My Dell Axim X30 Review

[Jason Dunn]

Well, given that everyone on the Web has published their Axim X30 review already, I'm suddenly completely unmotivated to finish my review because it will be similar to every other review. So here's what I'm going to do instead: I'll retire my iPAQ 4150 and switch over to using the X30 full time, and after using for a few weeks, I'll be able to write a more real-world review. I'll also try to have the most accurate real-world battery tests possible. Sound ok? ;-)

[bbarker]

Makes sense. And as you retire your iPAQ 4150, you way want to ship it off to me so you won't be distracted in your real world tests of the Axim X30.

[vting]

can't wait to read it :!:

[Shadowcat]

What if we say no? :wink:
On a more serious note, I vote yes. :D

[ari]

Yepp, can't wait for those battery tests and more importantly for a report about software (in)compatibilities and of course even more benchmarks. ;)

Could you answer this one little question.. Is the X30 much bigger than the 4150? Equally pocketable? Never had the chance to see one live.

Ari

[Mike Temporale]

I'll retire my iPAQ 4150

8O NO!! It would be like loosing a part of yourself... Well, for me at least. :wink:

[Unwired]

NOoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo! d@mnit!

Post your review now!!!! :devilboy:

I only care about your review!!!!!!

sigh...

Anyone wants to buy a month old X3i.... :mrgreen:

[maximus]

Intel® XScaleTM Processor with WMMX up to 624MHz ...

WMMX ? Win CE version of MMX instruction set ?

[Boxster S]

Well, given that everyone on the Web has published their Axim X30 review already, I'm suddenly completely unmotivated to finish my review because it will be similar to every other review.

http://pics.atofftopic.com/Images/NFS4/OWNED_F1.jpg

:lol:

*******
Edited by Moderator JD: Great picture, but too much side scrolling because it's so big. ;-)

[Pat Logsdon]

Intel® XScaleTM Processor with WMMX up to 624MHz ...

WMMX ? Win CE version of MMX instruction set ?
Almost! The "W" stands for "wireless (http://www.intel.com/pressroom/archive/releases/20030917net.htm)". :mrgreen:

[Unwired]

Hey, will this mean that there will be a WM2003 SE upgrade for current X3i owner?

:idea:

[Jeff Rutledge]

Makes sense. And as you retire your iPAQ 4150, you way want to ship it off to me so you won't be distracted in your real world tests of the Axim X30.

Or you could save on shipping... 8)

[ctmagnus]

Even better, send it on a nice mountain holiday! :mrgreen:

[targetdrone]

Don't worry folks, he won't use the X30 for long. He will chuck it into the waste bin when he gets tired of the painful bruise the poorly designed case leaves in the palm of any hand it touches for more than a couple of minutes. My hand doesn't have corners so why should my PocketPC??? I have a less than 2 month old X3i that now is just an expensive extra alarm clock, since I bought my 4155. I WILL NEVER GO BACK!!!

[Boxster S]

Don't worry folks, he won't use the X30 for long. He will chuck it into the waste bin when he gets tired of the painful bruise the poorly designed case leaves in the palm of any hand it touches for more than a couple of minutes. My hand doesn't have corners so why should my PocketPC??? I have a less than 2 month old X3i that now is just an expensive extra alarm clock, since I bought my 4155. I WILL NEVER GO BACK!!!

I was thinking the same thing as I read the reviews. I love the size and form-factor of my 4155 but was intrigued by the speed of the X30.

But the X30 looks terribly uncomfortable to hold for along time between its squarish shape and the odd bulges poking out from the bottom of the device.

I'll wait for HP to make the next move before I budge.

[Kati Compton]

I'll retire my iPAQ 4150 and switch over to using the X30 full time,

Katherine Compton
123 King Arthur Ct
Free Country, USA

[jblodgett]

Given that I have ordered the 624Mhz x30--

Yes-- please use it up and give us a nice detailed review--- SPECIFICALLY concerning the battery life!!!!!

[Jason Dunn]

http://pics.atofftopic.com/Images/NFS4/OWNED_F1.jpg


So, um, am I the own owning or the one being owned? I can't tell what you're saying to me. :worried:

[Jason Dunn]

Don't worry folks, he won't use the X30 for long. He will chuck it into the waste bin when he gets tired of the painful bruise the poorly designed case leaves in the palm of any hand it touches for more than a couple of minutes.

Actually, I have a very nice Vaja case from the X3i that I'll be using. Or are you talking about the body design of the X30? Yeah, I agree with you there - I wish it wasn't so "edgy". :?

[Boxster S]

http://pics.atofftopic.com/Images/NFS4/OWNED_F1.jpg


So, um, am I the own owning or the one being owned? I can't tell what you're saying to me. :worried:

You = the 355 on the left and the 360 on the right with the F1 in the middle being the other sites that beat you to the punch

I thought it was obvious :mrgreen:

[klinux]

http://pics.atofftopic.com/Images/NFS4/OWNED_F1.jpg


So, um, am I the own owning or the one being owned? I can't tell what you're saying to me. :worried:

Don't worry Jason, you are not the only one who did not get the picture!

I thought I knew something about cars but did not get the pic either. I guess my interest are more real-world cars.

[Jason Dunn]

You = the 355 on the left and the 360 on the right with the F1 in the middle being the other sites that beat you to the punch
I thought it was obvious :mrgreen:

Oh, so it was an insult. Thanks.

[willkess71]

While I do wish you had the chance to complete your review before the rest of the vultures swooped in, I do recognize the real test of a device is not the resume but it work ability and its longevity. Since the very first Toshiba (e740) I bought I tend to wait a couple of months before buying. This allows all the little "features" :devilboy: to come out. I look forward to hearing about your real world experiences. Until then my 4155 fits the bill.

[David Prahl]

I felt discouraged whenever I saw a review of an X3i when I was writing my review.

From what I've seen, PPCT releases extremely high quality reviews that come out a few weeks after the initial buzz. Usually a few days later than other sites, but the articles are unquestionably the best out there.

Do you want a marshmellow now or a sheet cake later? :wink:

[david291]

Jason, can you test something for me on the X30?

Does the unit automatically disable wireless when the battery falls too low? On the X3i, that happens at about 25% battery level. Once that happens, there's no way to turn wireless back on without either pressing the WiFi on/off button or using Dell's utility. Recharging or a soft reset doesn't even get wireless back on. Does the X30 have this same behavior limitation?

[David Prahl]

Once that happens, there's no way to turn wireless back on without either pressing the WiFi on/off button or using Dell's utility.

I'm confused - how else would you turn the wifi back on? What would be an ideal configuation? :?:

[Jonathon Watkins]

Once that happens, there's no way to turn wireless back on without either pressing the WiFi on/off button or using Dell's utility.

I'm confused - how else would you turn the wifi back on? What would be an ideal configuation? :?:

If you want WiFi to stay on *all the time* I guess. Useful if you have corporate machines in a controlled environment etc.

[Jonathon Watkins]

I felt discouraged whenever I saw a review of an X3i when I was writing my review.

From what I've seen, PPCT releases extremely high quality reviews that come out a few weeks after the initial buzz. Usually a few days later than other sites, but the articles are unquestionably the best out there.

That sounds fair. A more thoughtful review perhaps? :wink:

A 'real world' workout sounds good Jason. Often with reviews the important impressions can take a while to come out, so it would be very useful to 'live with' the unit for a while for the review. :)

IDo you want a marshmellow now or a sheet cake later? :wink:

What's a sheet cake? :lol:

[Janak Parekh]

What's a sheet cake? :lol:
:google: for it. Now, back on topic... ;)

--janak

[david291]

Once that happens, there's no way to turn wireless back on without either pressing the WiFi on/off button or using Dell's utility.

I'm confused - how else would you turn the wifi back on? What would be an ideal configuation? :?:

If you want WiFi to stay on *all the time* I guess. Useful if you have corporate machines in a controlled environment etc.
Exactly. Our application runs in a business environment on Pocket PCs dedicated to running our application and nothing else. Wireless reliability is critical. It needs to ALWAYS be on, no matter what. Since we run in a "kiosk mode", the hardware buttons, Start menu, etc are all disabled or remapped. Therefore the decisions Dell made with the wireless in the X3i is a deal breaker for our application. I'm hoping they fixed it with the X30.

[jblodgett]

I am still confused with the whole wifi/bluetooth activation bit.

From the review, as I understand it, when you push the button to activate wireless-- you activate both wifi and bluetooth. If you want to disable both, you can press the button again. However, to disable just one, you have to go into the software and disable it.

My question is:

Is it possible to activate wifi through the software? I do not have ANYTHING that is bluetooth, so I have no need to activate it. But both my office and my home have wifi networks which I will need to be able to hook into.

i.e. there's no reason to push the button and turn BOTH of them on, if I am going to just shut bluetooth off afterwards. It would be just as easy to just go into the software and turn wifi on.

Maybe I'm totally missing the point on all this.