x50v update to wm5 or not?

[oilisab]

the questions is simple as that.
If you guys had (and the ones who already have one) an x50v
would you go for the wm5 update or just stick with wm2003?

If yes why yes and if not why not?
If you install it and you dont like it, can you rollback to wm2003?

I havent made up my mind and i need some help to decide.

thanks guys.

[egads]

I'm in the same boat as you. From looking over what WM5 gives you over WM2003 I can't see any reason to update. The only reason I might do it is so if I wanted to sell my X50v sometime in the near future (I think it would sell better with WM5 on it).

If it was free I'd put it on, $25 I'd buy it, but for $40 I think I'll pass...

[kaitanium]

yea there arent too many advantages for me that are worth upgrading it. but since its coming to me free, ill just do it to say up to date. i dont think you can roll back to wm2003. wm5 reflashes your device and if i remember correctly, dell doesnt give you a wm03 cd

[oilisab]

im getting it for free too but i still have doubts about installing it.

I definitely would hate a sluggish or laggy axim

[Darius Wey]

You've seen the benchmark results, no doubt, and as alarming as they are, it probably won't be THAT laggy in a real-world scenario. That's not to say you won't notice a speed difference between an Axim X50v running Windows Mobile 2003SE and Windows Mobile 5.0, but for day-to-day applications, it's not something you should toss and turn over. You might notice the initial sync of 200 contacts and 500 appointments might take longer than first expected, but each subsequent sync shouldn't slow you down.

I think if you have the opportunity to upgrade to Windows Mobile 5.0, you should, purely because the benefits far outweigh the costs.

The new platform opens up a whole new world for developers to be creating more advanced programs, and at the end of the day, it's you who will benefit since these programs are targeted at you (the consumer). Other key advantages of Windows Mobile 5.0 are Direct3D support (which you will benefit from, thanks to the X50v's 2700G GPU), updates to Office Mobile (particularly to Outlook, Word, and the addition of PowerPoint), speed tweaks to Internet Explorer Mobile, the inclusion of Pocket MSN (for richer integration of MSN services on your Pocket PC), an update to Windows Media Player, persistent storage, and some phone-related enhancements.

I've seen the new platform in action on a number of devices, and I can honestly say that Windows Mobile 5.0 is a huge step above Windows Mobile 2003/2003SE.

[AKAJohnDoe]

I (supposedly) have a WM5 CD arriving in October, having bought my X50V this Summer.

I've been holding off reinstalling to properly place software in BIS. Would you reinstall under WM2003.2 or wait for WM5 at this point?

[Zidane]

Well, in a "real-world" test, I have an x51v and the only time I ever see a lag is when bringing up my PIM data in Pocket Informant (and Alex says that he may have a fix for that in the next build or two). Other than that, I haven't seen a speed difference. But then, on my hx4705, I had everything installed on storage cards, so my comparisons may be a bit scewed.

[egads]

The new platform opens up a whole new world for developers to be creating more advanced programs, and at the end of the day, it's you who will benefit since these programs are targeted at you (the consumer). Other key advantages of Windows Mobile 5.0 are Direct3D support (which you will benefit from, thanks to the X50v's 2700G GPU), updates to Office Mobile (particularly to Outlook, Word, and the addition of PowerPoint), speed tweaks to Internet Explorer Mobile, the inclusion of Pocket MSN (for richer integration of MSN services on your Pocket PC), an update to Windows Media Player, persistent storage, and some phone-related enhancements.

I've seen the new platform in action on a number of devices, and I can honestly say that Windows Mobile 5.0 is a huge step above Windows Mobile 2003/2003SE.

Of all the stuff you listed above the only thing that interests me is the persistent storage. To me the "huge step above WM2003SE" is bloat that I will never use. I use my X50v first and for most as a PIM, and I use it every now and then as a GPS and calculator. I've messed around with email and web browsing but at the screen resolution of the X50v its VERY painfull. Heck, even on a PC running 800x600 its painfull.

Like I said before, if it was free I'd stick it on. Or if I needed WM5 I would just buy a newer/faster device that had it on it.

[Darius Wey]

Of all the stuff you listed above the only thing that interests me is the persistent storage. To me the "huge step above WM2003SE" is bloat that I will never use. I use my X50v first and for most as a PIM, and I use it every now and then as a GPS and calculator. I've messed around with email and web browsing but at the screen resolution of the X50v its VERY painfull. Heck, even on a PC running 800x600 its painfull.

Like I said before, if it was free I'd stick it on. Or if I needed WM5 I would just buy a newer/faster device that had it on it.

Right. It does depend on your needs, of course.

If PIM is your only real use of the X50v, then Windows Mobile 2003SE should still work great (despite Windows Mobile 5.0's enhancements to Outlook). After all, we've happily lived on Windows Mobile 2003/2003SE up until now, and Windows Mobile 5.0 isn't a revolutionary step in the PIM department. Heck, even a Palm Zire would work fine in this case, but let's not go there. ;)

[AKAJohnDoe]

I've decided that the WM5 CD from Dell had better show up, but that timing of arrival is not all that important; I'll wait for WM5.1.

[Darius Wey]

I've decided that the WM5 CD from Dell had better show up, but that timing of arrival is not all that important; I'll wait for WM5.1.

It will (should?) arrive sometime this month. And despite the slight delay, it's a lot better than what other companies are putting their customers through. HP isn't expected to release the upgrade for the hx4700 until Q2 2006. Fujitsu-Siemens, not until January 2006. And some companies like Asus aren't even releasing one. ;)

[AKAJohnDoe]

I've decided that the WM5 CD from Dell had better show up, but that timing of arrival is not all that important; I'll wait for WM5.1.

It will (should?) arrive sometime this month. And despite the slight delay, it's a lot better than what other companies are putting their customers through. HP isn't expected to release the upgrade for the hx4700 until Q2 2006. Fujitsu-Siemens, not until January 2006. And some companies like Asus aren't even releasing one. ;)

Yes. Dell's response is better than other vendors. It remains to be seen if it actually happens on the published time schedule. However, it is still, as you said evolutionary, so unless I find some compelling reason, I will not be applying WM5 immediately.

[Ce]

I think WM2005 is a big step forward after the next "point" release and AFTER most developers have made their software WM2005 compatible. I'm currentely reading too many posts of software that is not yet..or not completely... ready forWM2005. Most of "my critical" software is not yet fully compatible.

[hiatus]

I think i will update, but probably 3-4 months after it releases to the X50v

First, i have to make sure it's not laggy on the X50v, and I gotta let people out there to fix the bugs, new version of programs to support and true VGA!

The PDA is too important for me to work correctly, so i can't take the chance right now.

[MleB]

Lots of 'pros and cons' above.

There's a part of me that says that I should wait and see how the upgrade goes for others (yeah, let them be the guinea pigs - there will always be someone who absolutely has to install the newest software) and see if Dell has ensured that it all goes as planned. Traditionally, as we know, Microsoft OS upgrades have not been without angst.

Meanwhile there is another part of me that would, if nothing else, appreciate a version of Word on my PDA that wasn't a dumbed-down version of WordPad, so that I could actually create and view docs as they were intended - and not have to rely on 3rd Party software to do so.

Further, while one assumes ActiveSync 4 will be included on the disc, we'll all still be stuck with the crappy Outlook 2002 - no upgrade there.

[Darius Wey]

...(yeah, let them be the guinea pigs - there will always be someone who absolutely has to install the newest software) and see if Dell has ensured that it all goes as planned.

Yeah, I guess I'm one of those "latest-and-greatest" nutcases. I'll keep you posted on how the upgrade goes. ;)