director of Get Shorty and Men in Black.

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