04-27-2005, 11:00 PM
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Swami
Join Date: Feb 2004
Posts: 4,303
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Brighthand and Rumours of Axims
Ready for a few rumours? Of course you are. :wink: Someone has apparently been talking to Brighthand about Dell's plans for the Axim line through to the end of 2006. So what do you guys reckon? Do the following rumours have a ring of truth about them, or is this just wishful thinking?
"Dell's Axim X30 models, which was introduced almost a year ago, will be discontinued in the next month or so. The Axim X50, though, will be around for more than another year. This is a strong indication that Dell intends to release a Windows Mobile 2005 upgrade for this device. This fall, Dell plans to release a new handheld with a multimedia focus. . . . Dell will emphasize its audio and video playback capabilities, as well as its ability to play games. To allow it to store large amounts of music and video, this will be Dell's first handheld with a built-in hard drive. . . .In mid-2006, Dell intends to introduce its first cellular-wireless handheld."
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04-28-2005, 12:00 AM
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Pontificator
Join Date: Apr 2004
Posts: 1,108
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I don't consider this credible. While Brighthand doesn't say where they got their information, it's almost certainly from a post made on Aximsite in late 2004 by someone who claimed to have seen a Dell roadmap.
Eliminating the X30 would be foolish. There's nothing in the low-cost segment that's equal to the X30, despite it being a year old. And a cell phone would entirely run against Dell's business practices--they like high-margin, easy-entry markets with direct sales. The cell phone market is entirely indirect sales, difficult entry, and relatively low margin (by quantity, if not by price).
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04-28-2005, 01:14 AM
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Thinker
Join Date: Mar 2002
Posts: 481
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What's the big deal about a "built-in" hard drive? Seems to me you can put a Microdrive in the CF slot and be better off than having a built-in. Swap between multiple devices (camera, desktop/laptop), instant upgrade when a larger size comes out, easily repaired (by replacing it). Why does anyone want a built-in drive? It would probably eliminate the CF slot anyway on most models. We all rejoiced when batteries started being user replacable. I think it would be a step backward to start "building in" the device's mass storage memory.
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04-28-2005, 03:34 AM
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Philosopher
Join Date: Jun 2002
Posts: 498
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Buildin 4gb HD only costs about $60. Buying a 4gb hd need about $200, while flash 4gb cost more.
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04-28-2005, 03:44 AM
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Magi
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 2,341
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Geez, I don't know. There seem to be a few things in there that I find questionable. First, to see Dell come out with a media player, gaming device with a hardrive seems rather cutting edge for Dell. They like to see a market segment mature before they jump in. Here it seems like they are planning a device that combines a number of features that we haven't seen done yet. Next, I can see them keeping the x50 line for another year, but to then say they are going to replace it with a converged device doesn't see to make sense. Why would you replace a standard Pocket PC with a converged device? I can't see Dell coming out with a Smartphone type of device. It just doesn't seem to make sense for Dell to commission a Smartphone, or any converged device to then sell it to a carrier. It's just not the Dell way...too many fingers in the pie.
What I can see Dell doing with a converged device is coming to market with say....something like...a Dell branded HTC Universal. :idea: This fits much more in line with Dell. Carrier Devices (iMate) are making a name for themselves do just that. I think Dell could do it in a huge way through its own marketing channels.
Dave
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04-28-2005, 05:26 AM
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Ponderer
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 87
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by ADBrown
I don't consider this credible. While Brighthand doesn't say where they got their information, it's almost certainly from a post made on Aximsite in late 2004 by someone who claimed to have seen a Dell roadmap.
<snip>
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This didn't start at Aximsite, as far as I know, but the explaination was in their thread.
Quote:
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Originally Posted by carphead @ Aximsite
That would be me!!! :hi:
What's even weirder is that I've posted about this several times on here and Brighthand and nobody else picked it up! :shrug:
Couple of things need to be picked up on in the discussion so far.
Nobody said it would be a free upgrade to 2005. Nobody's said that there would be a upgrade released to 2005. All that has been said about the X50 series is that one would be released running 2005.
Dell see the x50 as a stepping stone to a next level of Dual focus devices.
If you look at Dell current range of non-PC items there are two massive holes..
1 - A MP4/VideoPlayer
2 - Converged Device
It's my understanding that during 2005 a fully capable PDA (including HDD) to fill the first gap will be released. And a 2nd device to fill the last gap will be release in 2006 (which will replace the X50 range).
Some background about me? I work for one of Dell's largest customers. The company I work for buys in excess of a half million PC's a year from Dell (last year we hit 1.5 million). We only buy Laptops and Desktop from Dell. Some we use in house about 2/3 we sell on with equipment we make and sell direct.
But they (Dell and others) keep pushing us to buy Servers, Switches, Handhelds etc from them. So most large companies including Dell are very happy to share their roadmaps with us.
But the information I gave ED was part of a presentation Dell gave as a TechTour at the end of 2004.
www.dell-events.com/tst
It's not NDA so I'm clear. But the information is vague and I had to push the Dell reps to get anything else out of them. But they didn't know a whole lot as most of the stuff hasn't been finalized so they don't know a whole lot about it. Just rumours.
Feel free to ask questions but I can't provide definitive answers because I don't know a whole lot! :approve: :shrug: |
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04-28-2005, 05:28 AM
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Thinker
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 451
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They don't seem to sell the X30 anymore in Asia Pacific..
I'll agree this does seem a bit too cutting edge for Dell, but we shall see!
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04-28-2005, 06:52 AM
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Thoughts Media Review Team
Join Date: May 2002
Posts: 1,004
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Well I for one am hoping that at least the bit about a possible upgrade to WM2005 for the x50v is true (could it be because I have just bought one... :lol: ).
I have always thought that the memory configuration of the Dell (128meg flash and 64meg ram) sounded like a device with the new OS in mind.
__________________
...waiting for the arrival of my Axim x50v...But I still love my Newtons!
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04-28-2005, 07:25 AM
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Pontificator
Join Date: Apr 2004
Posts: 1,108
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by gt24
This didn't start at Aximsite, as far as I know, but the explaination was in their thread.
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I wasn't referring to that post--hadn't seen it--but another older one that claimed exactly the information Brighthand gave.
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04-28-2005, 07:30 AM
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Ponderer
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 87
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by ADBrown
Quote:
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Originally Posted by gt24
This didn't start at Aximsite, as far as I know, but the explaination was in their thread.
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I wasn't referring to that post--hadn't seen it--but another older one that claimed exactly the information Brighthand gave. |
Quoting... "What's even weirder is that I've posted about this several times on here and Brighthand and nobody else picked it up!" So in other words, this person was posting at Aximsite and Brighthand, many times, about this rumor and nobody paid attention to it until recently, thus why you swore you saw it before.
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