02-22-2007, 02:15 AM
|
|
Executive Editor
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 29,160
|
|
Dell Axim R.I.P...For Real This Time?
There have been quite a few rumours circulating about the fate of the Dell Axim over the past 12 months, but none have even been confirmed by Dell. Chris Leckness over at Mobility Site has posted an update that seems credible:
"I just got off the phone with an internal Dell PR employee. I asked the questions we all wanted to know and got the answers we didn't want to here. To answer the Dell Phone rumor I just posted on, Dell has no immediate plans to launch a Dell Branded Phone. They do carry unlocked phones, PDAs, and other consumer electronics from hand picked top of the line companies though. The hiring of the Motorola Exec was announced officially last week...The rumors circulating about the a Dell Portable Gaming system had already been squashed, so that leaves only two questions unanswered...1. Is Dell working on Tablet PC? I didn't ask this, I forgot, but I still think this is going to happen personally. 2. What about the Dell Axim? Bad news here. The rumor I posted about last week is the verdict. Once the current Dell Axim offerings are gone, they are gone. This is the 1st time in the last year that I was able to get an official response related to the Dell Axim line of handhelds."
The entire industry is moving toward phone-based devices, which we all knew, and Dell doesn't seem to want to step into that space. I can't blame them - they know what a nightmare dealing with the big carriers can be, and if they can't make money selling non-phone Axim devices, they'll just jettison the whole thing. That's what they did with their line of MP3 players, so it's not surprising to see history repeat itself. I'll mourn the loss though - the Axim line was always reasonably priced, and offered great hardware. The X51v is still one of the nicest pure-PDA style devices ever made. You can guess what this means for Windows Mobile 6 upgrades though...not going to happen (in my opinion at least).
|
| |
|
|
|
02-22-2007, 04:12 AM
|
|
Philosopher
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 578
|
|
Re: Dell Axim R.I.P...For Real This Time?
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by Jason Dunn
The entire industry is moving toward phone-based devices, which we all knew...
|
I hate this trend. I still prefer two devices, a phone and a Pocket PC that can use that phone as a modem. Maybe someday I'll be interested in a PPC phone, but for now I'm going to try to keep my Dell Axim X50v going as long as I can.
|
| |
|
|
|
02-22-2007, 05:16 AM
|
|
Magi
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 2,341
|
|
Even if it's not a surprise, it's still very sad to hear. The Windows Mobile community owes a lot to Dell. What they did with the Axim line was incredible. At a time when the latest iPaqs were retailing for $800 Dell launched the Axim X5 for under $300. That move changed the face of WM at the time. We saw a lot of new users because of that. It's also incredible to think that the x51v which is 2-3 years old now is still one of the best devices on the market.
BTW, for any Canadians who may be interested, today I received a flyer from Dell, and they have the X51v on for $399 CND.....it may be your last chance. 
Dave
|
| |
|
|
|
02-22-2007, 06:42 AM
|
|
Editorial Contributor
Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 5,411
|
|
That's a shame. Without doing much (add the hardware for soft keys) even the current X51 would make a nice WM6 platform. My wife's and my X50s are still going strong. She uses her's constantly, prefering two devices and I have purchased an 8G CF card for mine making a darn good portable entertainment platform.
Probably have to consider snatching up some X51s to hedge against hardware failure at some point, and take advantage of the WM5 memory architecture.
__________________
Sometimes you are the anteater, sometimes you are the ant.
|
| |
|
|
|
02-22-2007, 07:17 AM
|
|
Ponderer
Join Date: Nov 2006
Posts: 55
|
|
I like straight pda's better none-phone (not sure why) but the cellular data is the part I like, wifi is nice but not enough coverage for the portability that makes a pda so great. I'm thinking of getting the axim x3i or x30, maybe the Toshiba genio 8xx. I always loved the look of the x3 series.
|
| |
|
|
|
02-22-2007, 07:22 AM
|
|
Sage
Join Date: Mar 2004
Posts: 602
|
|
It's a shame that Dell is going this way but as others have alreay said it is not surprising. I for one will mourn the Axim's passing, I have enjoyed both my X50v and X3i. But I must admit I finally took the plunge and moved over to a converged device (Moto Q).
|
| |
|
|
|
02-22-2007, 02:01 PM
|
|
Banned
Join Date: Dec 2007
Posts: 372
|
|
I dont understand why Dell cant offer unlocked WCDMA phones. They have enough industry pull that if they offered them on the menu companies would buy them in droves. They have a unique position to offer a phone stripped down of carrier customization crap and offer corporations the control over their phones that they want. Just imagine a phone with all the OpenManage goodies on it to monitor and control Dell server and storage systems.
Dell, you are messing up by not doing this.
|
| |
|
|
|
02-22-2007, 02:46 PM
|
|
Pupil
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 48
|
|
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by inteller
I dont understand why Dell cant offer unlocked WCDMA phones. They have enough industry pull that if they offered them on the menu companies would buy them in droves. They have a unique position to offer a phone stripped down of carrier customization crap and offer corporations the control over their phones that they want. Just imagine a phone with all the OpenManage goodies on it to monitor and control Dell server and storage systems.
Dell, you are messing up by not doing this.
|
I'd love to see them sell those devices. I'll probably be forced to buy a smartphone at some point when my X50 bites the dust. I don't want to pay a monthly fee just to have a PDA, so an unlocked phone would be great for someone like me. I'll have to pay a premium in both price and weight for the hardware, but I can live with that. By not having to pay $40 to $50 per month for phone service, I'll easily pay off the price premium in a couple of months.
|
| |
|
|
|
02-22-2007, 03:02 PM
|
|
Neophyte
Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 5
|
|
And the point is?
Not news for me or my colleagues,
We've known this since June of last year, I don't know why it took so long for this site, dedicated to giving the news first to post this. I kept on seeing posts as to speculation if it would happen. I just thought it was hilarious how it took this long for someone to figure this out. Our company has been discussing switching to HP's and now are considering Symbol or Socket's new line coming out soon. Our system rely's on handhelds specifically. Symbol may be expensive but it is a good, durable device. I can't wait to see Socket's new handheld, hopefully the price is decent.
|
| |
|
|
|
02-22-2007, 03:18 PM
|
|
Executive Editor
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 29,160
|
|
Re: And the point is?
Kind of a snarky first post. :? Welcome to Pocket PC Thoughts anyway. ;-)
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by elisnook
Not news for me or my colleagues, We've known this since June of last year, I don't know why it took so long for this site, dedicated to giving the news first to post this. I kept on seeing posts as to speculation if it would happen. I just thought it was hilarious how it took this long for someone to figure this out.
|
I was pretty clear in my post that it wasn't a surprise - we all knew it was happening - but Dell has been very tight-lipped about actually confirming it to the public. Yes, the sales channel will tell their customers, but in terms of a PR person giving the official Dell party line...this was the first time I've heard the statement from them. So that's why it was news-worthy, if only to be the final nail in the coffin we knew was being built for the past year...
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Linear Mode
