Dashwire 2.0 launches, mobile finally meets web
By Sean Cooper 
posted June 24th 2008 9:00AM
posted June 24th 2008 9:00AM
Digital content sharing from mobile to desktop is all the rage at every show we've been to in the last year, and frankly, we'd grown a bit tired of it. We had a chance to hook up with the gents from Dashwire in recent times and the Dashwire push and pull solution fairly blew our socks off. Of course, this has been around for a little while now, but it seems baby's all grown up and Dashwire 2.0 is set for release today. How much does all this cost and is it worth playing with? It's completely free and follow on to read more -- but by way of a hint, we're still cheering.
Like other solutions, Dashwire is broken into two parts, web, supporting any OS you choose to use, and Windows Mobile 5 or 6 client -- for now, Series 60 client set to launch this summer. All the Sync magic can be accomplished from either end, contact sync, picture uploading and downloading, SMS -- sent through phone via the web, too cool -- ringtones, Visual Voicemail, contact management, and even status updates pushed to Facebook and Twitter.
To share your media from the Web Client you only have to find a pic, decide where it's going -- Facebook, Flickr, friends, and so on -- and off it goes. Of course, this can all be done via the Mobile Client as well.
Contact management form the web is definitely a slick tool as you can quickly add a picture, addresses, details, numbers, and save it, knowing it'll then get dumped on your phone for later use.
SMS chit-chat from the web interface also threads your conversations in a very iChat-esque way. Unlike other web-based SMS tools, when the text arrives on your friend's set, they see your number and can reply directly to you as you'll get it on your phone and via the web tool.
The mobile client offers a quick view of your current status, easy access to your photos, and with softkeys you can jump into the software's settings to sync up, change your status, or poke about your images to share them, title them, or set them as private. If you're not an unlimited plan and want to keep your data usage to a minimum, all items can be individually set to sync or not and the scheduling can be changed from automatic to manual -- which would let you use your home's WiFi for example.
Dashwire's first iteration was a great idea done very well. Dashwire 2 moves that idea further by not only enabling content from your handset to be pushed up to the web, it now really enhances that flow both ways. Dashwire is really an amazing bit of software and for $free it's a no-brainer that it gets a spot of honor on our mobile devices. Top job gents, top job.
Wow from the beaming here I may have to give this another try. Not that I didn't like it before it just never made me move.
The new client is significantly different, and cooler. I have a feeling you will be moved!
You mentined visual voicemail in this blog post... but i saw nothing about visual voicemail on the site... the one thing that i really actually envy about the iPhone... and you get my hopes up like that... bah
you have to sign up for it through call wave. mine was on the bottom left side of the screen
ugh! the iphone isn't the only freakin' phone to offer visual voice mail!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visual_voicemail
what the hell? no calendar syncing?
got it and love it!!!
Bah!
Looks like they only support WinMo phones (ie. they only support crap).
Which probably also means they only support Windows for the desktop (more crap).
Let me know when they support Nokia phones and Linux & Mac on the desktop. And I'll give them a nice bonus if they support non-phone end devices (Maemo devices like the N800 and N810, or MIDs and UMPCs, whether they're running Linux or Windows).
It's web based... so it'll support whatever OS you choose. Series 60 support is coming and presumably others are not too far behind.
Sean replied to me in email that it's a web client, so I am _happy_ to take back that part of my criticism :-)
Sounds like S60 phones might be on the way too. Again, happy to be wrong there (or soon to be wrong).
For those that are using this, does the "Send SMS from your PC" mean that you use the web client to remote control your phone? Like, compose the SMS on the web client, and it sends the SMS out through your phone? Can you also use the web client to read your SMS's? What about long term storage of SMS messages (so that they don't clutter my phone)?
And will it work to control your phone at 1x and EDGE speed, or only at 3G speed (ie. if my phone and I are in a slow area, will I no longer have synchronization between the phone and the web client)?
It'll sync no matter what speed you're on. SMS messages are sent via the web through your phone.
Ugh. I went straight to the website before reading the full article here. I should have finished my coffee before posting. Blah. Sorry all.
i signed up for this and now i want to erase all of the data i synced and or delete my account. does anyone know how to do this? i emailed and twittered dashwire but i havent received a response as of yet
i already received a response from dashwire and they told me that they are working on it. they responded very quickly. let see if they can help. i will post later.
Great article. I've been running Dashwire for a few months and loving it, but this new mobile client is a whole new ball game. Niiiice!
Guys I have been using Dashwire for months, I dont go around bragging about any app or product I use, not only is this a great way to back up many of the important items on my phone, but the response from Dashwire when you have questions or comments is great because they actually respond.
I would highly recommend giving it a whirl.
I would also like to mention that I have been able to free up tons of space on my Q simply by syncing with Dashwire...my photos and vids are uploaded and thus deleted from my phone leaving the Q much more tidy.
How long does it normally take to sync the first time. I'm going on 45 minutes...
Initial sync does, after that it's pretty zippy. Initial sync depends on how much info you have transferring. Lots of contacts, lots of pictures means a longer sync time but after that 1st one your golden! Great Stuff DASHWIRE!!!!!!!
I have to agree with Bob there, after the initial upload...if you choose to auto sync (as in my case) the uploads are very zippy. I had held off on auto sync for some time and was "enrolled" by several users to try it and convinced after a short discussion with Dashwire...glad I did.
I am safe knowing that my stuff is always sync'd and after a master reset or two trust me you will love Dashwire lol
this sounds great! cant wait for S60 to try it. well i could try it on one of my winmo phones i guess, but then i would have to use one. nah, i'll just wait. lol.
great post engadget, i am DEFINITELY going to download this!