Dash Express is Ready for Pre-Order

This is exactly what I was thinking we need for the next step with our technology. The current methodology of yearly downloaded maps and POI's is too cumbersome and always out of date. TomTom has the right idea to facilitate intermediate user updates. We'll have to wait to see how the actual implementation works. And "send to device" wirelessly is enormous. Plugins for Outlook and especially IE would give almost OnStar ease of use to the public. Look at all the messages here dealing with the complexity of obtaining, massaging and then uploading data to our GPS's and you see that this is too cumbersome for most people.

But what's with that funky design? Won't fit in a shirt/coat pocket or purse. They should make it fold or something!

Internet connected GPS will become the wave of the future, connected through cellular and wifi. WHen one user gets into atraffic jam, he could hit a button on his unit and it will send out an alert to all units in the area who could then avoid a traffic jam. Take this one step more and the units that have to navigate around the jam could communicate with each other to make sure they don't make another area overconjested by sharing which route they are taking around.

It could even allow unit to unit talking just like CB units, just with a longer range.

There has to be a downside, right?

A GPS unit continuously connected to a cental network also means 24/7 tracking and loss of privacy. There will be a record of where you are, where you were and how fast you are driving.

Not to mention cost. These units are $600 with a monthly fee of $12.99 for the connectivity. Like satellite radio, you can get cheaper rates for a long term commitment. If their traffic features don't work any better than what currently exists, I doubt that they will sell many of the units. Will be curious, however, to see the feedback from owners.

Joel

But if you take another step I think people would pay the monthly fee if you incorperate the satellite radio service with it or maybe have it included with your cell phone service. There are many options for the GPS companies to look into and the sky is the limit......going to be great seeing what they come up with.

The potential is enormous. If they extend a road or build a new road, the central server would suddenly see people travelling over unmapped space and update the maps. No need to spend $80 to buy your yearly map, your monthly $12 fee covers automatic updates as well as traffic information. Sounds actually cheaper to me than buying yearly maps and yearly subscriptions to traffic service.

You could google for a product and the store locator would have a link to send the location to your GPS.

Dispatchers would have a GUI screen to update their drivers while in the field.

I could be driving past something mentionable, touch the arrow icon to save the current position and then hit another button to send it to POIFactory.

You send an email invitation to a bunch of folks with a link that puts the location in their GPS favorites.

Your GPS screen could have a "Help me" button like OnStar for emergencies. It would send your location to their server with a callback or emergency request.

All we have to do is to get about 10 million OTHER folks to join up first so we have a useful database going out there before we spend any of OUR money on a new and as yet unmanufactured product.

Is this kinda like we gave up free on-the-air TV reception for the paid cable and dish?

Or free radio for the paid satellite radio?

Or any number of paid services today that used to be free?

Not really. The choice to pay for connectivity rests with the owner. As is, the unit will still function as a GPS receiver. They are, however, making it so that you'd want it connected so that you'd get traffic, map updates, etc. I'd think that by Sepember or October of 2008 we'll have a pretty good idea just how good (or bad) these units are.

Joel

This is a great idea.

For many years I have been a gadget guy. I worked with computers, thought they were a godsend to the boon of humanity.

Now I wonder what we're loosing by being "connected" all the time? If my Nuvi can send as well as receive... then surely it can be tracked. While many people don't care about that... well, for some reason I wonder if we're loosing our individuality in all this?

I don't like the "big brother" concept that seems to be growing in America. I don't like the concept that is coming from the redlight cameras and such in that there is no human involved. I don't like the concept that there is no discrepancy or no lienancy any more. And I don't like our mis managed government being able to gleem the megabucks from people through the use of the cameras and such and having a no care attitude about it.

As for me, I would never buy a gps that someone can keep track of. I try to be a moral and ethical person and a law abiding citizen, but the concept is an breach of privacy somehow. Maybe I am paranoid or something but I don't like being watched all the time. I like being trusted.

The way they are doing all this is like saying... "You can't be trusted, so we'll make you do what we want.."

Are the majority of people in the US law breakers? I don't think so. In fact, I think a very small percentage of people are law breakers... so we put a ball and chain around everyone because of the minoirity? Somehow that doesn't fly with me.

But that's one man's opinion.

When you are connected, by sending traffic speed statistics.

I wonder when we'll have an open source version

I'm still waiting for a real time weather radar overlay. Here in Florida where extremely heavy rainfall events are common it would be nice to know what roads to avoid due to storms. I can also see how it would be beneficial to have this when traveling out in tornado alley. As one of the posters said above, "the sky is the limit."

Remember the old Channel 19 of CB days? Can't you imagine all these GPS type units talking to each other at once......what a mess that would be. Technology will have to advance a lot more than it is now.

People don't like the big bro looking down at us and keeping track of us but he already can if he wants to. Our handy dandy cell phone which are on the majority of the time can be tracked.

Do you have a cell phone? If so, then you are being tracked all the time. There have been several news stories recently where someone who was lost was found because they were tracked down by their cell phone signal?

From time to time, your phone sends out a signal that is received by several towers in the area which then registers its presence, that is how the cellular company knows where to send the call.

Not to mention that most modern cell phone have GPS abilities. My provider offers tacking ability where I can give my kids cell phones and I can track them wherever they go.

I only turn my cell phone on when I want to make a call. Therefore, I am not being tracked all the time.

The fact that you "can" be tracked does not mean you are being tracked. I think you give our government too much credit.

I personally refuse to own a GM vehicle because of OnStar, which knows where you are at all times. I'm not paranoid, but that doesn't mean that somebody isn't trying to track me..........

Joel

We got a bit off topic here and I just wanted to see if anyone actually has a Dash GPSr or have played with one.

Article in the Wall Street Journal (Mossberg).

http://tinyurl.com/3bvzq6

From the WSJ article.

For the next 30 days, the Dash Express will be available exclusively at Amazon.com for $399.99. You get three free months of Dash's service, including traffic and other features, such as wireless map updates. After that, the service costs between $9.99 and $12.99 a month. That fee includes the cost of the Internet connection used by the Dash Express, which is achieved using both cellphone and Wi-Fi networks.