Here's why every gadget lover should own a GPS-navigation device: You'll never need to go to a gas station to ask for directions. Instead, gas stations will be just for fill-ups, and with the right GPS you could find one with the lowest price.

The dashboard-mounted GPS market is getting crowded and feeling the pressure from new mobile phones with built-in mapping software. So GPS-makers are starting to differentiate themselves in ways other than offering smaller, thinner and more affordable products.

Those are good trends, but I've been testing a GPS with a different angle from a new company, Dash Navigation. It's a social approach - a GPS for the Facebook crowd - where third-party software developers create programs that anyone can add to the device.

You're seeing the same trend on Apple's updated iPhone, and it makes the Dash far more useful than a device that provides just turn-by-turn driving directions.

Also, the Dash is always connected to the Internet so you can search for nearby coffee shops if you need a jolt or want to find a nearby attraction to entertain the kids. After a search, it's as easy as tapping the screen to get driving directions.

This search function is the Dash's best feature. During my travels, I used it to find a coffee shop as I made a quick trip to Michigan. I typed "coffee" in the Yahoo search box and a list of shops popped up within seconds. I could sort the list by user ratings or proximity. I hit "nearby" and found a place 10 minutes away.

Unfortunately, that independent coffeehouse was closed. So I searched for Starbucks and found one less than a mile away.

The Dash connects to the Web via a cellular network, the same technique Amazon uses to download books wirelessly to its Kindle e-reading device. The cost of the monthly service is between $10 and $13, depending on the plan.

Like any dedicated GPS device, the Dash is intended for people who drive all the time. Mobile phone-based services, on the other hand, can be bought from some carriers for $3 a day. I recently tested AT&T's mobile phone navigation service on the Motorola Z9, which was very impressive.

Dash Navigation hopes the combination of the continual Internet connection and third-party programs will enhance the device for even everyday users. The company may be right, based on my tests.

While searching for a gas station, I could look for one near my location or one along the route I was traveling. Then I could sort by price and find the station with the best prices.

This "social" approach to GPS has many practical uses. Here are some of the third-party applications I downloaded to my Dash:

Chicago attractions. It includes the usual, such as Navy Pier, but anyone can enhance the list.

A block-by-block crime report. This includes mostly petty thefts, like reports of GPS devices stolen from cars. Since you can search based on where you are, this serves as a reminder to leave nothing of value in your car.

Real estate listings from Coldwell Banker, Craigslist. If you find yourself in an appealing city neighborhood or leafy suburb, you can see what's on the market.

Chicago hot dog joints. The Dash provided a more efficient route from my garage to sausage emporium Hot Doug's.

Playgrounds. Chicago's neighborhoods and suburbs are filled with hidden playground gems. This will help you uncover them.

I could have added a listing of 4 a.m. bars, but that hardly seems like a wise application for a driving gadget. Nor did I add the Twitter tool. (Hi, everybody. I'm stuck in traffic on the Kennedy Expressway!)

Other applications include a list of red-light cameras and one that discloses the favorite hiding spots for traffic cops.

But not all the information was accurate. The application I used to find free Wi-Fi hot spots, for instance, provided turn-by-turn directions to a coffee shop near the North Side hot dog stand I was directed to for lunch. I arrived, put a few quarters in the meter and bought a latte, only to learn the Wi-Fi wasn't free.

The Dash is a little bulkier than many of the dashboard-mounted models available. Most of the newer Garmin models, for instance, have a thinner profile and would be easier to toss into a suitcase for a road trip.

Also, at $299 (sold at Dash.net and Amazon.com), it is at the high end for dashboard-mounted devices. If you want a GPS for simple driving directions, several companies have models in the $200 range.

But the Dash offers something more. So if you like an added feature on your gadget, the Dash may be right for you. It gets you where you want to go and points out interesting spots along the way.

(Eric Benderoff writes about technology for the Chicago Tribune. Contact him at ebenderoff@tribune.com or at the Chicago Tribune, 435 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago IL 60611.)