DashExpress
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Dash Express connected GPS public beta test at the starting line
So Dash Navigation is officially announcing its public beta program (aka Dash National Road Test) of the Dash Express connected GPS nav unit. Having cruised around the SF bay area for the last six months, Dash apparently decided it was time to open the doors to 2000 early adopters who want to get their hands dirty with pre-release hardware that doesn't just do GPS, but also gets real time traffic updates and attempts accurate transit time predictions. Dash estimates any major metropolitan area needs between one and two thousand connected cars to produce enough traffic data to accurately predict congestion, but until the launch goes big early users will just have to settle with the other niceties like Yahoo Local search and the ability to easily load up the unit with destinations and the like via its data connection. Good luck getting your unit, and be sure to report back to us here on whether you think Dash is headed in the right direction, would you?
Dash Navigation's Dash Express
It's a GPS device; no, it's a WiFi enabled; no, it's a cellular device; wrong again, it's all three. It's Dash Navigation's Dash Express, the new dynamic GPS system which goes beyond today's rudimentary XM and FM traffic datacasting and gets to the nitty gritty. Not only is it able to pull locations you email to Dash Express so you don't have to type or (shudder) speak it, this GPS device also updates current road conditions on the fly based on the speed and locations of other Dash Express users as well as historical traffic data (all of which will be supposedly kept safely anonymous); the device paired with the service will supposedly automagically route you around the next car cluster faster than you can scream at the top of your lungs, "WHO TAUGHT YOU TO DRIVE, SCUMBAG!" Price is yet unknown (as well was whether there will be a monthly service fee -- which we can assume there will be), but apparently this DEMOfall debuter will be ready to ride for Californians in early 2007.[Thanks, Josh J.]
