It should come as no surprise Dash Express network service would ultimately be terminated. In fact, I’m impressed that it’s been active this long given hardware discontinuation (11/08) and the RIM acquisition (6/09) in years past. However, we’ve nearly reached the end of the road — June 30th will be the last day Dash GPS owners will be able to access online services including traffic, Yahoo Local Search, and Send2Car.
As a refresher, Dash was notable as the first Internet-connected PND (via GSM service). It may have been large and had kinks to be worked out, but the Express provided all sorts of new, innovative mobile functionality. And I admired their audacity in taking on the establishment. Yet the world has dramatically changed since Dash was first conceived. And many of us now navigate via our (connected) smartphones. Which is probably why RIM, the Blackberry people, picked up Dash (for a song).
The Dash story is also partially my own – having been employed about 6 months when the powers that be pulled the plug on hardware and a large percent of the staff. Obviously it wasn’t the outcome I had hoped for or anticipated. And not a decision I agreed with. Sadly, due to the nature of things, it’s not appropriate to elaborate any further. Unless we’re chatting in person over a beer. ;)