Parse.ly, the stealthy data-driven predictive content optimization platform for publishers, is preparing to launch its first product called Dash at the end of the month, we’ve learned. The startup first emerged from DreamIt Ventures in 2009, with $20K of seed funding in tow. It raised an A round from ff Venture Capital and Blumberg Capital in December 2010 totaling $1.8 million.

Dash aims to help publishers increase pageviews by providing insight into what topics are trending and what topics they should write more about or less about, among other things. But most importantly, its predictive analysis engine is able to recommend what topics publishers should cover right now to be on top of future trends. Simply put, it’s a pageview-generating machine.

The company is currently pitching publishers using a slide deck (see below) that explains how Dash works. The pitch positions Dash as a third type of analytics service for publishers. Where Google Analytics tells you what has happened and real-time analytics providers like Chartbeat tell you what’s currently happening, Dash aims to tell you what will happen.

To do so, Dash analyzes how a publisher’s content matches demand in order to provide “predictive, actionable insight to drive additional pageviews,” reads the deck. It does this using semantic analysis, telling publishers what topics are most in demand on their website itself as well as across the web, plus how fast topics are trending.

In addition to content analysis, Dash can also track trends related to individual authors, showing who’s the most read on which topics, who is getting the most inbound links, etc.

To implement Dash, publishers just have to insert a single line of javascript to their site, which Parse.ly promises won’t impact site performance.

The fact that Dash includes this sort of “future” analytics as a part of its product will probably be the most conversional part to its service, but one that will have wide publisher appeal – in fact, it already does. According to the deck, Dash is already being used by The Atlantic, Apartment Therapy, The Press-Enterprise, U.S. News & World Report and The Next Web. Although not listed, it’s also used by The Daily Dot. To be clear, these are actual customers, not “testers.”

Of course, there’s a fine line between staying on top of trends to keep a site relevant and simply writing for pageviews based on trends. As TechCrunch contributor MG Siegler explained last year on his personal blog, getting pageviews has become something of a game for publishers, and some do so using less-than-savory tactics (e.g., linkbait, headlines stuffed with SEO keywords, slideshows and writing posts based on current Google Trends).

What Dash does, in theory, is to legitimize this pageview-pumping process through the use of data that helps provide better insight into what content on a site does well and why, as well as what content will do well in the future. It’s actionable data that publishers can choose to use (at their discretion) to boost the number of pageviews for their site.

Many authors, readers and publishers alike, lament the fact that pageviews are driving force for monetizing web content today, but it’s the stark reality of the situation. Until improved metrics take hold with advertisers, it continues to be the “era of the pageview.” Given this situation, Parse.ly should have a goldmine on its hands then with Dash.

Parse.ly was founded by Sachin Kamdar (CEO) and Andrew Montalenti (CTO), who met while attending NYU. Originally, word was that Parse.ly would function as some sort of  consumer-focused news service. Clearly, focusing on publishers’ needs is the better idea here. Dash will launch publicly in late January.

Even after Sony added Netflix viewing, its use is still in question. It’s the same usability question that many have with the Chumby. What the hell are you going to do with it? At least with the Chumby, it’s less expensive and has the cuteness factor. But anyway, If you’ve answered that question for yourself, head over to Sony Style and pre-order your Dash, but don’t expect it until April. [Sony Style via Engadget]

This is not your mother’s picture frame. In fact, it’s not actually supposed to be a picture frame and instead some sort of widget platform. Its wedge shaped so you can put it down flat on the table or, if you wish, you can carry it around like a wee tablet. Is it amazing? No. Is it better than a standard picture frame? Not specifically. What is it for? Man, I don’t even know.

Sony is a big company and they can do whatever they want. I don’t want to judge. However, their announcement of the Dash as anything more than a picture frame with a widget framework is disingenuous. They had the Mylo – and it didn’t sell – and they had the Mylo 2 – and it didn’t sell. Now they have this. I honestly don’t know what this is all about and I’m sure someone will buy it but it’s just a picture frame.

Within the device, an internal accelerometer supports vertical flip, allowing for two optional viewing angles: upright, ideal for a table or nightstand; and tilted, perfect for a countertop. It also supports multiple user profiles and channels, allowing several members of the household to create and maintain their own customized view of the Internet.

The device is actually quite thick and works more like a desktop clock than a real, full-bore tablet.

SONY’S NEW “DASHTM” PERSONAL INTERNET VIEWER OFFERS PERSONALIZED WEB EXPERIENCE AT A GLANCE

New product provides instant access to news, weather, Internet radio and other applications. It has a widget-based UI

LAS VEGAS (CES Booth #14200), Jan. 6, 2010 –Sony confirmed its commitment to providing consumers with innovative networked products with the introduction of the new dash™ Personal Internet Viewer.

Featuring a vivid 7-inch color touch screen (measured diagonally) and access to over 1,000 free Internet apps, including news, calendars, weather, sports, social networking and more, dash utilizes an existing home wireless connection to continuously deliver Internet content to its viewers.

“In today’s connected world, Sony continues to look for ways to help enhance consumers’ entertainment experiences throughout the home” said Brennan Mullin, Sony Electronics’ senior vice president of the personal imaging and audio business. “dash empowers consumers with a fun, interactive way to stay connected with their news, entertainment, interests and ultimately, their lives.”

By bundling favorite pieces of the Internet together, dash provides always fresh, personalized content at a glance. The new product offers free access to all apps from chumby industries, inc. as well as the robust audio and video content from Sony’s Bravia™ Internet video platform, including YouTube™, Pandora® Internet radio, Epicurious, Crackle, Livestrong™, Blip.tv and much more.

Other content includes a NAVTEQ® app for easily accessible traffic updates on a customized route, and a Cozi™ app for simple management and synching of family calendars. Further, Sony Music Entertainment and Sony Pictures Entertainment will be contributing exclusive dash apps for movie trailers, music videos, custom user themes and more, including an app from Dr. Oz offering daily health and exercise tips.

In addition, Sony dash can run multiple sources of content simultaneously, so for example, Internet radio can be enjoyed while browsing through online photo albums. Or, the alarm clock can be set to play selected online videos from music, sports and other news feeds. The device also allows users to choose apps either directly from the device or online through a PC, and new content for dash will continue to be added moving forward.

Within the device, an internal accelerometer supports vertical flip, allowing for two optional viewing angles: upright, ideal for a table or nightstand; and tilted, perfect for a countertop. It also supports multiple user profiles and channels, allowing several members of the household to create and maintain their own customized view of the Internet.

dash also features built-in stereo speakers as well as a USB port for simple connection to a variety of external electronic devices. An headphone output jack gives users the option to listen privately through headphones or through external speakers.

Sony’s dash will be available this April for about $199 at www.sonystyle.com, Sony Style® retail stores and a variety of authorized dealers nationwide.

The Dash 3g is the successor to the Dash (obviously), which was a good phone back in the day, though limited by Windows Mobile as many phones are. The Dash 3G has its strengths, and shares some of its predecessor’s weaknesses, but more importantly, it doesn’t seem to offer any value compared with a Blackberry or G1 if you’re on T-Mobile — to say nothing of an iPhone or Pre.

Form

The “general feel” is very good on the Dash 3G. It has iPhone-ish dimensions, but is significantly lighter. It’s a bit bottom-heavy (that is to say, the keyboard half of the phone weighs more), which is good. Construction is extremely solid, almost rugged in feel.

It’s also an attractive phone, and while it doesn’t have the gravity of a chunky BlackBerry (like the Curve 8900 on T-Mo) or the mystique of a big touchscreen phone, it looks like pretty much what it is: a “lite” smartphone.

The keyboard is a paradox. While the keys themselves feel great to me (rather close together, but not bad), the layout is questionable. Obviously when you’ve only got so much space, compromises have to be made, but this is unnatural. For an example, look at your keyboard: QWER is up and to the left from ASDF. On the Dash 3G, it’s up and to the right. This will lead to lots of typos, and it’s hard to un-learn such a basic orientational lesson. It’s crooked all over. Why isn’t it like its twin, the Snap on Sprint? Why would you shift things over like that?

There’s also a nub, like the ones keyboards have on F and J, but now it’s on the D. Why? Because that’s the center of the numeric keypad. Once again they’ve tricked you.

The top row of buttons looks fine, and they feel fine when you press them, but I can’t fathom the layout. Having all these round things in a row when there’s clearly room to organize them using the vertical space… not good. The soft keys, which you’ll be using a lot, are in the middle, but you’d have to have a pretty fine touch to tell which one you’re hitting, since the “home” and “back” buttons are really one double button that your thumb covers completely.

Navigation is mostly done using the trackball, which I recommend setting to “fast” unless you like it acting more like a directional pad. Once I turned up the sensitivity, it was much easier to use. The trackball button, however, remained accessible due to the fact that I have the strength of ten men. It’s very hard to push with the soft part of your thumb, which is what you would be using to roll it around.

Flava faves

The home screen on the device is really quite decent. The main part of the screen lets you scroll through various common functions, and thankfully it shows snippets or whole messages when you get something new. You’ll have to learn how many “jumps” it is to whatever you need to check, though. If text message lights up, it’s four down. Email is five. Since you can’t count on the trackball to scroll precisely however many steps in one roll, you’ll have to swipe it several times, which is kind of a pain. Why can’t you assign shortcuts to rolling left and right?

Unfortunately, the prettiness of the home screen disappears when you enter almost any application or function screen. The skin, while nice, really is only skin deep, and as soon as you go to set up your email or delete an application, it’s back to plain ol’ WinMo 6.1.

Functions

The browser, IE6, is not too bad — it starts quick and the home page has your favorites available. Our page looked fine but for font differences, although I felt that the default view was too far zoomed. Reading some articles here and there showed few serious problems other than layout crushing. Still, the virtual cursor and limited field of view is increasingly inadequate for today’s rich web pages, and this one was no exception. And why can’t the cursor be more like a mouse? Why do i have to move it around in little steps? I’m using a trackball, not a D-pad! You’d think they would have locked down virtual cursor technology some time in the last decade.

Browser download speed was nice and fast, but the browser tended to paralyze the cursor until most of the page was loaded, unlike, say, the G1. It, while not loading any faster, did load top-down and allow me to navigate the page when it was about half-done.

Other applications were present — nothing fancy, the usual WinMo office fare that is the bread and butter of business phones. GPS looks good, but signal was pretty bad. Inside, I had my location within 10 seconds or so on the G1 (off by about a block), while repeated tries on the Dash 3G yielded no results. Indeed, even outside it had trouble finding itself.

Email was easy to set up and customize. My GMail address worked perfectly well, and the interface was simple and quick.

Media

The media player is functional but quite ugly. The ability to play and pause from the main screen is nice, but you still have to scroll like seven times to get to that function. It came with some really awful music on it, not sure whether that was T-Mobile, HTC, or PR that stuck those in there, but no thank you.

The camera is pretty much what you’d expect. I actually found it quite easy to use and the pictures, while far from good, are just fine for putting on the web or sending to a friend. The quick send feature where photos have a default recipient is really handy; I’m not sure if that’s new or not, but it makes sharing your mobile shots really simple. Here are two sample shots with 100% crops.

I wouldn’t bother with video. Only for world-changing events where you’re the only witness, please.

Startup was relatively quick, at 23 seconds for a cold startup, and waking from sleep was instantaneous.

Hello!

Oh yeah, it’s a phone. How does that fare? Very well. Sound was loud and clear through the big speaker at the top of the phone, and my own voice was sexy and sonorous as usual on the Wednesday podcast. Your myFaves are front and center on the home screen, and contacts are easy to work, though the interface is butt-ugly.

The breakdown

The Dash 3G is far from being a bad phone, but it has some serious problems that could have been fixed. The keyboard and button layouts are both troublesome, which contrasts starkly with the build quality, which is excellent all around. The custom interface is nice, but really it’s just a thin layer on top of the usual nasty Windows Mobile stuff. The real question is, what does this phone offer that the G1 (or even an EDGE BlackBerry) doesn’t, especially when the G1 costs less up front and less per month? Nothing but Windows Mobile. If that’s worth it to you, great. But if not, you should probably look at the G1 or Sidekick LX (which now supports Exchange).

Hopefully this means the two will combine forces and produce a BlackBerry with a killer navigation system. $10 says that the two companies can get something on the market before the Garmin-Asus does. They have been working for years and we still haven’t seen anything on retailer’s shelves.

Hopefully this means the two will combine forces and produce a BlackBerry with a killer navigation system. $10 says that the two companies can get something on the market before the Garmin-Asus does. They have been working for years and we still haven’t seen anything on retailer’s shelves.

It’s been over two years since HTC first launched the Excalibur, better known as the T-Mobile Dash here in the States. Originally released with a metal-like finish (perhaps paying homage to its Arthurian roots), this affordable smartphone (currently $99 after MIR) is finally receiving a makeover, albeit a minor one, just in time for the new year. The Dash is now available in Darth Vader’s favorite color – black.

Unfortunately, not much else has changed. The device still lacks 3G support, working only on GPRS/EDGE and WiFi, and it runs WinMo 6.0, not the latest 6.1 release. Otherwise this Dash features a QWERTY keyboard, 1.3MP still/video camera and MicroSD slot similar, if not identical, to the previous model.

Before running out to grab your new black Dash, just keep in mind – You don’t know the power of the Dark Side!

Dash Navigation is getting out of the hardware business and cutting 55 jobs, or 65% of its workers. The startup, which is backed by both Sequoia and Kleiner Perkins, makes the Dash Express car GPS device. This is a network-connected GPS that pools the location and speeds of all nearby Dash owners to give them back real-time traffic reports. It also supports geoRSS feeds, and other GPS apps.

Despite its novel features (I am a big fan of the device) and the $71 million the company has raised, going into the hardware is business looks like it was a wrong turn. Dash will now pursue a strategy of partnering with other device manufacturers, including cell phone-makers, to add its software to their devices.

Read more…

Insignia, Best Buy’s house brand, is launching two GPS units that come with cellular connectivity built-in – somewhat like the Dash GPS. The notable difference is that these two GPS units use Google Local search instead Yahoo Local search. We won’t ruin this dudes entire post but let’s just say, it sounds like a house brand product to us. 

Satellite lock was very slow on a rainy day; I got a couple of miles down the road before it locked.

Local search result lists give the distance to the destination, but not the direction.

Cellular reception with the Insignia has been spotty so far, though there seems to be some improvement following a firmware upgrade from 1.01 to 1.3.

Do you want a Dash GPS? We are going to give one away to the person who can come up with the best idea for a geo-aware app that would work on the device. (Courtesy of Trulia and Dash).

The Dash is a GPS unit that is connected to the Internet through a cellular data network so it can tell you where is the nearest restaurant, gas station or hospital. You can also download geo-RSS feeds and apps that tell you where is the nearest WiFi network or winery. In May, the startup opened up its API to outside developers. Some apps that have been created for the Dash include Trulia’s real estate search (handy when home hunting in the car), weather updates from WeatherBug, nearby speed traps from Trapster, geo-tagged Wikipedia articles, and you can even Twitter from your Dash (not while driving, please).

So how do you win your own Dash? It’s simple: think about some of the Dash apps you would most like to see and submit your best idea in the comments below. Bonus points if it is not one of the 80 apps already created for the device. Super-bonus points if you actually create the app. Deadline for submissions is Saturday at midnight PT. The winner will be selected by me. Two runners up will receive TechCrunch T-shirts.

Those of you using the much-hyped Dash GPS unit have another reason to brag to your friends. You can now send GPS’d directions to your Dash unit by taking advantage of two new voice recognition systems from Tellme and Dial Directions.

Basically, if you know what you want, you call 1-DIRECTIONS (1-347-328-4667), say the address or intersection of where you want to go, and the service sends the directions to the Dash. If you want to search for businesses, by name or category, call Tellme at 1-800-CALL-411 (1-800-225-5411) or 1-800-555-TELL (1-800-555-8355). (Obviously, you’d have to set all this up beforehand, but that’s only a matter of going to the Dash Web site to register your cellphone number.)

That short video explains how the whole process works.

Certainly seems useful to me.

One of the most compelling features of the Dash – Wi-Fi updates – is finally here. Dash users have to simply connect to the Internet via Wi-Fi and the Dash GPS unit will download and install the update automatically. Try doing that with your TomTom.

After the update the devices will have MyRoute, a system that maintains a list of your popular routes and adds your personal preferences to its routing suggestions.

Here’s a rundown of the latest goodies:

MyRoute™ – With the new MyRoute feature, as you travel from one point to another, Dash Express will automatically learn your preferred route in the background. The next time that you drive between the same origin and destination, the first route choice will be MyRoute, complete with traffic-based arrival time data. MyRoute can be compared to the computed Dash routes, including traffic detours, to decide which is optimal.

Search Along Route™ – Finding whatever you need on the road using Yahoo! Local search just got even easier. With the new Search Along Route feature, you can now search for anything you need along your selected route, shortening diversions on the way to your destination. Want to grab a latte on the way to a meeting? Simply do a Yahoo! Local search for “Starbucks” and select “along route” to be presented with the stores that are most conveniently located. Results are displayed with the distance from your current location, the distance off the route and the direction of the destination relative to the selected route.

FasterFind™ – With the new FasterFind feature, we have dramatically decreased the time it takes for Dash Express to find its position and start navigating. Powered by SiRFInstantFix technology, Dash Express uses additional over-the-air GPS satellite position information to get a fast GPS fix so you can be underway in seconds. FasterFind will even improve the device’s ability to get a GPS fix under difficult conditions such as beneath tree cover and near high-rise buildings.

Performance Enhancements – Continued system tuning has enabled significant progress in overall device performance. For instance, the June08 Update increases the speed in which Dash Express draws its maps by more than 50%. It also enables quicker toggling between 2D and 3D map views and smoother map zooming.

User Interface Improvements – The June08 Update also includes numerous customer-requested refinements to the Dash Express interface, making it even more intuitive for daily use. These improvements include tuning the route selection screen to make it easier to select among the multiple route choices, improving the readability of road labels on the map and expanding the night mode color scheme across more menus for glare reduction.

One of the most compelling features of the Dash – Wi-Fi updates – is finally here. Dash users simply connect to the Internet via Wi-Fi and the Dash GPS unit will download and install the update automatically. Try doing that with your TomTom.

After the update the devices will include a new feature called MyRoute, a system that maintains a list of your popular routes and adds your personal preferences to its routing suggestions.

Here’s a rundown of the latest goodies:

MyRoute™ – With the new MyRoute feature, as you travel from one point to another, Dash Express will automatically learn your preferred route in the background. The next time that you drive between the same origin and destination, the first route choice will be MyRoute, complete with traffic-based arrival time data. MyRoute can be compared to the computed Dash routes, including traffic detours, to decide which is optimal.

Search Along Route™ – Finding whatever you need on the road using Yahoo! Local search just got even easier. With the new Search Along Route feature, you can now search for anything you need along your selected route, shortening diversions on the way to your destination. Want to grab a latte on the way to a meeting? Simply do a Yahoo! Local search for “Starbucks” and select “along route” to be presented with the stores that are most conveniently located. Results are displayed with the distance from your current location, the distance off the route and the direction of the destination relative to the selected route.

Read more…

Dash, everyone’s favorite navigation company, has just released its open API for developers. Using some basic tools, you can highlight any geographical information you want — propertly listings, speed traps, and weather reports. Because the device has two-way communication with the cloud, data providers can send almost anything to the device. While some of the apps are map-based, you can also sync contacts with Funambol and even use MediaGuide to see what’s playing on the radio.

You can sign up for the API by contacting developer@dash.net.

Dash Navigation Opens its Platform to Developers and Launches Industry’s
First Dynamic API Program at O’Reilly’s Where 2.0 Conference

Consumers Can Access Content from their Favorite Internet Sites in the Car Using the Dash Express; Coldwell Banker, WeatherBug and Trapster Among Partners

O’Reilly’s Where 2.0 Conference – Burlingame, Calif. – May 14, 2007

News Facts

• Dash Navigation, Inc., the first internet-connected GPS device, today became the first GPS provider to open its service platform to third-party developers. For the first time, developers and content-providers can easily create dynamic applications, called DashApps, and provide Web-based content to consumers in the car.

• In conjunction with the announcement, Dash unveiled the first five partner-created Dash Apps* that, with the touch of a button, help Dash drivers every day while on the road. Dash customers will have access to these powerful new applications via the MyDash portal (http://my.dash.net/) beginning on Thursday, May 15th:

- Hunting for the home of your dreams? Real estate leader and innovator Coldwell Banker® allows consumers to search for homes with the “Coldwell Banker Home Search” button. It allows Dash drivers to access real estate listings and property details from their vehicle and instantly create a route to them.

- When and where is my meeting? Access calendar events, then dynamically route to meetings with Funambol’s “myFUNAMBOL Calendar” button. It allows Dash users access to their electronic calendars (from virtually any source, e.g. Outlook, Yahoo! and Google) from their Dash Express. Calendar items are updated automatically and users can route directly to any address listed.

- What’s that tune? Mediaguide enables Dash Drivers to easily find out the names of tunes playing on their radios. By simply taping the “BakTrax Radio” button, Dash users can see a list of the last three songs that just played on their favorite AM or FM stations.

- Speed trap ahead? Furthering Dash’s belief in the power of a driver network, the “Trapster® Find Traps Now” button not only gives Dash Drivers access to Trapster’s information about live speed traps and red light sensors, but also enables Dash Drivers to contribute speed trap information back to other Trapster users in their area.

- Is it going to rain? Access live, local weather information with WeatherBug’s “MyWeatherBug” button. It provides Dash Drivers with up-to-the-second information about current and future weather conditions while on the road from the largest, most precise weather network in the world.

• Content providers wishing to partner with Dash should contact the company at developer@dash.net.

• Dash will be demonstrating the new applications and talking more about the dynamic API program at the Where 2.0 conference today. Chris Butler, content development evangelist for Dash, will be hosting a keynote presentation at 9:50 a.m. Press are welcome to attend.

It’s not every day that I find a product that threatens to completely change an entrenched, mass-market segment. Perhaps the Kindle and the iPhone are two recent examples, but in mass market terms those two devices are oddities, two exquisite outliers that will change the way we read and make phone calls in the years to come but in terms of market penetration will probably maintain a low profile for years to come. Dash.net’s new Dash GPS device, however, comes at us out of left field and promises to change the things we value in a standalone GPS device. I’ve been following these guys for almost two years now as they inched closer and closer to launch and today I’m glad to announce that you can finally buy the Dash device at Amazon and a number of other retailers.

So what makes this thing so special? In short, it is the first GPS device that is more than a digital version of the ratty old road atlas in the trunk of your car. Sure, it gets you from point A to point B but, commuters will love this, it also tells you about traffic spots and connects with your PC through the Internet for quick address updates and searches. In short, it gets you from point A to point B on time and helps you avoid traffic at all points in between.

UPDATE – Fixed price and a few small points regarding GPS data.

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The map portion of this device isn’t as fully featured as some GPS devices we’ve used. There are no waypoints, for example, so a long trip from San Fran to New York will give you the shortest route without stop overs in Las Vegas and Scranton. The hardware itself is quite large compared to similar devices and the processor is a bit aged. It does have gesture-based map redrawing, so you can slide your finger across the screen to look at the terrain. However, the redraw speeds are quite slow and sometimes disconcerting. This is 1.0 hardware, however, so I’ll forgive it its minor problems and talk about what really makes it good.

The Dash unit constantly reports your speed and position — hopefully anoynmously — to their servers. It also uses Inrix data for some cities but focuses on fresh data from other Dash drivers. Dash’s servers also send out real-time traffic updates and sometimes estimates based on activity on that particular road at any particular time. For example, if there is no historical data for a road, it will probably remain dead. If there is some data — either taken from a third-party provider or a Dash customer who travelled that way perhaps a week or day ago — it is a colored dashed line. Finally, if the road has been recently driven and there is current data, it will appear as colored solid line. The traffic readout is fairly simple: red is bad, yellow is OK, green is super great.

The biggest problem? The Dash is a flocking device. This means that many people have to own Dash devices for the service to make sense. This number doesn’t have to be big, however. Los Angeles and parts of New Jersey have about 40 beta testers each wandering the roads and even with one beta tester in Brooklyn — who I suspect was actually Erick Schonfeld — gave me some info on the expressway that always seems to be clogged at the Battery Tunnel.

Dash is for commuters. it is not for the family of 5 in an RV road-tripping across America. Every time you choose a route, it offers at least two possibilities and ranks them based on estimated time. If the highway is clogged, for example, it will route you around the traffic. That, friends, is a lifesaver.

This minor point — that the GPS device can talk to other devices and servers — is the key to this brave new world of directional devices. Sure, you cellphone can do this as well, given the right software, but cellphone GPS hasn’t quite taken off. Folks like mom and grandma don’t want to be squinting at 3-inch screen. They want something big, that talks to them, and that can route them around accidents. That the Dash can also do Yahoo Local searches (type in “plunger” or “hamburger” and get lists of hardware stores and diners, respectively) is just icing on the cake. You can also right click an address in most browsers — on Windows or Mac — and send it to the Dash over the air. You’ll never need to bring your device in for map updates or software improvements again. Best of all? It gives local gas prices for nearby gas stations and you can build little “itineraries” i.e. waypoints that you can visit in order. The example Dash gave was an Entourage collection of points in Los Angeles. Yes, you too can eat at the places Ari ate.

All of these features are accessible via the Dash.net website.

In terms of usability, the Dash’s interface is actually simpler than most other GPS devices. Because so many devices now add in Bluetooth and “POI” support, their menu structures are complex and messy. The Dash, because of its fairly narrow focus, has none of that. It is considerably larger than most other GPS devices but it comes with a comically large dashboard mount that actually worked better than most other mounts I’ve used.

All is not completely rosy with the Dash device. It costs $399 and $9.99 a month for service. This is considerably better than the original $599 they were about to charge, but the service charge might be a little steep for some. For commuters, however, it is a lifesaver. If you spend any time in your car, the Dash’s features wlll woo you immediately.

Is Dash the iPhone of the GPS industry? No, but it is the Kindle. The package isn’t perfect, but it is powerful and intelligently built and it is, in short, the future.

If you’re thinking we’ve been on smartphone overload this week, you’re right. We’ve been rounding up all of the best and worst in the smartphone world and giving you the goods and bads in general terms. Your next phone will likely be a smartphone. There are more options than ever before, and they literally now fit into any budget.

They’re not for everybody, sure, but if you do more than call Mom once a week so she knows you’re alive, then it’s time for you to get your QWERTY on and do more with your handset, and this guide is here to help.

We should start buy clarifying exactly what a smartphone is and what a smartphone isn’t. That’s more difficult that it sounds, however, as many regular phones today are featuring smartphone features like email and QWERTY keyboards. In essence, a smartphone is a cross between a cellphone and a PDA, allowing you to access information in multiple formats as instantly as possible.

In my opinion, any phone that doesn’t offer system-wide copy-and-paste, automatic email sync, third party application support, and Office integration isn’t a smartphone. And while you think you won’t use all of that, at some point, you’ll be glad it’s all there.

The real problem, though, is that there are dozens of smartphones to choose from, how do you know which smartphone is for you?

The easiest way to tell is to determine what type of user you are. Are you using it for work or personal use? Or both?

If you’re buying your smartphone for business reasons, it’s wise to see if your company has a smartphone policy, as many do now. Your IT guys should be able to help you narrow down which ones they recommend and which work with their network.

But likely you’re on your own, so what are you going to use the smartphone for? If you’re mostly looking at easier, QWERTY text messaging, you might be able to get by with a regular phone with QWERTY, or a “communicator” as they’re called.

But if you’re looking for advanced IM and email, then it’s a smartphone for sure.

There are really two choices you have to make when considering a smartphone: which operating system you like, and what form factor you’re interested in.

For the OS, in the US, you’re basically limited to Windows Mobile, which is modern, though ugly and clunky; Palm OS, which is easy and elegant, but definitely in need of an upgrade; or the OS of Blackberries, which is simple, and functional, but doesn’t do much more than basic functions.

These all have their strengths and weaknesses, so you should check the guides we’ve written earlier in the week to see which one might work well for you.

Most all smartphones have some sort of QWERTY keyboard, either on the face or some sort of slide-out design. The thing to consider is this: how do you like touchscreens?

We all want a phone with a touchscreen, and they do make the phones more useful, but you’ll pay a premium for it. The cheapest way to get a good smartphone with a touchscreen on the market today is the Centro from Sprint at $100. While some carriers might have offers that bring them down to about $50, they’re usually older models, while the Centro is a pretty fresh product. And with the Palm OS, it’s easy to use, making it a very attractive first-time phone.

If you’re looking at Windows Mobile and you want a touchscreen, you’re in luck: all the major carriers in the US feature at least one such phone. But, as mentioned before, they’re not cheap, expect to pay at least $200 for one, even with discounts and subsidies.

AT&T is pushing the Tilt, a decent choice as there’s nothing this phone is lacking besides a speedy processor and, well, a headphone jack. Really. T-Mobile has the popular Wing, which is quite similar. Verizon’s version is the XV6800, and Sprint has the Mogul. All of these are high-end, touchscreen, sliding-QWERTY, Windows Mobile phones, and are all made by HTC.

AT&T, Sprint, and Verizon also offer Treos running Windows Mobile that combine the same touchscreen-over-QWERTY design as the Centro, as well as a handful of others worth a look.

But if you’re willing to forgo the touchscreen, you can still get a wholly usable smartphone, often for free with a new plan. The Q by Motorola, available from Sprint, Verizon and AT&T is one such device. They’re slim and light, and very phone like. T-Mobile has a competitor called the Dash, which, while due for an upgrade, is an inexpensive but passable phone. AT&T also features the quite popular Blackjack by Samsung, one of the highest rated non-touchscreen smartphones we’ve ever seen.

And then there’s the Blackberry. While the devices status of “smartphone” is often in question, we’ll include them here because they’re iconic enough that it’s what many people think of when they think of a smartphone.

They share the non-touchscreen-over-QWERTY design of the Dash and the Q, but don’t have the gawdawful Windows Mobile operating system, which is a blessing. The curse is they don’t have much of an operating system at all, just enough to do what they do. That is likely the phones’ greatest strength and its greatest weakness; most smartphones excel with the help of popular third-party applications, whereas there are very few for the Blackberry line of smartphones.

But most of this doesn’t matter, because a smartphone is just a fancy phone with a keyboard if you don’t have the service to go along with it. All the major carriers support push email, which some consider the smartphone’s killer app. But you’re going to need a data plan. You’re going to want an unlimited one, too, because when you’ve got emails flying, IMs coming in, and a Web browser in your pocket, you’re going to want to use it often.

And that’s what a lot of people get scared off by. But smartphones are now where cellphones were in about 1998: Early adopters have them, and they’re not sorry they signed up for the extra monthly fee, while others are hesitant, thinking they don’t “need” it yet.

Well, you do. Not long ago, many people said they’d never get a cellphone, and now you’re the odd duck if you don’t have one. The same will be said not long from now about those who don’t get their first smartphone, so it’s time you head down to your carrier’s store and see what they have to offer. Talk about data transfer and the costs associated with it, which models they’ll make you a deal on, and incentives they have to get you on their faster networks. You’ll be glad you did.

Selected Smartphones

I’ve been following the Dash Express — the “flocking” GPS device that tells other Dash devices in its vicinity about traffic problems and can connect to WiFi to look up addresses — for over a year now and every time I’ve met with them they’ve been pushing back the ship date. Well, now you can pre-order the Dash Express for $599 and will ship in February. The monthly pricing has been set at $9.99/mo with a 2-year plan and $10.99 with a 1-year plan. It is $12.99 for the a la carte plan.

I agree it’s a little bit on the high side, but the service is very compelling. It has lots of acutally useful points of interest and you can ask it for things like “thai food in atherton.” The flocking aspect is the most interesting as it creates a little network that takes readings of real-time traffic.

* While any GPS device can provide directions to get you from point A to B, the always-connected Dash Express gives you the information you need every day.
* Superior traffic with the Dash Driver Network™: Select your route based on up-to-the-minute traffic data that is automatically and anonymously tivexchanged via the most reliable source – other Dash devices.
o The Dash Express gathers traffic information from the Dash Driver Network and combines it with other sources of traffic data to provide you with the most accurate picture of what’s happening on the routes you’re traveling.
o Only Dash provides traffic information for both freeways and local roads and side streets.
o The Dash Express provides up to three routing options to your destination that are based on flow rather than incident data, and it has the ability to automatically alert you when traffic conditions change and route you around traffic problems on your route.

* Find virtually anything with Yahoo! Local search: Connect to Yahoo! Local search to find unlimited points of interest—people, places, products and services.
o Two-way connectivity gives Dash Express the ability to use Yahoo! Local search and other Internet search sources.
o Unlike other GPS devices that come loaded with a static database of points of interest, Dash gives you access to unlimited points of interest based on your specific needs, and delivers key detailed information (i.e. gas prices, movie times) to help you chose the right destination.

* Send2Car™ means no typing required: Simply highlight an address from any Internet browser or Microsoft Outlook and send it directly to your car.
o You can use Send2Car yourself, or have someone else send it to your Dash device when you’re already on the road.

* MyDash makes it even easier to personalize your Dash Express: The MyDash portal (http://my.dash.net) enables you to customize your Dash Express.
o Create your own lists and feeds or, if you prefer, import the great content created by other members of the Dash Community.
o Easily send customized search buttons (i.e. LA Yoga Studios, Best Red Sox Bars in Boston, Toddler Playgrounds in New York City) straight to your device so you always have access to the places you want to go.

* AutoUpdate™ means your GPS is always up to date: Dash Express is the only GPS that automatically and wirelessly updates software and traffic using two-way connectivity. You’ll always have the latest features as soon as Dash releases them.

Product Page

Make sure to do a sync and a complete back up of your Dash, because the upgrade is gonna wipe everything out. You’ll lose your Yahtzee! scores. We know, we feel the pain.

T-Mobile Windows Mobile Upgrade Page