New devices question...

[cab124]

I have been using an HP iPaq 2215 for the last 2 years. I really like it, except for the very unreliable Bluetooth functionality.

At some point, I am hoping to be able to upgrade to a device that is just like the 2215, but with the following improvements:

- Windows mobile 5.0
- VGA screen
- Wifi
- Reliable Bluetooth
- Persistent memory

Is there anything like this on the horizon? Seems like there is so little chatter about new non-converged devices that will use the new OS.

[ADBrown]

Sounds like the Dell Axim X50v, plus the WM5 upgrade that's going to be available in October. Dual slots, Bluetooth, WiFi, VGA, 128 MB ROM, and all the trimmings.

[cab124]

But the Axim doesn't make use of the new persistent storage model of WM 5.0. Sounds like this is a great feature.

http://blogs.msdn.com/windowsmobile/archive/2005/07/14/438991.aspx

[Sven Johannsen]

But the Axim doesn't make use of the new persistent storage model of WM 5.0. Sounds like this is a great feature.

http://blogs.msdn.com/windowsmobile/archive/2005/07/14/438991.aspx

It will when you load WM5 on it. That's why it was designed with that stupid 64M RAM/128ROM ;) "What were they thinking? We need more RAM, not more ROM!" Remember those discussions?

[cab124]

Serioulsy? I didn't realize that.

So a Dell Axim will use the new memory model when the new OS is loaded??? Coooool.

If that is the case, then I can't thnk of any reason not to upgrade to a Dell Axim right now. It has all the features that I am looking for. I guess the ony drawback is the low battery life that I have been hearing about.

I wonder if the Axim will support the soft buttons of the new OS?

From what I can tell, most people who have Axims really seem to like them.

Thanks!!!

[surur]

Whats especially cool is that if you buy an Axim now you get a voucher for a free upgrade to WM5. WM5 will also actually increase your battery life by up to 50%.

Surur

[Darius Wey]

I guess the ony drawback is the low battery life that I have been hearing about.

Surur makes a good point about this. Besides, I use my Axim X50v with WM2003SE, and the battery life isn't a huge stab in the back. It's certainly usable for the most part.

I wonder if the Axim will support the soft buttons of the new OS?

You probably will be able to map the existing hardware buttons to Windows Mobile 5.0's soft-keys, but I guess it is up to Dell to provide this mapping support. I can't think of a reason why you wouldn't be able to.

[kaitanium]

two days into getting my x50v and in my opinion absolutely blows any ppc ive seen or owned in past away. and for the top end features & price point combo pretty much beats every ppc out there right now. battery is good enough, dell ususally throws in an extra battery when they do have a sale.

[cab124]

I really appreciate that feedback about the x50v. I am really tempted to order one right now.

One last thought......do you think there will be a bunch of new devices announced over the next couple of months from Dell and HP? If so, I might be able to live with my 2215 for a couple more months just to have the opportunity to see if anything comes out that is even better than the x50v. Otherwise, I am going to make a move right now.

I do ALOT of reading on my 2215 (especially Pocket Bible) so the VGA screen would be awesome. Also, I recently picked up a new Bluetooth GPS unit, but its hard to use with the 2215 because the Bluetooth won't stay connected for more than about 5 minutes at a time. Also, not having built-in WiFi is a real inconvenience.

Once again, thank for all the input. It really helps the decision-making process!!

[ADBrown]

One last thought......do you think there will be a bunch of new devices announced over the next couple of months from Dell and HP? If so, I might be able to live with my 2215 for a couple more months just to have the opportunity to see if anything comes out that is even better than the x50v.

Dell will probably have something in October, but it's not certain what. It may be a hard-drive based entertainment unit, it may be something else entirely. HP doesn't seem in a rush to put out new units, except for the hw6500 and hw6700 PocketPC phones, so I wouldn't count on anything new out of them for a few months at least.

By the way, later this month there will be a new third-party battery available for the X50 series. It's 1800 milliamps, as opposed to the 1100 of the standard battery, but it's only 2.3 millimeters thicker. FYI.

[Sven Johannsen]

You probably will be able to map the existing hardware buttons to Windows Mobile 5.0's soft-keys, but I guess it is up to Dell to provide this mapping support. I can't think of a reason why you wouldn't be able to.

While on a Smartphone, softkey related hardware buttons are essential, on a PPC you can tap the softkeys with the stylus or with your finger, and then use the joystick to navigate up and down. In the emulator <left softkey> and <right softkey> are items that can be assigned to hardware buttons, so it seems like that would be possible.

[stevelam]

..... Must wait for x70 ....... Cant give in to currant generation...... Must wait......

[Kowalski]

I do ALOT of reading on my 2215 (especially Pocket Bible) so the VGA screen would be awesome
hp 4700 will be a better choice over dell. 4" screen makes VGA screen very usefull

[cab124]

..... Must wait for x70 ....... Cant give in to currant generation...... Must wait......

I know the feeling. But what if the x70 won't make into your hands for another 6 months. Could you wait that long???

[cab124]

hp 4700 will be a better choice over dell. 4" screen makes VGA screen very usefull


Seriously? Seems that most people prefer the Dell over the 4700, despite the larger screen. Also, I am not sure what to make of te touchpad on the 4700, and the higher price.

[Darius Wey]

Seriously? Seems that most people prefer the Dell over the 4700, despite the larger screen. Also, I am not sure what to make of te touchpad on the 4700, and the higher price.

I guess it's a matter of each to their own opinion. I think Kowalski loves the hx4700. Personally, I love the X50v. The upside of the hx4700? Its 4" screen (if you want a larger viewing area) as well as better battery life. The upside of the X50v? Its 3.7" screen (which keeps the device small), the Intel 2700G GPU, lower price, and stellar support with regards to ROM updates et al.

I guess it comes down to which of these you think provides a greater advantage.

[Cybrid]

Seriously? Seems that most people prefer the Dell over the 4700, despite the larger screen. Also, I am not sure what to make of te touchpad on the 4700, and the higher price.

I guess it's a matter of each to their own opinion. I think Kowalski loves the hx4700. Personally, I love the X50v. The upside of the hx4700? Its 4" screen (if you want a larger viewing area) as well as better battery life. The upside of the X50v? Its 3.5" screen (which keeps the device small), the Intel 2700G GPU, lower price, and stellar support with regards to ROM updates et al.

I guess it comes down to which of these you think provides a greater advantage.
I've put the two side by side and 4" to 3.7" is barely noticeable. it is 5 mm at most. If someone wants to argue this take a sheet of paper and measure out the two rectangles, cut them out and put them over top of each other and then scratch your head. I say take the smaller X50v for better portability and the better graphics processor. BTW better price too.
Buy some software and accessories to gloat over the now cash poor hp4700 owners. :devilboy:

[Darius Wey]

I've put the two side by side and 4" to 3.7" is barely noticeable.

Niec catch. I just updated my typo. :)

[cab124]

Thanks for all the input, everyone. I have taken you advice and ordered a shiney, new x50v. Should be here Wednesday.

I just hpe the x70v doesn't come out next month!!!!!

[jen71]

Congratulations on your purchase--I just got an x50v as well, and I love it. I previously had an i-mate (the older PPC Phone with no keyboard), and I wanted something that either had or would be upgradable to the WM5.0 system. I thought a lot about the HTC Universal, and decided it was just too big. The screen size on the HP47XX would have been really nice, as I use my device for ebooks quite a bit. But in the end, I just decided the Axim had the look and feel that I was looking for. The screen is really nice, by the way--it should more than meet your needs. Now I just wish that the upgrades would get here soon--I've already got a lot of programs loaded, and I'm not looking forward to the re-installing I'll be doing after upgrading.

Not a bad thing to be worried about, all in all, though...

[cab124]

Congratulations on your purchase--I just got an x50v as well, and I love it. I previously had an i-mate (the older PPC Phone with no keyboard), and I wanted something that either had or would be upgradable to the WM5.0 system. I thought a lot about the HTC Universal, and decided it was just too big. The screen size on the HP47XX would have been really nice, as I use my device for ebooks quite a bit. But in the end, I just decided the Axim had the look and feel that I was looking for. The screen is really nice, by the way--it should more than meet your needs. Now I just wish that the upgrades would get here soon--I've already got a lot of programs loaded, and I'm not looking forward to the re-installing I'll be doing after upgrading.

Thanks for the feedback! Its very cool to know that so many people who also bought the x50v have liked it so much.

Have you used Bluetooth on the x50 much? Is it reliable?

Also, how well does the x50 d-pad work when reading eBooks? On the 2215, so often, when I try to use the d-pad to scroll up or down, I end up pushing the action button which causes an unexpected result.

Now I am going to have to order a new Sena case (I used Sena for my 2215 and LOVED it - the magnetic closure rocks) and I will have to get some WriteShields from PocketPCTechs.

Are there any other accessories that you recommend?

[Cybrid]

Have you used Bluetooth on the x50 much? Is it reliable?

Also, how well does the x50 d-pad work when reading eBooks? On the 2215, so often, when I try to use the d-pad to scroll up or down, I end up pushing the action button which causes an unexpected result.

Are there any other accessories that you recommend?
I've used the headset profile to VOIP and to connect to a moto Razr V3 phone and it seems very reliable. I could test out the BT GPS that Ripper has if you're interested and report back.

The D-pad suffers the same as on the X5 and 2215. It's small size sometimes makes it a real pain.

As for accesories. BT or CF GPS, BT phone, BT headset.

[cab124]

Any recommendations on which WriteShield screen protector to go with for the x50v? The AG or the CC? I lean toward the AG because I don't like glossy screens, but I notice that there is disclaimer that it might cause some distorton on high-res VGA screens.

Thanks!

[Darius Wey]

I lean toward the AG because I don't like glossy screens, but I notice that there is disclaimer that it might cause some distorton on high-res VGA screens.

I prefer the AGs but it really is a case of user preferences. You'll need to see both in the flesh to know the differences between the two, but I guess that's not really an option. FWIW, I'm using the AG on my X50v and I get zero distortion. I can say the same with the AG on my h1940.

[disconnected]

Since you mention GPS, I'm assuming you'll sometimes be using the PPC in sunlight. I tried a glossy screen protector (on an iPAQ 4700), but found it really difficult in any sort of daylight. I switched to an AG and have been much happier.

[cab124]

Thanks! AG it is.

My x50 just arrived. When I first took it out of the box, I couldn't believe how compact it is. I was expecting it to be a little bigger than it is. It is about a half inch longer than my 2215, but its not as wide.

I still like the looks of the 2215 a little more than the x50. I have always thought the 2215 was an extremely nice design, especially with the new aluminum side grips from PocketPCTechs.

I can't wait to finally be able to power it up and see the VGA screen in all its glory. That 8-hr initial charge time is a killer.

I was suprised to notice that there is a single switch that controls both the Wifi and the Buetooth radios. What if you are using Wifi but not Bluetooth - isn't this bad on battery life?

Three other things suprised me...

1. The battery is SMALL.

2. The cradle is HEAVY. nice.

3. The way the unit was packed. The device itself was packed tightly in the box, but the small box that contained cradle, and the second battery were just laying loosely in the main box so that they could bounce all over the place during shipping.

Well.....time to go order some WriteShield AGs. Thanks again for all the imput!!!

[ADBrown]

Any recommendations on which WriteShield screen protector to go with for the x50v? The AG or the CC? I lean toward the AG because I don't like glossy screens, but I notice that there is disclaimer that it might cause some distorton on high-res VGA screens.

Just to sound off, I chose the AG. If there's any distortion, I haven't seen it. It makes the X50v's screen look even more beautiful than before.

[Cybrid]

Thanks! AG it is.

My x50 just arrived. When I first took it out of the box, I couldn't believe how compact it is. I was expecting it to be a little bigger than it is. It is about a half inch longer than my 2215, but its not as wide.

I still like the looks of the 2215 a little more than the x50. I have always thought the 2215 was an extremely nice design, especially with the new aluminum side grips from PocketPCTechs.

I can't wait to finally be able to power it up and see the VGA screen in all its glory. That 8-hr initial charge time is a killer.

I was suprised to notice that there is a single switch that controls both the Wifi and the Buetooth radios. What if you are using Wifi but not Bluetooth - isn't this bad on battery life?

Three other things suprised me...

1. The battery is SMALL.

2. The cradle is HEAVY. nice.

3. The way the unit was packed. The device itself was packed tightly in the box, but the small box that contained cradle, and the second battery were just laying loosely in the main box so that they could bounce all over the place during shipping.

Well.....time to go order some WriteShield AGs. Thanks again for all the imput!!!The switch will activate which ever wireless was used last. If you run wifi exclusively the next time...it will start only the wifi.
Yea the battery will get you about 4 hours with radios off or about 2.5 with one on. The cradle is seriously nice.

[jen71]

I haven't used the Bluetooth much, though I can second the fact that it connects fine to the Razr phone (excellent, since GPRS connection was the one thing that the i-mate did that I wasn't sure the Dell could do). As for screen protection, I'm planning to order the AG WriteShield also. I had a WriteShield on my i-mate and thought it was excellent. I ordered the Boxwave Crystal Clear (I think that's what it is) since they had them where I ordered my case. It's fine, and the screen looks great indoors, but for outdoor use I would agree that the AG will be the way to go.

One thing that I'm adjusting to with the Dell is the 64MB of RAM. I tend to install a lot of apps, play around with them, and see what I like. Even though they're almost all installed in BIS or on the SD card, I still end up with critically low RAM and have to delete some of the apps. Another thing that WM5 will help, I imagine. Anyway, congratulations on the purchase. I hope you enjoy the Axim as much as I am.

[cab124]

I am really enjoying the Axim s far. Its a very sweet machine!! I loaded up a couple of apps and they look awesome on the high-res screen. Now, when I look back at the screen on my 2215, its just not the same.

Oh yea....its great to have Windows Media Player 10. Now, when I sync up the music I purchased through MSN Music, it actually plays on my x50 (It wouldn't play on my 2215 with WMP 9).

The only negative I have found so far is a noticeable speaker pop. It sounds real similar to the speaker pop that the iPaq 3650 was famous for. If I remember correctly, Compaq was able to correct this with a driver update. I wonder if it is the same type of issue with the x50.

I am trying to be very gentle on the screen until my WriteShield AG gets here.

Also, I need to invest in some mass storage. I want to be able to load up some tunes and a few movies or Seinfeld episodes. If you had to choose between a 4 GB CF card or a 2 GB SD card, which would you buy???

[jen71]

For me, the CF card would be the way to go for media. It's really a matter of personal preference. But I keep a 1GB SD card in all the time, and I store as many apps as I can, and some photos and a few favorite songs. I've converted a couple of movies, and I have them on a 1GB CF for now, but I'm shopping around for something bigger so I can transfer more music or TV shows. For media, I'd probably go with CF because you can get more space for your money. A couple of reasons to go with SD would be: if you use CF peripherals like a modem or wired LAN regularly, or maybe if you didn't need the extra storage and wanted a card that would fit in your PDA's case.

[cab124]

Yes....I am really tempted to go for the 4 GB CF card. Right now, it possible to get a Kingston 4 GB CF card for about $200. I guess the downside is that the card probably won't be useable in the next generation devices.

SD cards are available up to 2 GB for around $140-150.

At least for right now, I see myself using both the Cf and the SD slots on the x50 for storage only. I wonder what is the most sensable way to use those slots. Considering that space is needed for applications, application data, music, photos and video, what would be the smartest storage scheme?? This is something I will have to think about.

[PetiteFlower]

I guess the downside is that the card probably won't be useable in the next generation devices.

You know, they were saying that almost 3 years ago when I got my X5, too, and it's not true yet, so don't be so sure about that!

[ADBrown]

Yes....I am really tempted to go for the 4 GB CF card. Right now, it possible to get a Kingston 4 GB CF card for about $200. I guess the downside is that the card probably won't be useable in the next generation devices.

You'd be surprised. They were saying that CF slots were dead when I bought my original Axim X5. That was almost three years ago. In non-phone PocketPCs, I dare say that CF will be sticking around for awhile. All of Dell's models have it, the iPaq 2000 and 4000 models have it, and so do the other VGA models like the Asus A730 and the Loox 720.

[ADBrown]

You know, they were saying that almost 3 years ago when I got my X5, too, and it's not true yet, so don't be so sure about that!

LOL, talk about coincidence.

[PetiteFlower]

Jinx!

[ctmagnus]

Whats especially cool is that if you buy an Axim now you get a voucher for a free upgrade to WM5. WM5 will also actually increase your battery life by up to 50%.

Surur

Two more hours still doesn't seem like a lot to me. Persistant memory, on the other hand...

Any recommendations on which WriteShield screen protector to go with for the x50v? The AG or the CC? I lean toward the AG because I don't like glossy screens, but I notice that there is disclaimer that it might cause some distorton on high-res VGA screens.

Just to sound off, I chose the AG. If there's any distortion, I haven't seen it. It makes the X50v's screen look even more beautiful than before.

I have an AG on my iPaq 5550 and BoxWave's equivalent of the CS on my Smartphone, and I really prefer the AG.