Dash Express powered by OpenMoko's neo open-source hardware platform

We're already pretty high on the Dash Express, but the company sweetened the pot a little this morning by announcing that the unit is based on OpenMoko's Neo open-source hardware platform. The Dash Express is first commercial product to use the OpenMoko GT0X reference platform, which is an updated version of the hardware in OpenMoko's open-source Neo 1973 mobile phone. As you'd expect, the Dash Express also uses OpenMoko's Linux bootloader and kernel, but the Dash GPS software itself is apparently still proprietary. The love doesn't stop there, either: OpenMoko and parent company FIC Mobility actually helped design the Dash Express hardware, and FIC is going to handle manufacturing as well. All in all, a pretty solid win for the OpenMoko / Neo system -- let's hope it's a sign of even more good things to come.

[Flashpoint @ Jan 2nd 2008 1:34PM]

This is a good time for a Chinese company to establish a major name brand for itself and produce a device like this for just $100 - with a simple to use touch interface.

All they really have to do is copy the TOM TOM or GARMIN setup anyway.

[NHAnimator @ Jan 2nd 2008 2:53PM]

"This is a good time for a Chinese company to establish a major name brand for itself"

They already have. It's called WalMart.

(Sorry.)

[kmt @ Jan 2nd 2008 2:01PM]

100 bucks?? umm...i dont think so, buddy

I think the dash express is gonna be about 600 bucks..

[Jared @ Jan 2nd 2008 4:52PM]

Is it just me or does this device seem like convergence headed in the wrong direction?

I think that TomTom already does it right (for the most part) with the way they handle 2 way communication with their devices. They simply tether your cell phone, that way you get data / hands free / voice calling / etc. I don't like that they charge you a fee to use the TomTom plus features and I probably wouldn't pay it no matter how small it was.

I just don't get why you'd spend $600 on a dash in order to have a built in cell modem. Which I can only assume will cost a decent amount per month in addition to the cost of the device. When you can simply tether a cell phone.

I do really like dash's idea on anonymous real time traffic. Though I believe once again TomTom has something like this already and could easily build it out assuming dash doesn't have any patents on it.

[Charley Martel @ Jan 2nd 2008 6:00PM]

Six hundred bucks for the unit, plus a monthly subscription fee? Plus your cell phone bill?

I hereby propose every item of this type that appears on engadget be assigned a numerical value. Let's call it the "Date Devise Might Appear on Woot!" number. You could then establish a "DD MAoW index." Charts! Graphs! Fun for the whole family!

[Brian @ Jan 2nd 2008 7:38PM]

Still no image of the 3D view and no word on if it's bluetooth enabled. I was on the bandwagon big time when this was announced, but I'm getting more and more skeptical. The Garmin Nuvi 760 and the TomTom 920 are both superior devices, in my opinion. Dash has a couple of great unique features, but my guess is they won't remain unique for long, and their weird form factor and high price is going to push them out of contention.

[MickeyMoo @ Jan 2nd 2008 10:37PM]

I hope they have conquered the glitches that the "Road Test" .9 units have (had?) - I'd be driving around and suddenly the icon of my car would start spinning around like crazy and then the map would take forever to reorient itself - often showing me driving in the direction opposite to that which I was actually driving for miles, that and the ABYSMAL amount of time it would take to lock on to a satellite while my friend's Nuvi would do it in seconds. But the most irritating thing was the routing. It would completely ignore one way boulevards with timed lights and try to send me on side streets with stop signs or lights every block. Not an issue since I know my way around my town, but I can see it being a total PITA if you're using it to find your way around someplace new. Frankly, compared to the competition I think the price is way out of line (not to mention the subscription fee). Other that the open API which might allow for some interesting value added type applications, it's one claim to fame is the live traffic - which (as I understand it) works best when the units can communicate with each other to aggregate data. So: too expensive= fewer people buy=less units on the road=less accurate traffic data=what's the point unless you're a real estate agent using the Zillow database cross referenced to your location? The CEO of the company stated that the hoped Dash would become the iPod of GPS systems. Ummmm not so much... The Pleo of GPS maybe.