Now, what do you know about that? Our very own Chris Ziegler stopped into Best Buy (undoubtedly right after leaving CB2) and spotted something we didn't expect to see just yet... the
Sony Dash. That's right, the Dash - which is available for pre-order but wasn't supposed to hit retail until April 29th -- is already on the shelf. Now, there was only one unit available and it was just squeezed in between some other wares, so we're not sure if it was put out by accident or what, but if you're really dying to get your hands on one a few days early, hitting up your local BB might turn up something. Let us know in the comments if you nab one!
Update: Chris reported back to us to say that when he tried to purchase it, it came up with a price of $999 and a code of "DO NOT SELL." He was also told to come back next Friday if he wanted to purchase it.
posted April 24th 2010 9:01PM
I work at bestbuy and we had them for sale as well
$ 999??
Fu*k me!
I could have IPad and a smartphone. I don't know what function can we enjoy exclusively on this device.
If it had a rechargable battery I would have got this.
@jaffreywali - its my guess that the next version will have a battery. that'd be cool.
$999? You should call Gizmodo to buy it then.
$999 is a placeholder price, you geese.
@AckbarsFist seriously. I love all the comments freaking out over the price. Its just to prevent people from buying, obviously.
@AckbarsFist *wooosh
@AckbarsFist
I think that might be the best use of the word "geese" I've ever seen.
@HaZaRd
+1 for geese
Steal that shit. Jump on that grenade and tell us if it worth buying.
IT'S NOT $1000!! It just says that for the moment, I think.
I forget what the real price is, but if I recall correctly, I thought that it was pretty reasonable. Some people MAY have a use for this.
Tried a unit with a working interactive demo today at the Best Buy in Long Island City. Wasn't very impressed. Didn't see any boxes on the shelves though.
I can't believe people think that's the actual price. Check: http://www.sonystyle.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/CategoryDisplay?catalogId=10551&storeId=10151&langId=-1&categoryId=8198552921644695998
Also disregarding this as useless because of netbooks and smart phones is kinda dumb. If people keep buying digital photo frames and alarm clocks this thing has them beat. When the price hits $99, it'll fly off the shelves.
@Mahapralaya
This *IS* Sony we're talking about. $999 for something like this is not out of the realm of possibility.
So anyone in a bar with one? I need to 'find' one.
@Einlander Gives a new meaning to the term "Dine-and-Dash" :)
I love Sony's site with the 50 some reviews of a device that isn't even out yet. Pre-release units you think? Nah, comments like "I don't see how this product would be useful", "Why do I want a non-mobile iPad that doesn't function as an ebook reader?" and "Will the product have an automatic night-time dimming screen feature" going back to a month a go make it obvious they are commenting on what they think, notm reviewing a unit they have.
Actually seems kind of neat to me. Pretty geeky alarm clock. Does cry out for more than a real-time-clock battery for that applicatuon though. Needs to at least beep at the appointed time if the power is out. You can get little tiny UPS these days though, and this thing probably does draw much.
$999 for these things?!?!? I'd rather have a donkey give me a hand job than buy one of these. But then again, that's just me.
@Springdaddy impossible...they don't have thumbs
@Springdaddy It's only $200
@Malo
You've never had a hand job from a girl with no thumbs? Man you been missing
The verizon one look pretty good ..... Better then the Sony one
$1000 for an internet clock? jeez, what is Sony thinking these days. I saw one on the shelf at best buy today, and I was not too impressed.
This is sad, I was in a Boston best buy the other day and saw this, but didn't at the time remember it wasn't out yet.
And I've always dreamed of having engadget run a tip I send them, but i neve see or hear anything amazing to send them. And I had my iPhone with the engadget app and the handy little tip us section.
I'm pretty interested in this thing given that my 32GB iPod Touch is full of music, and this is only $200. Does anyone know if it is able to play music over a regular Windows network share?
I bet someone placed it there for someone to steal it. Haha, he unkowingly foiled an internal theft!
The $999 includes Best Buy Home Set Up and Remote Control Calibration service.
On a side note: Dear Engadget...I really would like fair and thorough review of the DASH please.
wow people. it's not going to be $999! it's put that way into the system on purpose so that it doesn't get accidentally sold! stores receive their stuff days or sometimes a week or more before the product is supposed to officially hit the shelves and be available for sale. but sometimes mistakes happen and one gets put on the shelf by accident. a lot of systems you can't even sell it if you tried, it will not let you run the transaction and will not open the drawer. anyone who's worked in retail knows this. some associate wasn't paying attention and accidentally stocked a dash unit that should have been held in lock-up until the 29th. since these mistakes happen, they set the system so that it won't get sold by accident. a lot of times the new product arrives in more than 1 box, too. i remember when i worked in retail and we got windows 7, there were a couple units that were mixed in with other products, and a girl was not paying attention and priced it and threw it in the cart to get stocked. but thankfully I knew what windows 7 was (she clearly didn't) and was able to take care of it haha.
At the store i work out they had the demo up already?
Are you sure the code didn't read: "WILL NOT SELL"? .. haha
The exact same thing happened to me at the Pasadena, CA Best Buy this evening. They had a whole display set up for it with a small LCD TV looping a demo of it and then the actual unit on the right. They had one sole unit for sale -- it even had the spiderweb security device on it. No shelf tag with price, however. When they did a price check the $999.99 price and DO NOT SELL also came up. While they were figuring it out I investigated it on one of there kiosks and saw that it was basically a larger Chumby, so I wasn't very disappointed when they told me I couldn't buy it until the 29th. Now I want a Chumby!
for just running chumby i want a chumby like the original one.its so awesome i just want it for a alarm clock and to have fun wit it maybe hack a battery onto it. and dont say chumby one i hate that pos the original was so much cooler
WTF is that thing?
999,-$???
I thought it's an Sony - not an Apple...
I think Sony can keep it - like Apple. I don't wan't it...
The Best Buy by my house had one on display. It was running a user guided demo. Seemed really responsive. Asked a sales rep - they had no clue what it was, or if they had any in stock. No skus or pricetags.
its hideous.
lets be honest, this thing is awful, and paying that much for it would be like pulling teeth.
So...I'm interested in the DASH due to the Chumby apps. I've always thought Chumby was the geeks toys. I go over to Chumby's website and half of the apps seem incomplete or buggy as hell.
Engadget...please review the preloaded apps AND do a spot check for those that might want to add more Chumbyness.
@Best Buy GET THE TIMING RIGHT! That's not the first product you let out early...
It's simply a modern alarm clock. I personally like it. I think m,y alarm clock mis long overdue for a makeover.
I admit I do like the idea of waking up and glancing over to see updated widgets instantly. But really, it only takes a few seconds to look at stuff on iPad.
I was able to get one at my Best Buy today. It was the only one they had except for the one on display. It also said $999 and "Do Not Sell Be" The sales clerk saw it was $199 on the BB website so they just adjusted the price and sold it to me. The first thing it did after showing the intro video was set up the network and update the software from version 1.0 to 1.7.
Should have just stole it.
We have one at a store in Wisconsin. It retails for $199.99
i am in Austin, TX for the weekend, but my roommate lay me know I got a package from best buy last Friday. They already sent me my Sony Dash. So it couldn't be impossible to buy if they are already shipping.
I think a lot of people are missing the boat as to what the Dash is. It's basically a high-end clock radio that plays Videos, Music and Photos and has easy to access Internet apps to update yourself quickly on your own personal interests (i.e. weather, sports scores, David Letterman Top 10, whatever.) You can set it to wake up to your favorite Music Video.
It does not compete with the iPad or Netbooks and it's not a mobile device, that's why it has a plug. Also, it does have a Digital Ambient Light Sensor to Dim itself at nite and a Battery Backup for the clock.
Matt here from Sony Electronics dash team.
Great to see people scouring BB shelves for Sony dash ahead of Thurs release. Yes, BB jumped the gun and put it out early but we anticipate these kinds of mishaps so we raise the price and add a Do Not Sell code until official release date (which some of you figured out) . To be clear, it'll be $199 and available at BB and other retailers on Thurs. April 29. Check out http://www.facebook.com/sonydash for regular updates.
Funny i saw that at bestbuy last week on 04/21 thought it looked like a cooler version of the crappy sony alarm clock i got for 150 bux from newegg for my dad for xmas. It says it has "iphone suport" and a big picture screen so naturally u assume u can play your iphone photo albums off of it,....nope ....pointless machine. It queueus up wrong time and won't let me change it lol. Sony products.
Matt here again from the Sony dash team. dash officially goes on sale tomorrow for $199 but we wanted to share the first unboxing of the device so you can get a sense of what it looks like. http://www.youtube.com/sonyelectronics#p/u/3/awOLeOtEqog.
Also, we’ve been reading your comments and want to address your concerns about the size of dash and the cord. Dash is not meant to be a portable device. You plug it in and put it on your night table or in your kitchen or office. It’s always on and there is no need to worry about chargers. It’s not bulky. Take a look at the unboxing to get a good perspective