Tech early adoption: fun in the living room, but safe in the car?

The new MyFord touch system's best function may be as a warning to other car manufacturers of how not to go about innovating when it comes to high-tech dashboards.

Part of the MyFord Touch system, which also resides on the instrument panel and steering wheel.

Earlier this week, Consumer Reports panned the MyFord Touch system, an optional touch-based user interface featured in revamped models like the Ford Edge and standard in the company's higher-end Limited models. In "Ford's frustrating high-tech controls," the publication takes the carmaker to task. Apparently in its attempt to capitalize on the recent successes of tablets like the iPad and Samsung Tab and integrate a similar user experience into its new vehicles a car, Ford (F) sacrificed some serious usability along the way. Auto manufacturers may want to take note from Ford's trailblazing and learn a lesson many consumer tech companies have already learned – if you're an early adopter, you're going to get burned.

Carmakers have been working towards simplifying car controls for some time now – as resident car expert Alex Taylor III explained in his own hands-on with the Edge, German luxury car makers in particular have toyed with giving in-car instruments more versatility. That's why some knobs pull double, even triple duty: pull them to do one thing, twist it to do another, tilt it for another feature altogether. The problem is that all those extra gestures don't feel the least bit intuitive. More

Posted in: Consumer Reports, Ford, Ford Edge, Ford Motor Company, iPad, MyFord Touch, Touchscreen, User experience

• Today in Tech

  Every day, the Fortune staff spends hours poring over tech stories, posts, and reviews from all over the Web to keep tabs on the companies that matter. We've assembled the day's most newsworthy bits below.

  Those of you jonesing to get the latest tech news as it happens can sign up for the "Today in Tech" newsletter. So get to it!

  Playing catch up with Google, Yahoo, and Microsoft's leading web-based email clients, Aol MORE

  JP Mangalindan, Writer - Nov 15, 2010 6:00 AM ET
  Posted in: AOL, Berg Insight, Cisco, Facebook, Financial, Ford, Google, Hotmail, HP, IBM, iPad, iPhone, iPod, Mark Papermaster, MarkPapermaster, Microsoft, Mobile, Netflix, Project Phoenix, SAP, Siemens, Tablet, Toyota, Vision Cloud, Wall Street Journal, Yahoo

• Bill Ford: Venture capitalist

  The Ford chairman has a surprising side project: funding ideas that could ease car congestion.

  A few years ago the CEO of Ford Motor, Bill Ford, began pushing the company to be more sensitive to the environment. The result: The automaker today produces five different hybrid models that help reduce gas consumption and pollution. Now Ford, currently executive chairman of the car company, has turned his attention to another byproduct of MORE

  Michael V. Copeland, Senior Writer - Jun 28, 2010 3:00 AM ET
  Posted in: Bill Ford, cars, environment, Fontinalis Partners, Ford, pollution, venture capital

• Will Google power the Chevy Volt?

  The Google vs. Microsoft war might heat up with GM's discussions to develop in-car telematics with Google.

  A recent CNNMoney article revealed that GM was working with a mysterious partner on its OnStar systems for the new Chevy Volt and eventually across its product lines.

  This year's OnStar relaunch involves a major technology push inside GM as well a partnership with a major outside technology company, said Preuss, who declined to reveal MORE

  Seth Weintraub - May 12, 2010 11:12 AM ET
  Posted in: Ford, GM, Google, Microsoft, Sync

• Data driven: How technology is reviving GM, Ford and Chrysler

  In the age of global enterprise software, US carmakers are re-learning the secrets of efficiency

  By Fred Thomas, Industry Director, Apriso

  After the government provided a $17.4 billion lifeline to two of the largest US automakers last year, most Americans still thought that the big Detroit three – GM, Chrysler and Ford – were down for the count.

  Over the last few decades, we've seen domestic car sales from American companies slide from MORE

  Apr 5, 2010 1:53 PM ET
  Posted in: apriso, automakers, Chrysler, Ford, fred thomas, GM, honda, Toyota

• An "app store" for your car?

  Every new  car is basically a computer. So where are all the cool apps?

  In my rusted jalopy, a 1991 Volvo 240 sedan, I have installed the future.

  A car that stalls at every stop sign now has turn-by-turn navigation. I can check my e-mail and monitor the stock market (or, let's be honest, the day's surf). There are applications at my fingertips that can point my sputtering car toward a burrito MORE

  Oct 16, 2009 7:56 AM ET
  Posted in: Apple, Ford, iPhone, Microsoft, Stanford University, Third Party Apps