T-Mobile leaks Dash docs, October 16 confirmed

While we'd secretly hoped we'd see the T-Mobile Dash before September was out, we've gotten hold of some internal T-Mobile documentation that tells us October 16 is the date. We've always been told not to look a gift horse in the mouth (whatever that means) so we're going to keep our mouths shut and just thank the good folks at T-Mobile for seeing fit to launch HTC's Q-munching Excalibur at all. Keep reading for a transcript of their "Selling Aid" cheat sheet for the Dash -- something tells us it'll pretty much sell itself, but kudos to T-Mob for making sure their peeps are properly informed!

[Thanks, anonymous tipster]

Introducing T-Mobile Dash
The exclusive T-Mobile Dash is a sleek Smartphone with a full QWERTY keyboard that brings e-mail and familiar Outlook right to your phone. Using Microsoft Office Outlook Mobile ®, T-Mobile Dash delivers important information and e-mail on the go. Now you can have your Outlook calendar and contacts up to date and always with you. Easily check e-mail and access Internet information virtually anywhere with T-Mobile's EDGE network or blazing fast T-Mobile HotSpot wireless broadband. As a bonus, T-Mobile Dash supports myFaves rate plans, which allow customers to choose their top 5 contacts and make or receive unlimited phone calls for one low price.

Availability
T-Mobile Dash launches in all markets on October 16th 2006.

Audience
The T-Mobile Dash is an excellent choice for family-focused working individuals who are trying to master a busy life. They do a lot of personal and work e-mail from their computer and desire a way of doing this e-mail and using Outlook from a mobile phone. They are brand-conscious, tech-savvy individuals who rely on various organizational tools (phone, PDA, home calendar, home/work computer, etc.). They've thought of making the transition to a "converged device," but worry that these devices may be too bulky, too difficult to use or too focused on business applications to meet their personal needs.

Key Selling Points
• Sleek Device
Sleek Smartphone with a full keyboard
• Familiar and Easy-To-Use Messaging Options
T-Mobile Dash has the most familiar communication and organization features (personal e-mail and Outlook), plus the ability to share and view pictures, video, and other large attachments.
• Best Value Data Plan, including high speed Wi-Fi
UNLIMITED access to e-mail, Internet and T-Mobile HotSpot Wi-Fi service on T-Mobile's powerful nationwide data network for $29.99/month when added to a T-Mobile voice plan.

Key Sales Considerations
• Perfect handset for customers who want the convenience and access of a Smartphone without the bulk of a converged device like the MDA, and who don't need or want the ability to edit e-mail attachments or use character recognition.
• To get the most out of the T-Mobile Dash, use the T-Mobile Total Internet Plan for general GPRS and Wi-Fi data service.
• Using the T-Mobile Dash with myFaves requires the separate myFaves plan.

[Scott MacGillivray @ Sep 27th 2006 3:23PM]

Is it wrong for gadgets to make you horny?

[bill_lindley @ Oct 12th 2006 4:29AM]

Only if you have to clean your monitor and keyboard when you shut down.

[philiwig @ Sep 27th 2006 3:24PM]

Whats the price point?

[Adam Jones @ Oct 4th 2006 12:30PM]

According to my T-Mobile REP it is will be $199 with a two year contract. No word on what it will be without that though. I've already 'pre-ordered' one through him.

[Robert @ Sep 27th 2006 3:31PM]

Wow that is nice. I am gonna wait to see what cingular comes out with before I go jump on another device. My 2125 is serving me fine for right now.

[Ratilius @ Sep 27th 2006 3:33PM]

You can tell the age of a horse by the condition of it�s teeth.

[surfwax95 @ Sep 27th 2006 3:34PM]

To "look a gift horse in the mouth" means to question something that is free.

The saying comes from equestria where a horse's age is determined by looking at it's teeth, the younger a horse, the more valuable. So when someone gives you a horse for free, you shouldn't worry about it's age or it's value, just take the friggin' gift horse.

[Zadillo @ Sep 27th 2006 3:36PM]

Typically when buying a horse, it is common to inspect its mouth (for health, etc.). The point of "not looking a gift horse in the mouth" basically is just to say don't look at something you've been given for free to see if its flawed. Doesn't have anything to do with the Trojan horse though (which is the source of the advice to "beware of Greeks bearing gifts").

[quahogian @ Sep 27th 2006 3:37PM]

"...We've always been told not to look a gift horse in the mouth (whatever that means) ..."
You have been told good things, too bad you have Gadget ADD, but if you really don't know it and not fakin trollin then: When there was a time (nowadays too, but not as much) and people would buy horses as people buy cars now, one of main thing to check is horse's teeth (among other thing) to make sure it's a healthy one. But if you get a horse as a gift, well don't be ungrateful bastard and take it as it is....

And yeah that's a nice phone, I might have to upgrade from my MDA..but on other hand WTF is with the 200 omap and microSD??? miniSD is bad enough and we barely get 4GB in half a year...now micro? I already overclocked my omap, but I would prefer something I don't have to tinker with that much.

[Jon R @ Sep 27th 2006 3:40PM]

ahhhh man does anyone know a trick for me to get out of my contract w/ veri. cause the device is oh so sexy

[Wayne sutton @ Sep 27th 2006 3:44PM]

Ok, so when will sprint get this?

This is the only phone I will upgrade my ppc-6700 for.

[t3chDzyn @ Sep 27th 2006 3:53PM]

I actually had a T-Mo rep into my company today talking about this and several other windows mobile and blackberry phones. They mentioned this one but said it wouldn't be out until Q1 of next year. As for asking about the iPhone... he said "I'm not sure who picked that up but we passed" speculate as you will

[liz taylor @ Sep 27th 2006 3:55PM]

Sprint has no plans to launch this

[wildklymr @ Sep 27th 2006 4:04PM]

Do you notice the cool slide scroll on the right side of the screen is gone replaced by 2 buttons

[Dave @ Sep 27th 2006 4:07PM]

Is this Wifi ANY wifi, or only T-Mobile hotspots? Becuase I'd sure like it to work with ANY wifi!

[Nadir @ Sep 27th 2006 4:09PM]

Please someone clarify this for me, but its been burning me up ever since this device pictures first got released. Am i aesthetically challenged or is it all of you??? I think this is the damn ugliest piece of gardet i've ever seen. I kid you not, i look at it and it mkaes me feel like Im going to have nightmares. Its an eyesore I'd be embarassed to own. Yet people seem to be oo'ing and aaa'ing and exclaiming how sexy it is. Are you guys tlaking about the specs, or really you think this phone is beautiful to look at???!?!?!

[SVergara @ Sep 27th 2006 4:36PM]

So... no editing of MS Office documents (doc,xls,etc)? Yeah, no.

[one1082 @ Sep 27th 2006 4:37PM]

i don't think it looks THAT bad, but yeah its not pretty...

i just wish cingular would get on it and announce when the samsung i607 will hit stores. only a few more days left in "Q3"

[Rod Lim @ Sep 27th 2006 5:42PM]

Wait for this or the MDA now?

[Jabbar @ Oct 4th 2006 6:13PM]

MDA now

[Ben @ Sep 27th 2006 6:33PM]

It looks very utalitarian to me; just a tool to get a job done. Specs are so-so. I wouldn't agree that it has a "full keyboard" because it's missing the top row of number keys.

[Ed @ Sep 27th 2006 6:50PM]

not sexy at all... looks like a calculator!

[josh @ Feb 19th 2007 3:45PM]

lol, i have the same observation but i bought one!!! hahaha

[Gerald @ Sep 28th 2006 8:46AM]

It feels odd that the phone's screen is smaller than the keyboards area.

It makes the phone look cheap.

Pardon me though.

[Michael @ Sep 28th 2006 1:24PM]

By looking a horse in the mouth you can tell if its healthy or not by inspecting its gums. Please for the love of god know the idoims and phrases you use ... its so basic

[sean @ Oct 1st 2006 8:22AM]

maybe "not to look a gift horse in the mouth" refers to the trojan horse that got the trojans f'd by the greeks? i don't know. i'm just guessing.

as for the phone, it looks funny to me. the design of the face looks like there's a lot of wasted space. it's like a bigger blackberry except it's a smartphone.

[sean @ Oct 1st 2006 8:23AM]

LOL @ Nadir

Thank you brotha! That's what I was thinking as well (at 3rd post). This phone is ugly. When the keypad is bigger than the display, it's screaming "ugly" already. Maybe everyone likes it for its features and specs, in which case I wouldn't disagree with anyone. The looks could be worse but at this point it's almost down there. AND FOR THAT, I'd have something to say about.

[Anthony W @ Oct 10th 2006 12:12AM]

I work for T-Mobile as a sales rep. We received a working dash (not a dummy) a while back, so we can familiarize our self with how it works, features, etc.. I thought the pictures I had been seeing for the phone were awful and I certainly did not think I was going to like it, but to my surprise when the phone model came in, it did not look half as bad as the pictures made it look. (It is as slim as if not a bit slimmer than the Q by the way) It is pretty easy to navigate the screens, and not really heavy at all. My fav phone we carry has been the Blackberry PEARL. Now I really have to say I have two favs... I can't decide now if i want to continue to own the Pearl or change to the Dash, The dash has quite a few features the the Pearl does not such as Windows Mobile, a QWERTY keyboard, and WIFI. I don't know, I will decide soon enough. I am just trying to say to you all that you should judge the phone by the pictures. Cause it is much,much better looking in person. It will surprise you as it did me I guarantee.

[SHoe @ Oct 10th 2006 11:18PM]

Wowzers - you guys really find this awkward, homely Blackberry/Win Mobile love-child to be sexy???? I guess these things are subjective by I am relly surprised by the reaction to this - i am trying to understand what the big deal is here. Looks like it is running Win Mob Smartphone (not Pocket PC) - which makes it especially gay.

>>Perfect handset for customers who want the convenience and access of a Smartphone without the bulk of a converged device like the MDA, and who don't need or want the ability to edit e-mail attachments.

Ummm - why would i want a device with a QWERTY keyboard and NOT want to "edit e-mail attachments"? What a weird marketing angle - serves to highlight the limitations of the smartphone edition of Win Mob versus Pocket PC (if that's the case here).
I don't get it - the specs on this would be exciting in 2004. Aside from Wifi - what does this thing have on the recent Blackberries or Treos?

[kingughidora @ Oct 11th 2006 11:21AM]

The QWERTY pad comes in handy for text messaging, sending emails, filling in web browser forms, etc. I do this stuff everyday and wouldn't with a numeric pad. I've had a PocketPC phone for a couple years and I think the whole edit-attachments thing is oversold.

The all-you-can-eat data package doesnt seem like such a bad a deal, but what if you already subscribe to the Hotspot service separately? Can these be combined?

Paying $45/month for laptop service and another $30 for smartphone data service, that's a little over the top for casual usage.

[Mitch @ Oct 11th 2006 3:13PM]

Just so you guys know, the Dash is now on T-Mobile's website at: http://www.t-mobile.com/shop/phones/Detail.aspx?device=f164419f-eee9-4cf6-a1bd-070dbe4b5023

The release date is NOT October 16th, as you previously reported. It's October 25th. Which basically has me screwed.

[Nik Recob @ Oct 18th 2006 3:10PM]

Will the Dash work with Skype or other forms of VOIPs?
Does ANYONE know?

[josh @ Feb 19th 2007 4:21PM]

yes T Mobile dash is skype capable! check on the website , skype for mobile/smartphone you can download it from there. goodluck