Audio

The Dash 3G has two definite pluses when it comes to playing music -- it comes with a stereo headset and an entire music library can be uploaded from a PC. If it's a big music library, consumers might want to buy an extra microSD card.

Dash users can also use the Internet and pay for a web2go service plan -- linking users to music and ringtone downloads as well as email, messaging, the Internet, wallpapers, Yahoo! search engine and other Web amenities.

Audio from the stereo headset sounds incredibly better than when played through the speakers -- music often sounds slightly thin and never CD-quality. But that problem doesn't exist on the headset.

Ringtones somehow sound louder than the music samples on the phone. The 39 ringtones and various alert sounds also sound a bit thin when played without the headset.

The audio is often loud enough on the Dash 3G, but the audio quality from the speakers is mediocre. Using the headset to listen to music is recommended not just because the nearby pedestrians will appreciate it but because it will sound better, too.

Messaging

The Dash 3G is made for messaging. It has text, audio, video and picture messaging capabilities, plus quick access to AIM, Google Talk, Windows Live Messenger, Yahoo! Messenger and MySpace messaging. That's a larger instant message offering than the majority of smartphones on the market.

The handset also makes it easier to send messages by tailoring photos and videos shot on the Dash 3G's camera to specifically match the maximum length and resolution allowable for sending multimedia messages.

Messaging options can be mixed and matched, and the phone has a unique audio postcard option that allows users to record an audio clip and send it to friends.

The Dash 3G also has one-touch access to a personal or work email. It can sync with a Microsoft Office Outlook account and allows business users read and send PDF documents and even edit Microsoft Word, Excel, OneNote and PowerPoint documents.

Messaging is definitely a strongpoint for the Dash 3G. The smartphone makes sizing and sending a message with a combination of multimedia options simpler and keeps users connected to personal or work email and more instant message options than consumers will find almost anywhere else.

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