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Dash cuts 50 employees, drastically changing business model
It's hard to say if Amazon's recent fire sale of the Dash Express was an indicator of all this, but Dash is making some serious changes, regardless. Reportedly, the outfit has slashed 50 employees -- or around two-thirds of its workforce -- which will leave 30 workers who will operate primarily in engineering and support. According to now-CEO Rob Currie (who has replaced founder Paul Lego by Lego's choice), Dash "wanted to launch its device in the retail channel, but the economic changes made it rethink its business focus." To that end, Dash will actually cease making and selling its own hardware, and instead it will "license its platform to makers of automobile on-board navigation systems, smartphones, netbook-style mobile internet devices and other consumer electronics." So, what does it all mean? It could mean that the connected Dash platform is on the way to an automobile or cellphone near you, but we suppose only time will tell. As for existing Dash owners? Continued software updates and an online Dash Driver Network has been promised.
Amazon slashes Dash Express by $100 for the day
Originally a $600 piece of kit and released at $400, Amazon and Dash have been drilling away at the Dash Express pricetag since its conception. The unit permanently hit $300 in June, but we're getting the one-day-only vibe on this latest sale: Amazon's offering the Dash Express Navigator as its Gold Box deal of the day for a mere $200 (monthly fees notwithstanding). Not bad for an internet-connected, ultra-extensible navigation device -- in fact, not too bad for 4.3-inch GPS device of any sort, even if those maps are still mega-ugly.
HTC sets Window Mobile 6 upgrade deadline for October 31st
Back in April of last year, HTC came clean with its Windows Mobile 6 upgrade plans. Fast forward to now, and the very same company is getting official with the cutoff plans. October 31st will be the very last day (no tricks, folks) for select Windows Mobile 5 users to get a free upgrade to WinMo 6 via HTC's website. More specifically, October 31st at 12:00PM GMT -- after the clock strikes 12:01PM, the download link will be removed for eternity. The affected handsets are the S621, S620, P4350, P3300 and HTC Advantage, and while we'd typically encourage you to stop procrastinating and get on with the upgrade, we know in our hearts there's no way you're still rocking WinMo 5. Right? Right.[Via phonescoop]
Scattered Shots: Pet talent trees in the Wrath Beta
Welcome to another edition of Scattered Shots, the other WoW Insider weekly Hunter column. Daniel Whitcomb is your guest host again this week. So, we theorized about talented pets a bit quite a few installments of Scattered Shots ago, but now we have the actual trees live and testable on the Wrath Beta, and they seem to be firming up nicely. There's a few promised changes yet to come, such as the removal or lowering of focus costs on many major abilities and talents, and it's still very possible that Blizzard may make changes here and there before live, but I think they're solid enough at this point that we can look at each tree and make some solid predictions about how people will use them and how various talent builds might look.
Video: New Xbox 360 Dash leaked early
"Who cares? I already saw the new dashboard at E3," you say. Understandable, but there is something magical about someone snagging the new dashboard early and uploading a shaky-cam video to YouTube for all the world to see. Even better, we get to see a few areas of the new dash that weren't on display at E3. That means you get the thrill of looking at the settings tab! One last thing: apparently it's possible for anyone to get their hands on the update right now, though it does require a modded Xbox. We're not suggesting anyone do that, of course.[Via Engadget. Thanks, Tyler]
Wrath Beta Patch Notes: Hunter
By now, I am sure you've heard that the Wrath of the Lich King Beta is going live and the patch notes are up. There's a rather extensive section devoted to Hunters on this iteration. We have a few more insights into the pet talent trees that were announced at the Worldwide Invitational, as well as a few changes to existing talents and a nice Steady Shot buff.
360 Dashboard 2.0 mock-up, is Microsoft listening?
Over at Platform Nation there is a very interesting article about what could be done to improve the Xbox 360 dashboard, thus creating Dashboard 2.0. You can see a mock-up of the Marketplace blade above, including eye-popping images for XBLA games. Even better, the games have user ratings and the prices are listed right on the front page, no need to click through to see how much a game costs. There are a number of other improvements, including the ability to hotkey areas you use often (XBLA, Marketplace, etc). The article goes into detail about where the current dashboard has problems and what can be done to address them (right down to cleaning up completely unused space). It's really a good read and we suggest you check it out. We can only hope that someone at Microsoft is paying attention.[Thanks Alex Fischer and Gemini Ace. Via Joystiq]
Dash Express gets big v2.1 June08 software update
That first traffic update was only the beginning -- Dash is announcing today its first proper software update to the Dash Express. Dubbed June08 (or v2.1), users now get three new trademarked names (among other things): FasterFind - uses SiRFInstantFix for acquiring GPS during startup, so your Dash Express is aware of its location much faster than before. MyRoute - your Dash Express learns your routes to common destinations and offers them up in comparison to its recommended routes (so you can see if your usual way really is faster). Search Along Route - pretty much what it says. Allows you to find points of interest en route without gumming up your destinations. This seems like the most useful new feature, behind the faster acquisition time. Road closure support - another self explanatory addition. If the Dash finds out a road is closed through Inrix or another means, it will completely black it out of your routes. Performance and UI enhancements - We gave it a short test, and things really did seem a bit snappier and cleaner looking. Icons are better polished, arranged, and rendered, and simple stuff like navigating menus or switching between 2D and 3D views is quicker. Still no way to quickly bypass the route selection screen (which is one of our bigger pet peeves), but as it's populating you can now make your choice, which will save you a bit of extra time. It's available for download via your Dash's WiFi this morning, and is free for all users. Videos of MyRoute and Search Along Route after the break.%Gallery-26438%
Dash Express now officially $300
Looks like that sale at Amazon's turned into a full blown price cut -- Dash has officially lowered the price on the Dash Express from $400 to $300 (not including service, of course). Of course, this can be interpreted one of two ways: they're selling so well that economies of scale have kicked in, and everyone saves money buying the GPS -- or, the fresh-faced company's sole product isn't doing very well in the marketplace, leading to this second price drop so far. We're hope it's not the latter though, we're definitely stoked to see where else Dash can take us.Update: Dash let us know that sales are meeting expectations, and they're capitalizing on the big uptick in new buyers during the last $300 price promotion. Good to know!Update 2: Bonus! People who bought on or before May 31st are getting three free months of service. Thanks, Justin.
Dash Express now $300 on Amazon
If you were looking to snag a Dash Express, perhaps saving a Benjamin could be the excuse you're looking for. We don't know if it's because these things aren't selling well or if there was just some kind of pricing error, but the Dash Express -- was originally set to debut at $600, but then dropped to $400 at release -- is now on Amazon for $300. (And yes, it's still going for $400 on Dash's own site.)[Via Gear Diary]
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.
Scattered Shots: Why certain pet families are so popular
Scattered Shots is for Hunters. David Bowers is caught in a Freezing Trap this week, so Daniel Whitcomb -- who did not set the trap, he swears to the Light -- is substituting for him. You hear it pretty much all the time if you've ever slightly dipped into the world of Hunters. If you want to play in the big leagues, conventional wisdom says you're pretty much stuck with a select handful of pet types (also known as pet families): Ravagers, Cats, and Raptors for PvE, Scorpids for PvP. But do you know why those pet families are so desired? What it really comes down to is Hunter roles and abilities.
How would you change the Dash Express?
To say we've been waiting far too long for the Dash Express to escape the labs and hit the shelves would be a gross understatement, but now that this connected navigator has taken to the streets, we're wondering if the public at large feels that it was worth the wait. During the time we spent with it on our escapades around the Windy City, we didn't find too many chinks in the armor, but for the price, we wouldn't be shocked to hear of people expecting more. So, is the Dash Express living up to your lofty expectations? Aside from rocking a discounted sticker, what else could be squeezed in here to make paying up sting a little less? The forum's yours, dear readers.
Dash Express review
We've been waiting to get our hands on the Dash Express ever since we heard about it way back in 2006, and though we've seen a ton of photos and even toyed around with a beta version of the GPRS / WiFi-connected navigator, actually using the device for a lengthy period of time revealed some pretty interesting things. The main verdict: yeah, it's way pricey, but if you've got the scratch, this is the GPS you want -- and if the community features take off like Dash think they will, it's going to be a game-changer. Read on for the full review!
Dash Express unboxing and hands-on
Not much has changed since we got to play with a beta version of the OpenMoko-powered Dash Express GPRS / WiFi-connected GPS unit, but the packaging is quite nice and the final hardware feels top-notch -- and there are some thoughtful details like a separate cradle power connection so you can just grab and go when you get to your destination. %Gallery-19110%%Gallery-19246%
Dash Express now shipping, price dropped to $399
We've been drooling over the GPRS-enabled, OpenMoko-powered Dash Express for what seems like forever now, but it's finally shipping -- and what's even better, the price has dropped $200 to $399. Pre-order customers can expect a note from Dash alerting them to a refund of the difference sometime soon, while the rest of us can take ol' Benjamin and his three best friends over to Amazon, which is the exclusive retailer for the next 30 days. Unfortunately, the monthly services fees are still kind of high: although you can still use the device as a regular GPS unit after the initial three-month grace period, if you buy the premium service you'll be out $13 a month, or $10 if you sign a two-year deal -- but hey, that's the price you pay to be on the front lines of the revolution, right?
Dash Express ships to pre-order customers on March 27th
Just a quick word out there to Dash Express early adopters (and anyone else considering the new GPS system), units are shipping a little later than expected. Specifically, they'll be going on March 27th to pre-order customers, so keep an eye on that mailbox next month.
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.
Dash Express beta hands-on
We recently got to take a Dash Express beta unit for a spin, and while they're still gluing all the software together behind the scenes in anticipation of launch, we did spot the makings of a few obvious and ridiculously useful features new users can expect in February. Besides the stuff we've already heard about (like sending addresses and geo-RSS feeds via WiFi and cellular, or local Zillow property values), the Dash Express has some other tricks up its sleeve, like: The ability to display current local gas prices in its gas station search! Local theaters show movies and showtimes (although you can't order tickets through the Dash Express -- yet). Yahoo Local searches show aggregate user ratings. Over the air updates via cellular data. (We're not yet sure what happens if you opt out of service -- we'd guess you'll just have to use the old USB cable or WiFi.) And, of course, there's the traffic data, which not only shows which local roads with traffic data from real time and historic Dash GPS users but also uses Inrix traffic feeds. And just so you know whether the system is or isn't too sure about its traffic predictions, the Dash Express also gauges its "confidence" with dashed and solid lines -- see above. (Of course, it also plots routes predicted by ETA and traffic flow, and not necessarily just by distance.) Compared to your usual, run of the mill GPS, whole connected navigator experience was not dissimilar from the jump between going from a VCR to a TiVo -- which is why we think maybe, just maybe, people might actually want to pay for service with this thing. Of course, the downside for dash is most people won't even realize what an amazing boon these kinds of features really are until they've taken one home and discovered it first hand out in the world. (Oh, videos after the break.)%Gallery-11897%
Dash Express now for pre-order, $600
The final pieces are falling into place for Dash, which finished with the Dash Express public beta and finally has a price for the unit and service. Prepared to plunk down $600 for the device and three months of service, and $13 per month thereafter? (That's month to month, or you can do $11 per month for a year, or $10 per month for two.) If not, well, you can still just buy the device without the service; either way expect it in black and in February.
