Going from a Zire71 to an Axim X5 Basic, some questions...

[funngunn2]

I've been thinking of picking up an Axim recently, since my friend offered to sell his and a 128mb CF card for $115. It's the Basic version, 300 MHz/32mb RAM. I'm wondering how this compares to the 16 mb of memory I have in my Zire71 (my current PDA). I know a bit of the PocketPC platform, and a lot about the PalmOS (owned a Visor Deluxe, Visor Prism, and now a Z71). I know that programs on the Palm are smaller in size than those of a PPC. Is 32 megs enough for programs and such? I use such programs as SplashPhoto, AvantGo, DocsToGo, WordSmith, PalmReader, BibleR+, and some games.

Also, how do expansion cards work? Do I put the app on the card, or on the internal? Can I run apps from the card, on the card; or do I run them in internal memory? What's the filesystem like?

One last thing is synchronizing. I know I can sync it with no prob on my desktop PC, but is there a synching solution for the Mac? I'd like to be able to sync it with both my PC and my Mac laptop.

Also, any other issues/qualms/quirks I should know about the PPC OS and/or the Axim?

Thanks in advance for your help!

[dean_shan]

The file system is like Windows. You can run programs and file (no need for conversion) from the internal or external (SD or CF card) memory. The is a Mac Sync program. Is you search on PPCT you will find an article reviewing it.

[Brad Adrian]

The way a Pocket PC uses memory is very different from how a Zire does; the 32MB RAM in the Axim won't get you very far in terms of added applications. That's why an additional memory card is (IMHO) a necessity.

The most efficient way to use the card is to install most of your applications onto it, like the hard drive on your PC. That leaves as much of the internal memory free for actually running the applications.

Finally, there is a program for synching with a Mac. It's called Missing Synch and you can get it here:

http://www.markspace.com/missingsync_pocketpc.html

[arnage2]

Id add an extra 128mb or more for apps

[Mark Kenepp]

Finally, there is a program for synching with a Mac. It's called Missing Synch and you can get it here:

http://www.markspace.com/missingsync_pocketpc.html

There are two reviews here for Mac PocketPC connectivity products:

The Missing Sync for Pocket PC Reviewed (http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=20801) (the product Brad mentions)

Sync Different: PocketMac Pro 3.0 Reviewed (http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=20801)

Have a read.

You can also search the forums and read a number of users' insights into each program

[Zack Mahdavi]

I'm a Mac user as well, and personally, I picked PocketMac over The Missing Sync. For one, PocketMac has a downloadable demo and has a ton of good features.

This article (http://www.pdantic.com/reviews/macs2ppcs.htm) actually does a side-by-side comparison of both programs.