Today at the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) Show in Las Vegas, Microsoft Corp. and Stargate Mobile participated in Ford Motor Co.’s announcement of the mobile office system featured in a “General Contractor” F-250 Super Duty truck. Ford previewed the unique mobile technology expected to be offered as a dealer-installed accessory through the Genuine Ford Accessories program beginning in 2006.

“Before the office environment that many of us work in today, you knew you had arrived when you worked your way up to the corner office with a door,” said Patty Dilger, director of the Automotive and Industrial Equipment Industry Vertical at Microsoft. “With the F-Series Super Duty, we’ve arrived at the ultimate option for today’s worker on the move — a four-door office that corners well. For the contractor or business owner who travels to multiple work sites, the functionality and connectivity of the easy-to-use Ford mobile office system dramatically improves productivity while on a job site.”

The mobile office system features the Microsoft® Windows® XP Professional operating system functionality with the Microsoft Office Suite including Microsoft Office Outlook®, Microsoft Office Word, Microsoft Office Excel® and Microsoft Office PowerPoint®. Other mobile office system features include global positioning satellite (GPS), wireless broadband, printer, credit card scanner and digital-camera-equipped mobile computer that will allow a contractor to bid jobs, order and purchase parts and materials, and process payments.

“The Ford mobile office system is a small, lightweight computer that can be docked inside the vehicle and used away from the traditional office,” said John Cooper, president of Stargate Mobile. “The computer’s rugged, portable design also allows the user to take the unit anywhere on the job site for the ultimate in mobility.”