|
I recommend having some type of warranty with this product since it has a reputation of so many problems if you are going to purchase this. There are web sites out there to help buyers with various problems from this device. I need to mention that dell pda's has several problems with the software and hardware. My screen would not align and my stylus was never acurate, but after getting a replacment, I have yet to run into any major problems. I have had my dell axim for several years now, this is a great product for multimedia purposes. You can download many programs and have music,movies,GPS navigation(need reciever), and much much more with this device. I had to replace my initial Dell axim x50v because of a digitizer problem.
Now I am using an HP iPaq. They are very elegant, well designed but they are weakened by their specific graphics processor which is not reliable at all. I've had two Dells Axim x50v. I bought the first in August 2005, the second one in July 2006 after the first one didn't work any more. Both Axims have broken down because of their graphics processor.
I have noticed occasionally that my pocket pc will reset itself (full reset, mind you) and I lose everything. =-)Also, the joystick is a bit small. It's so small that the pocket pc confuses your trying to click right or left with up and down. We all know we can blame this on Microsoft as usual.
The x50 is just like the x51 except for a few minor software upgrades and buttload of memory (compare 64mb vs 4-5gb). Also, the HP is a bit larger, looks less sportier and too boxlike. You don't need a touchpad (sorry guys, but this isn't a laptop replacement except for its ability to allow you to take notes via keyboard). I am serious when I say this. It's not just that this pocket pc doesn't have a lot of memory, but if you're saving notes onto it, YOU WILL LOSE YOUR STUFF ONCE IN A WHILE. Of course, I don't give this pocket pc 4 stars instead of 5 just because of an OS bug. When I'm playing music and trying to switch from track to track, I often find myself instead raising the volume, or the other way around.
I don't know about the rest of you, but as a young college student, I'm into aesthetics when it comes to choosing a several hundred dollar investment that is going to last me 3-4 years.Anyhow, the prices are dropping. I won't repeat what others have said, so I will be short and brief.If you're going to use this for typing notes and playing music, GET A SECURE DIGITAL CARD. The best course of action is to make sure that you backup all your files into the card (CF OR SD) and and make a "backup/restoration" file that can be saved onto that SD card, that way when you're in class, you won't find that your keyboard software just disappeared during the random reset and that you're having to fumble with paper and pen to write your notes down as the professor is talking. This is one of few small quarks I had.Overall, I think this was a better buy than Dell's pocket pc counterpart made by HP, which was about $100 more than the Axim when it first came out.
I bought this to replace my ipod, and I must say, this puppy puts the ipods quality to shame. Overall the LifeDrive really isn't any better than the x50v, I feel it is much worse.1) You can't switch batterys on the LD2) You can't repair the CF drive yourself without killing the warranty3) Doesn't compare to the dedicated intel 2700g 16mb gfx cardNow to the Axim.1) Sound quality is superb. It will charge it 3 or more times on the go.3) Graphics are amazing.4) Productivity is amazing.Overall I would highly suggest this PDA. I did a whole lot of research before I bought one of these badboys.My first choice was a Palm LifeDrive, however I did a ton of reading and there are a slew of problems with there built in 4gb CF drive. There is also NO way to switch batterys on the go, which is a HUGE downside. You can get a software equalizer and tweak your sound.2) Battery Life is good to me, you can buy a portable charger that takes double aa's, ideally you want 4 nimh batterys, 2500MAs are best.
Here's why it made sense for me.1) I was looking for a replacement for a PDA, but I wanted Bluetooth (for my cellphone and desktop) and WiFi (for remote PC management). I don't feel the need to use the buggy ActiveSync 4.1 (which can easily drain your battery), or to hack the registry to have the Axim find my CF card when starting.This is the PDA I recommend to people now. I managed to do quite well with a Dell Axim 50v and a Hitachi 6Gb Microdrive.Of course, hitting features on a map and actually using them are two different things. I can play MP3s for three hours and not need to charge it, and still work with apps on it while music plays.2) WiFi is pretty good, and being able to control my server PCs through a Desktop Connection is nice, real nice.3) Pocket Word and Pocket Excel are pretty good; QuickOffice for Palm is actually superior, but I'm happy with the switch nevertheless.4) The backlight is bright, almost too bright. The LifeDrive fit this but the 4Gb storage wasn't removable. Its storage flexibility, two radios, bright screen, and swappable battery solution makes it a winner.
The Axim 50v surprised me a lot and let me down a little.1) Battery life is good, and I can swap out the battery with a larger one and get some serious runtime. WiFi syncing is much faster.3) Windows Mobile 5 is an utter disaster for Axim 50vs; this is largely mitigated by how good WM2003SE is. When I saw a deal on a Dell Axim 50v, I jumped on it and never looked back. The SD slot is a nice bonus with the Dells as well.3) I was looking for some Office application compatibility, and Dell Axims with Windows Mobile 2003SE ship with Pocket Word and Pocket Excel.
There is some excellent freeware as well, to my surprise, and I'm not missing Palm any longer.Fred WM2003SE is a stable operating system and the bundled apps make this an excellent tool from day one. Outlook syncs with the device natively. I followed up with a Sony Clie SJ-33, then a TJ-35, and started to become a little annoyed with the low RAM and lack of WiFi or Bluetooth offerings, so I "cashed out" and just used my Nokia 3650 for a year.
High-end Palms met this, and so did some PocketPC devices;2) I was looking for a bigger MP3 player. I'd lose my existing library of Palm apps but the core utilities were easily replaced by ouf-of-box functionality.4) Price: I wasn't going to pony up $800 on a PDA because at that level, I might as well get a cheap laptop. Colors are beautiful. The Windows Media Player is good enough for MP3 playback, although a 3rd party app like Conduits PocketPlayer is a good buy.
I started with a Tangerine Handspring Visor Deluxe, with a whopping 8Mb of RAM. The Dells have a CF card slot and a 6Gb microDrive stores 50% more than the LifeDrive, and is removable. And storage is plentiful.Downsides include:1) Block Recognizer does not remember your input, so unlike true T9 input, it doesn't ever get smarter, and that disappoints me greatly.2) Microsoft has shut off WiFi syncing for ActiveSync, so if you're stuck with a USB 1.1 connection for your cradle/ cable, that's the top speed you can expect.
|
