T-Mobile Updates Dash SmartphoneT-Mobile Updates Dash Smartphone

(click image for larger view)
HTC's Dash 3G

T-Mobile has updated its Dash smartphone, and the new version will be able to take advantage of the carrier's fast-growing mobile broadband network.

The Dash 3G is made by HTC, and it's T-Mobile's first Windows Mobile smartphone that has 3G capabilities. The handset has a full QWERTY keyboard on its face, and it resembles Sprint's Snap smartphone.

The handset is powered by Windows Mobile Standard 6.1, and it can receive over-the-air e-mails from Microsoft Exchange servers, as well as Web-based providers like Gmail and Yahoo. The Dash 3G will also come preloaded with Office Mobile, which enables users to view and edit Word documents.

"HTC is designing products like the T-Mobile Dash 3G to appeal to the ever-growing number of customers who are using the empowering features of smartphones to benefit their busy lives," HTC VP Jason Mackenzie said in a statement.

The Dash 3G can take advantage of the carrier's UMTS/HSDPA network for mobile data connectivity, as well as utilize wireless hotspots with the integrated Wi-Fi chip. The handset also has a GPS chip that can be combined with cellular data for services like local search and location-based services.

T-Mobile's Windows Mobile handset also should be a solid multimedia player, as the mobile version of Windows Media Player can handle various types of audio and video files. The Dash 3G also has a microSD slot for cards up to 16 GB, Bluetooth 2.0, and a 2-megapixel camera.

The fourth-largest U.S. carrier said the Dash 3G would be available nationwide in July, but it did not give a price.
Smartphones can boost a workforce's productivity, but they also can bring up multiple questions about security. information analyzed how to get a handle on locking down data when it's on the move, and the report can be downloaded here (registration required).