Dash opens platform up for third-party developers

No need worrying that as much as you'd like to change the Dash Express, you can't. Because you can, savvy? Announced today, Dash Navigation has cracked its platform open for third-party developers and simultaneously launched the industry's first dynamic API program at O'Reilly's Where 2.0 Conference. Dash is hoping that eager devs will spend time crafting DashApps, which would theoretically provide web-based content to consumers while still in the car. The outfit also took the wraps off of the first five partner-created applications, which give Express owners Coldwell Banker Home Search, myFUNAMBOL Calendar, BakTrax Radio, Trapster and MyWeatherBug buttons. Unfortunately, details beyond that were slim, but you certainly tag the read link to learn more about the aforesaid few that are already created.

[Aman @ May 14th 2008 6:13PM]

Finally Some Non Apple News

[MrFairladyz @ May 14th 2008 6:13PM]

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[Vidit Bhargava @ May 14th 2008 6:13PM]

wo ho...now open source platform for gps systems

[itsnotabigtruck @ May 14th 2008 7:01PM]

It looks like Dash isn't opening it up to anyone other than (most likely paying) commercial developers, i.e. there isn't any SDK you can get at the moment. It's open in the same way as pre-Touch iPod games, where you could install them, but they had to be officially signed by Apple and developed with a private, unavailable SDK.

[mwilliamson @ May 14th 2008 11:39PM]

@itsnotabigtruck - This is Mark Williamson from Dash. We will be publishing documentation shortly, and I am happy to say that it is FREE for *ANY* developer to build on our platform. If you are interested please just email [e-mail] to get in touch with our content platform evangelist who can get you started.

[Alex @ May 14th 2008 8:40PM]

Someone needs to pair the dash with a popular radar detector so all detects within a selected range are displayed...

[pete @ May 15th 2008 12:07PM]

>> Someone needs to pair the dash with a popular radar detector so all detects within a selected range are displayed...

Alex, that's exactly what Trapster(R) does with Dash. Well, not exactly.

First, to do exactly what you suggest is not technically possible given the capabilities of modern radar/laser detectors. Radar detectors are not designed to detect range, and most can't detect direction (where you could accurately plot fixes on a map).

Second, even if that were technically possible, you wouldn't like the results. Radar/laser detectors notoriously give off lots of falses. Some examples of falses: automatic sliding doors, parking and safety systems in newer vehicles, police leaves radar on in car, but there is no officer, and radar countermeasures in other cars. The amount of processing in the human brain required to sort those falses (by looking at the context - direction, streets, objects, activity) is far beyond the capability of modern supercomputers. Escort (and maybe others) has a GPS radar detector, but that GPS feature is only intended for marking of falses, not determining falses, much less determining positives. The human brain needs to work together with the Escort - the human presses a button to mark the falses. For example, if you get a false beep every day while you drive by the supermarket automatic door (most use X band, which some local police also use), you can quiet that by marking it as a false. Now the Escort will not beep at that spot any more. A very cool and useful feature, but not what we are talking about here.

So Trapster is sort of the opposite of the Escort feature, and accomplishes what you are asking for. It allows humans to take various "positive" inputs (*including* radar detector beeps), process them (using their eyes, their knowledge of the surroundings, their brain) to sort out falses, and mark the positives and share them in real time. So you hear your radar detector go off, use your brain to determine if it's real or false, and if it's real you press "Report Live Police" on the Dash Express (or #1 on your Trapster enabled cell phone or call a toll free number or ...). All other users get alerted in real time. They can then use their brains and the system to sort out whether YOU entered a false. (i.e. it's similar to other social networks).

[John @ May 15th 2008 12:10AM]

That's great and all, but when are they going to fix the horrendous routing problems that have plagued the unit thus far?

[Chad @ May 15th 2008 12:17PM]

Definately a step in the right direction. I was considering one of these units for my Dad but I felt bad about sticking him with a subscription fee. It would be nice if a lifetime subscription was offered....or better yet, sell non subscription units that can pair with cell phones/modems or have a SIM card slot. It's always easy for people like me to give advice though, we don't have to worry about the technical details. Keep up the good work Dash.

[Meztup @ Jun 6th 2008 9:26PM]

Just press the "Banks" button for a list of banks to rob.... Then give the money to your dad.

[JStape @ May 27th 2008 11:56AM]

FYI - One of the first companies to take advantage of Dash's new system is Coldwell Banker Real Estate Corporation. If you've ever been out in the car and tried to find real estate listings to drive by, you'll appreciate this little app. Read more here.

http://kinesismomentum.wordpress.com/