BeCouply and Ford Demonstrate New SYNC AppLink App Providing Drivers with Date Suggestions While on the Go

LAS VEGAS, Jan. 7, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --

• The BeCouply app makes it fun and easy for users to discover great date ideas, capture special moments, and connect with other couple friends
• With Ford SYNC^® AppLink^™ capability, drivers now just have to ask their car, "What are some good date ideas nearby?" for a list of suggestions to be read out loud

Couples looking to escape another mundane date night driving circles around town might soon find help with a new app that will make it easy to have an exciting social life.

BeCouply, the new location-based suggestion app unveiled at 2013 International CES, makes it easy to discover great date ideas, capture special moments, and connect with other couple friends on the go. The app is being tested with SYNC^® AppLink^™, Ford's in-car connectivity and smartphone interface technology, allowing voice-controlled operation while keeping your hands on the wheel and eyes on the road.

"While I'm no expert, it's clear to me the car can play a critical role in the success of a burgeoning relationship," said Julius Marchwicki, global product manager for Ford SYNC AppLink. "BeCouply is a terrific idea, and shows how smartphone apps can help add convenience to the driving experience using voice control through SYNC AppLink."

How it works
For many couples, date night begins behind the wheel after picking up their significant other. With SYNC AppLink capability, the BeCouply app can turn a directionless date night into a fun night of bowling or a romantic dinner using SYNC voice control.

The driver simply has to say, "What are some good date ideas nearby?" In response, SYNC lists out suggested date ideas, such as "Have brunch" or "Go bowling." When a user hears an idea that is of interest, he or she simply asks, "Where can we [go bowling]?" SYNC then lists recommended places to go bowling nearby.

The faces behind the app
The team behind BeCouply (http://becouply.com) – Becky Cruze and Pius Uzamere – are a couple in real life. Cruze has a degree from The George Washington University in political communications and Uzamere holds a degree in computer science and engineering from MIT.

Cruze and Uzamere won the Ford SYNC AppLink Developer Challenge at last year's TechCrunch Disrupt Hackathon in San Francisco. In turn, they were invited to develop an AppLink-enabled beta version of the app unveiled this week at CES.

"We are on a mission to help couples have epic social lives," said Uzamere, developer of the app and chief operating officer of BeCouply. "Ford SYNC is a natural fit for BeCouply because – for many couples – date night begins in the car."

SYNC AppLink is available on more than 1 million vehicles; it is available on 2013 Fiesta, Mustang, Expedition, Fusion, F-150, Super Duty, Focus, E-Series and C-MAX.

About Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F), a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Mich., manufactures or distributes automobiles across six continents. With about 172,000 employees and 65 plants worldwide, the company's automotive brands include Ford and Lincoln. The company provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. For more information regarding Ford and its products worldwide, please visit http://corporate.ford.com.

About BeCouply
BeCouply is a mobile app that helps couples have epic social lives by making it fun and easy to discover new date ideas, capture special moments, and connect with couple friends. Based in San Francisco, BeCouply was co-founded by real-life couple Becky Cruze and Pius Uzamere and is backed by a syndicate of angel investors led by Mitch Kapor, creator of Lotus 1-2-3. For more information, please visit http://becouply.com.

SOURCE Ford Motor Company