Dash

Michael Tuckman, systems architect in Jacksonville, Fla., talks about why he can't live without his Dash Internet-connected navigation device.

I chose the Dash not for what it can do today -- no other GPS device on the market offers two-way capability -- but for the real potential it has.

Between the two-way feature and the Dash traffic network, I am convinced Dash will change the way personal navigation devices are viewed. I can search for addresses, and its Send2Car feature pushes the addresses back to the device. It even lets me send messages or notes to myself or other Dash users. The Dash also shows me live traffic updates, with some of the information coming from other users of the device, and it offers multiple routes. I love that Dash frequently comes up with alternatives that are better than the typical route!

I pre-ordered the Dash around the end of last year and received it on its release date in late March. I spend at least three weekends a month going to soccer games or to beaches and amusement parks with family. I've traveled at least 4,000 miles in the few weeks since I started using it, and its features have come in pretty handy.

The Dash isn't perfect. Its simplistic graphical user interface could use an upgrade, and its refresh speed is a little slow. It’s also bigger than most GPS units, but it has a solid feel and the mount is secure.

Still, as a frequent early adopter of new technology, I definitely see the potential in the Dash. And I recommend it to friends and co-workers.