Pocket PCs

When the Pocket PCs were first introduced into the market, they received mixed responses, out of which most were cold. Although all the giants of electronic goods started the production of useful Pocket PCs, they failed on numerous occasions. During the course of years, many renovations and additions have been made and at present, all the manufacturers, more or less, have more than a decent Pocket PC with them to boast about.
HP is one of the companies that need no introduction. It has been producing the finest of electronic goods over the years and has now focused its attention on producing the Pocket PCs. It has announced its latest one, the HP iPAQ 214.

Design:

The HP iPAQ214  is quite big for a PDA device with its dimensions being (W x D x H) 7.54 x 1.75 x 13.39 cm. It is a bit difficult to hold it in one hand for a long time due to its uncomfortable size. It weighs about 190 grams, a very light weighted PDA indeed which is a contrary to its size. It has rounded edges and it looks to be a very high end Pocket PC. HP has managed in making it look very pretty and stylish. The stylus and the reset button are placed on the right side and the voice recorder on the left. The design part of it is almost perfect for a pocket PC, barring the size. It is exceptionally pretty when compared to any other PDA in the market. It is better not to worry about its size as it is not that important. Its design, that looks so professional, overrides this minus.

There are expansion slots for the SDIO cards and the Compact Flash cards. There is also a 24-pin connector and a mini USB interface for the connections and synchronisations. Slot are also available for the microphone and the headset or the headphone jack (both 3 pin and 4 pin).

Display:

The Display is pretty much lucid and on a high note. Its transflective colour TFT screen is good, with 4.0″ (diagonal) display. The screen resolution is 640 x 480 pixels and the colour system is 16 bit, 65k colour. Although the screen is of touchscreen type, it should have had a better feel since the touchscreen is not that soft and it needs stronger presses, at times, for the functioning. But on the whole, the display makes you feel comfortable and is one of the important assets of this PDA.

Features:

The most important features of HP iPAQ 214 are the Bluetooth 2.0 software and the integrated WLAN 802.11 b/g. These are the most instrumental features of any PDA, since they are used mainly by the business professionals and officials.

The shortcuts:
The HP iPAQ 214 Pocket PC has a few features that catch the attention of your eyes. One of the main features is the five way navigation key, that makes multitasking very easy. Especially, when it comes to browsing the web, you can open and then switch between the pages and also at the same time, you can run other programs on the PDA device. The quick start buttons are always of great help. These include the four programmable buttons that are shortcuts to some of the important programs in the PDA and the indicator buttons that give you the indications and alarms for the important messages you receive. There is a shortcut for the connection to the internet. These are, indeed very useful for business professionals.

Software Package from HP:
The software bundle given here is also a very cool feature. This bundle features HP’s exclusive applications such as: The HP iPAQ help support, which has all the information in it to provide the users its features, applications and functionality. There is also the HP QuickStart tour application that helps the new users by giving an outlook of the PDA and its functioning. The HP iPAQ 214 Handheld PDA setup is an application that helps you install the new software required easily and to make your PDA compatible with the new software. The iPAQ wireless manager is also another useful application that helps you in detecting and then connecting to a wireless network easily. The Bluetooth manager is the application that you need for faster synchronisation of your PDA with the other PDAs or any other device that is Bluetooth supported. It also searches for the Bluetooth devices and then connects automatically. The Today Panel Lite is a panel that appears on the screen everyday with all the details of the day and the updates of your PC and the applications that are running and the ones in current use. The HP Mobile Print is essential software that helps you to print your documents easily by connecting to a printer. The ClearVue PDF is a PDF file reader that reads your files and it is easy to use. The software like the HP Enterprise Mobility Agent, the HP Photosmart Mobile, the Certificate Enroller, the Asset viewer and many others are also of a great use and are very unique ones produced by HP.

Other Software:
Software other than that of HP is also included in it. One of the most important ones is the Outlook Mobile that consists of Contacts, calendar, Messaging, and tasks. It also has the software Microsoft office Mobile that consists of Word Mobile, Excel Mobile, and PowerPoint Mobile that are very easy to operate and hence are very important for business purposes. The Internet Explorer Mobile is a browser that is so fast and useful for browsing the internet. The Windows Media player 10 Mobile can play almost all the media file types and is a very good entertainment tool. The File Manager is useful in managing all your files and converting them if necessary. The MSN Messenger helps you be in contact with your dear ones by instant messaging. The Audio recorder records sounds and then stores them in the memory so that they can be played whenever needed. There are also a few games installed in it for entertainment purpose. You can also install any other compatible games by downloading from the internet.

Alarms and Indicators:
Some other small features included in the Hewlett Packard 214 Pocket PC PDA is alarms and indications. There are alarms for battery charging and battery full and also for the activation of Bluetooth and Wireless LAN. Notifications are displayed on the screen with a beep sound and also a visual message. All these features are of very good use and are also very user friendly and unique.

Performance:

The HP iPAQ 214 Handheld PDA is a very good performer. Particularly, when compared to the previous models from HP, this one gives you a decent performance. While many companies in the market have Intel processors, this PDA comes with a new and unique processor, the Marvell PXA 310, with a frequency of 624 MHz. With an internal memory of 128 MB SDRAM and with a 256 MB flash ROM, it can store files in it. The RAM is quick enough to run all the programs in the PDA.  With all the features discussed above, it executes functions with great accuracy. The operating system is the Windows Mobile 6, Classic Edition. The wireless and Bluetooth performances are fine and with minimum errors. Internet facilities are good and ActiveSync is a very valuable tool. The HP Photosmart Mobile plays the pictures and videos.

Overall, the speed of the mobile is very good and the performance is also fine and good enough for business purposes. It is almost equivalent to a mini laptop as it is as useful as a laptop.

Battery:

The battery is a rechargeable and removable 2200 mAh Lithium ion. The battery life may vary depending on the usage and the configuration of the PDA. If the Wireless option is being used, the battery life drops significantly.

An AC adapter of dimensions 1.8 x 2.8 x 1.2 inches is provided for charging purposes. Normally, the input voltage is 100-240 V (50/60 Hz) and the input current is about 0.3 A maximum. The output voltage is about 5 V and the output current is about 2 A.

Warranty:

HP offers a warranty for year for the parts and labour, in most regions of the world. There is also a technical support for software for a period of 90 days from the date of purchase. For this, you need to contact the HP Business Support Centre.

Online Support:

There is also Online Support for the users, through the iPAQ Active Chat support 24×7, the support service through Email, and the online troubleshooting and the self help resources. Depending upon the region, there may or may not be any additional offers.

Verdict:

The HP iPAQ 214 is really a cool gadget to have. The design is very good, and one of the best in the business. It looks like a high end PDA mobile. All the features are fine and useful. The internet connection is easy through the Wi-Fi connection facility and the Bluetooth is fast enough. The overall performance is fine too.  The drawbacks of this PDA are that there is no integrated camera and most importantly, phone facility. While there are many companies providing the telephone facility along with the mobile, HP did not take care about this. However good the PDA is, many people may also want to have a phone to be included in it, instead of carrying a separate one. So, this may cost to HP quite a number of customers. But other than that, this is nearly a perfect partner for businessmen.

HP iPAQ 214 PDA Pocket PC - Technical Specification Table

Manufacturer	HP
Model Name	HP iPAQ 214
Product Type	Personal Digital Assistant (Pocket PC)
Weight	190 grams
Dimensions	(W x D x H) 7.54 x 1.75 x 13.39 cm
Colour	16 bit
Display Type	TFT
Display Size	4.0 inch
Resolution	640 x 480 pixels
LCD brightness	Adjustable
Processor	Marvell PXA 310, 624 MHz
Memory	256 MB Flash ROM, 128 MB SDRAM
Operating System	Windows Mobile 6, Classic Edition
Navigation	Five way navigation key
Expansion Slots	CompactFlash type I/II, SDIO
Infrared	Yes
Synchronization connector	Yes
Audio	Yes
USB interface	Mini USB
Audio controller	Yes
Stereo conversion	Yes
Record	Yes
Wireless Connectivity	Yes
Games included	Bubble Breaker, Solitaire
Applications	Windows Mobile Office Outlook, Windows Mobile Office, Internet Explorer Mobile, File Explorer, Windows Media Player 10, Windows Live Messenger Client, Internet Sharing, Microsoft ActiveSync, Windows Mobile Device Center, Calculator, Picture/Video Viewer. iPAQ Wireless Manager, HP Photosmart Mobile, HP QuickStart Tour, HP iPAQ Tips, ClearVue PDF, Today Panel Lite, Today Panel Lite, Bluetooth Manager, Bluetooth Phone Manager, HP Asset Viewer, HP CertEnroller, iPAQ Audio, Backlight, Charging Applets.
Battery Type	Lithium Polymer
Battery power	2200 mAh
Warranty	1 year

Certain Pocket PCs are heavier and bulkier than handheld computers, such as the Palm series.  Now, advances in technology have made it possible to expect slimmer versions of the PDAs. When one thinks of a PDA, the Dell Axim and the iPAQ come into mind. Acer is a relatively unknown entrant in the Pocket PC segment. It has recently launched the N30 and the N35, the latter comes along with integrated GPRS.

The company’s latest offering, the n30, is a Windows Mobile 2003 for Pocket PC device, which suggests a level of commitment to Microsoft’s handheld OS.

Design:

Sleek and Stylus Navigation:
The N30 Pocket PC has a compact lightweight design which measures (H x W x D) 7.1 x 11.8 x 1.3 cm and weighs a measly 130g.The dimension is much sleeker than the Dell Axim X3i. The casing- a mix of silver and black seems solid and robust. The most noticeable design feature is the absence of a navigation button but the device has a stylus. This new idea seems to be effective as navigation buttons are usually fiddly and small. The stylus is poor- a problem that almost every handheld has.

Buttons and Ports:
Acer has used a minimalist approach in buttons and connectors. There are the application shortcut buttons that lie under the screen in bays, so that they protrude from the base. The scroll wheel is on the left hand side is recessed as far as it can be functionally viable.  Certainly not a gaming phone! The front panel is surrounded by a dark grey frame which makes the large screen look a lot larger. There are 2 LED indicators at the top. One indicates state of charging etc. and the other indicates the Bluetooth activity.

On the top of the Acer N30 Bluetooth Pocket PC is a SD Card Slot and on the bottom side there are the soft and hard reset tools, at the left and right of the docking connector. The speaker on the device delivers surprisingly loud sound.

Features:

Connectivity:
The Acer site has referred to the N30 as the “Wireless wonder”.  It neither has 802.11b nor the GPRS and hence the above term is perhaps an over-statement. Bluetooth is available on the phone, which allows you to connect to a suitable equipped mobile phone to be used as a modem.

Processor:
For the N30, Acer has preferred the Samsung’s S3C2410 processor at 266MHz over the Intel series. The same processor is used by HP in its iPAQ H1940. The processor works well, without a hitch.

Software Bundle:
The N30 Handheld PDA comes with a pre-installed Windows Mobile 2003 for Pocket PC Premium Edition Operating System, which means it offers all applications from Microsoft, but only for your phone tools. Sadly, unlike the second edition, it does not offer enhanced features like easy screen upgrade. Beside the standard applications and a few applets, Acer provides only the Back Up Restore Utility. That enables you to prevent the loss of date by making it possible to back up everything or just the PIM data to a memory medium. It can also perform a backup when power levels fall below 30 % of total charge and restore data back.

The CD includes basic applications, such as Microsoft Outlook 2002 and ActiveSync 3.7.1, as well as a few bonus applications. Nevertheless, only one of these software (video viewer MpegTV Pocket TV Pro) can be considered as a true bonus because it is a commercial software free of charge.

Memory:
Out of the 64MB available, only 55MB is available for applications and data, whereas most pocket PCs manage to retain all the 64MB for the date and apps. This loss of about 10 MB could be an issue. The SD card lets you add extra memory, but on board memory matters a lot.

Expandability:
The N30 PDA Pocket PC has a USB host, which offers greater expansion possibilities than the SD/MMC Slot. When you connect a USB drive, a new folder called Hard Disk opens up in the Explorer. You can work with this folder like all other folder.  If you want to try using a keyboard and a mouse with your Pocket PC, you will have to search for its drivers and download them. The SD/MMC slot allows you to connect an SDIO camera to the model. The card tends to stick out like in its predecessor the N10 and hence, prone to accidental ejection. The Bluetooth module makes it easier to connect to either GPS or any other BT enabled device.

Performance:

Acer N30 is slower than PocketPCs with a 400MHz processor but if you are downgrading from a more powerful device, the difference goes un-noticeable. The MPEG video playback is seamless and the excellent display makes it even more exciting. The Windows Media with 250 bitrate is smooth and the 500 kbps video is slightly jerky, however, it is still watchable. The memory card reading speed of the phone is on the slower side. The lack of a conventional keypad makes it impossible to play action games on the N30. Bluetooth worked well and was able to connect to other devices with ease.

Battery Life:

The battery life of the N30, as claimed by Acer, should be around 8 hours. But in reality, when looping music with the screen always on and at half its brightness level delivered a total of 4 hours only. Though most phones do not reach the 4 hour mark, there are handhelds which perform much better. However, the most irksome thing is the lack of a removable battery, which usually enhances its life away from mains power.

Accessories:

The Package contents of Acer N30 includes the device itself, Suede material cover, a brief user manual, CD-ROM, Synchronisation cable and a Charger.

Warranty:

The Acer N30 is provided with a warranty of 2 years from the day of purchase.

Verdict:

The Acer N30 Pocket PC is a slim designed phone with heaps of features. It improves efficiency for professionals and provides very handy applications. With a great LCD screen and clear images, it is good for someone looking for a cheap multi usage PDA. It is powerful enough with 64MB for a range of purposes. There is scope for expanding its memory using the SD/MMC slot. The Bluetooth support of the device is pretty good. It can synchronise wirelessly to a Bluetooth enabled device and allows you to access the Internet through your phone. Its lack of Wi-Fi and a scroll key will certainly affect its sales. But if you want something unique and at a cheap rate, the Acer N30 is a good choice.

Check 2010 Latest Pocket PCs and Fujitsu Siemens Pocket PC Models in this website.

Acer N30 Pocket PC - Technical Specification Table

Manufacturer	Acer
Model Name	Acer N30 Pocket PC
Display type	TFT
Display size	3.5 inch
Native resolution	240 x 320 pixels
Colour depth	16 bits (64k colours)
Dimensions (WxHxD)	7.1 x 1.2 x 11.8 cm
Weight	130 g
Touch screen	Yes
Stylus	Yes
Operating system	Windows Mobile 2003 for Pocket PC
Synchronisation software	Active sync
Desktop software	Outlook
Host PC system requirements	PC with Windows 98/ 98SE/ME/2000/XP
Processor	Samsung S3C2410
Clock speed	266 MHz
Software included	Pocket Outlook, Pocket Word, Pocket Excel, MSN Messenger, Windows Media Player 9.0, Calculator, Pocket Internet Explorer, Games, File Explorer, Microsoft Reader 2.0 for Pocket PC, Pictures, Backup/restore utility, Backlight Control, Power Control, Audio Control, Transcriber, Letter Recognizer, Block Recognizer, Destinator 3
Memory	RAM: 64 MB ROM: 32 MB
Memory expansion	SD/MMC (+SDIO)
Audio input	Microphone
Audio output	Speaker, headphone jack
Wired connections	USB
Battery type	Lithium ion
Claimed battery life	8hrs
Wireless Connectivity	IrDA, Bluetooth
Warranty	2 years

With the advancement in the business sector, the need for PDAs, which are also known as the miniaturised computers, has increased. The advent of PDAs turned out to be successful and hence, many companies tried their luck in producing Pocket PCs. One such company is the Fujitsu-Siemens.

Fujitsu-Siemens has hit the PDA market with its first product, The Pocket Loox 600, realising the needs of business professionals. The company is tagged as one of the very few to use Intel’s latest and the fastest processor for mobile PCs, the X Scale mobile processor. The Loox 600 is especially for the people who are awaiting a very good, stylish and an easily affordable pocket PC.

Design:

The Fujitsu Siemens Loox 600 Pocket PC PDA is sleek and chic, with smooth and rounded corners that give a professional look. It has sleek dimensions of (H x W x D) 3.2″ x 5.2″ x 0.7″ and its 3.5 inch screen is reasonably big with a two-toned colour scheme. Its TFT touch screen is another feature that is not uncommon these days. The 240 x 320 pixel, 16 bit coloured screen is very bright and has good contrast. Added to these, the built-in light sensor adjusts the brightness according to the conditions outside. The display sensitivity to the pen is very good and just a soft touch is enough to finish the job. Its sides are protected with rubber strips to prevent severe damage in case of an accident. Its silver finish, unlike the metallic, does not retain any fingerprints. So, it always looks neat.

The metallic stylus is placed on the right and is engrafted with a spring mechanism that is not fine-tuned and hence its durability is doubted. But that is not a big concern, as it does not happen that often. But if at all the spring comes off, then you must get another one from the Fujitsu stores, and more often than not, they are unavailable. There is a jog dial on the left, for browsing purposes. The most important one is the five-way directional pad, which has a push and hold function and hence, making multitasking very easy.

Features:

Like most others, the Pocket Loox 600 has integrated Bluetooth software that avails you wireless connectivity in the office or within a public –access hotspot. It has a Bluetooth switch that makes sure that the Bluetooth is switched off when not used, which prevents many problems, including draining off of the battery. The Loox is one of the very few models to have a switch mechanism for the Bluetooth software. With this, the Loox can be connected to any other device supported by Bluetooth software. When there is no Bluetooth device, then the conventional methods, such as the USB cable connection method, can be used. The CompactFlash slot allows you to enhance the built-in 64MB RAM. IBM micro drives, which are currently available with a maximum capacity of 1 GB, can be used for CompactFlash. The Loox 600 also features a wireless IrDA, which is slow, but very effective and is especially very useful in the absence of Bluetooth. The wireless feature works better if the connection is with another Loox 600 pocket PC.

Software:

The kit provides you with 3 CDs to install some basic software. The most important one is the Nyditot Virtual Display 3.0, which helps you create a virtual display and thereby enhance the resolution of the Loox 600 up to 2040 x 2080 pixels. The Message Master Mobile Client software from Derdack can manage your contacts, send and receive messages and do a lot more. Westtek ClearVue can help you a lot in displaying the power point presentations and other MS-Office documents like Word, Excel etc. If you feel that your security is at stake, then the F-Secure FileCrypto can cipher your files so there is no problem of leakage of private or confidential data even if the PDA is lost. The Space2go Organiser software is very unique that, it stores data on a web server and then can recover the data again from anywhere.

Applications:

One of the best applications the Loox 600 has is the FSC SpeedMenu that can launch many applications at a time and can switch between them. The scroll button makes it easier to handle and operate the Loox 600 with one hand. Another important application is the LX-Backup which can backup your files and data securely into a memory card. Few other applets are the plug-on module status that shows you the modules you are using at present and their current status, the processor clock adjustment, which permits you to adjust yourself, the speed of the processor, backlight control that allows you set the percentage of backlight depending on the outside light conditions, and the extra skin for the screen, that features on the “Today’s” screen. The KSE-TrueFax is a very important tool for sending and receiving fax messages, which is the key factor in the repertoire of any businessman. They are very utile anywhere and at anytime. It serves as a quick tool when you are on the job.

Performance:

With the built-in 400MHz version of the X Scale chip, which is the latest, and with the Intel PXA250 processor, the Loox 600 works very fast. Also with 32MB of ROM and 64MB of RAM it is easy to store data and run programs at a good pace. A Compact Flash slot of Type II is provided for faster running and an SD card is rendered for the storage of data but it does not support SDIO. The Loox 600 can be expanded by plug-on modules, which are add-ons that enhance its performance to a greater extent. The virtual memory, which can be obtained by these add-ons, helps the Loox 600 increase its performance and reduces the extra pressure on the RAM itself.

Accessories:

A USB cable connector and a Cradle are included in the set. The cable is detachable and it can easily be connected to any personal computer for data transfer, and the cradle is strong and mobile. The set also features a two-part power cable with plugs for both Europe and the UK. It also has a safety bag that can prevent scratches and small damages. The bag also prevents accidental opening. A Headphone jack and the Headphones are also featured in the kit. A triad of CDs is also in the kit that helps you install some software. Sadly, there is no such facility as microphone recording in the Loox 600. It can play music files, but only mp3, but not wma files, which is another software gimmick.

Battery:

The Fujitsu Siemens Pockt Loox 600 PDA Pocket PC claims theoretically, a maximum of 12 hours of battery usage, which, as a matter of fact, is neither amazingly great nor that competitive when compared to the battery lives of the other brands in the market. But when tested by using different methods, the 1520mAh Lithium polymer battery gave a life of about three and a half hours, which is just on par with its counterparts. When in the standby mode, the battery of the Loox 600 lasted a bit longer. If you are not satisfied with the battery performance, then you can always add another battery, which is of the same kind, to increase the battery life or the performance.

Warranty:

Fujitsu Siemens offers its Loox 600 a limited warranty of just 6 months.

Verdict:

The Fujitsu Pocket Loox 600 is very affordable and modish. Not only it looks pretty in your hand, but also it works smart. It has an array of unprecedented applications and software that ease your work. It may not be regarded as a High end pocket PC in its ilk, but it has maintained a great balance between its features and serviceability. It may be a tad low on the battery life and yes, it does not support SDIO, but the wireless connectivity and the processor speed are satisfactory. It scores over its similitude when it comes to the cost. The expandable memory and the display, both normal and virtual, are very distinctive features. The processor is really good and the add-ons and the expandability only add to the quality of the Loox 600. It is a great boon for businessmen and a good pocket PC to help you when you are on the move. The warranty period is only 6 months while many others are offering a warranty period of 1 year. This is certainly going to cost Fujitsu a substantial amount of customers.

Fujitsu Pocket LOOX 600 Pocket PC - Technical Specification Details

Manufacturer	Fujitsu-Siemens
Model Name	Pocket Loox 600
Product Type	Personal Digital Assistant (Pocket PC)
Form factor	Slide
Dimensions (W x H x D) mm	132 x 82 x 17
Colour	16 bit
Display Type	TFT
Display Size	3.5 inch
Resolution	240 x 320 pixel
LCD brightness	Automatic
Processor	Intel PXA250 (400 MHz)
Memory	32 MB Flash ROM, 64 MB SDRAM
Operating System	Windows Mobile Pocket PC 2002
Navigation	Jog Dial
Expansion Slots	CompactFlash type I/II
Infrared	Yes
Synchronization connector	Yes
Audio	Yes
Supported Digital Audio Formats	Mp3 (“wma” not supported)
Audio controller	Yes
Stereo conversion	Yes
Record	Yes
Wireless Connectivity	Yes
Games included	Yes
Applications	Fujitsu Siemens SpeedMenu; Plugfree (Bluetooth software); Pocket Outlook; Pocket Word; Pocket Excel; Calculator; Terminal Services Client; MSN Messenger; Windows Media Player; Transcriber; Pocket Internet Explorer; Microsoft Reader 2.0; Voice Recorder
Battery Type	Lithium Polymer
Battery life	12 Hours
Warranty	6 Months

Dell Axim X50v Pocket PC with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth

Overview:

Pros:

• Large VGA Display
• Great graphics
• Windows Media Player 10.0 Mobile
• Fast processor and ample memory
• Gaming Bundle included
• Integrated Wi-Fi and Bluetooth
• Sleek design
• User-replaceable battery.

Cons:

• Heavy
• Small navigation toggle
• Lacklustre software bundle
• Performance needs to be improved

Review:

As we all know, Dell is a multinational company that is world renowned for its high end computers and notebooks. In 2002, Dell entered the personal digital assistant (PDA) world with the release of Windows Mobile powered pocket PC devices. The first model was called Dell Axim X5. Over the years Dell has come up with smart PDA devices such as X5, X3, X30, X50 and X51.
Dell hit a grand slam in the world of PDAs with its X30 series, offering professionals a well-connected and powerful device at a very affordable price. With the release of the X50 series, the Texas-based company has proved itself to deserve a high ranking in the electronic world. The Axim X50 sports a 520MHz processor, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and the very latest Windows Media Player 10.0 Mobile. The Axim X50 series of Pocket PCs offer design, expandability, value, performance, functionality, and a new factor: elegance. In this review, we will be talking about the design aspects of the product and compare it with its competitors. Towards the end of the review, you will know for sure, as to whether this product is worth your hard earned money.

The Axim X50 series comes in three flavours: Axim X50 entry level, Axim X50 mid level and Axim X50 v, each with its own advantages and obviously differences in specifications.

Axim X50 entry level:

Axim X50 entry level model comes with a 416 MHz Intel PX A 270 processor, the graphics solution that is included is Intel PX A 270 processor with WMMX extensions. It has a 3.5 inch QVGA display and 64 MB Strata Flash ROM memory or a 64 MB SDRAM chip as a memory module. For the sake of connectivity, it has Bluetooth and Wireless. Unfortunately, there are no games included in the PDA.

Axim X50 mid level:

Axim X50 mid level model comes with a 520 MHz Intel PX A 270 processor. The graphics solution that is included is Intel PX A 270 processor with WMMX extensions. It has a 3.5 inch QVGA display and 128 MB Strata Flash ROM memory (double that of Axim X50 entry level PDA) or a 64 MB SDRAM chip as a memory module. Its wireless technology is based on 802.11b Wi Fi and Bluetooth 1.2 wireless technology protocols. Just like the Axim X50 entry level PDA, there are no games included in the package.

Axim X50v:

Axim X50v comes with a 624 MHz Intel PX A 270 processor, the graphics solution that is included is a 16 MB Intel 2700 G multimedia accelerator processor. It has a 3.7 inch VGA display and 128 MB Strata Flash ROM memory or a 64 MB SDRAM chip as a memory module. Its wireless technology is based on 802.11b Wi Fi and Bluetooth 1.2 wireless technology protocols. The games that are included in the bundle are Enigmo and Stuntcar Extreme. We will discuss about each of its specific features in detail in the following review.

Design:

With the latest X50v Pocket PC, Dell has chosen a different form of design; it is now softer and gentler. We were not big fans of the squarish designs of the Axim X30, making it look like a drab and utilitarian model. So, the design change adopted by Dell is most welcome, especially its smoother, rounded edges and attractive silver and black casing. The device has a very solid built and the rubberised sides make the device more comfortable to hold on to.

The 3.7″ VGA screen:
The large 3.7″ VGA screen has a resolution of 480 x 640 with vibrant colours and pitch perfect brightness. The VGA screen allows greater details to be displayed in a very effective manner and hence can reduce the font size on screen. To compensate this, the font size settings can be altered accordingly. Depending on ambient lighting, the intensity of brightness can also be adjusted for optimal viewing.

Dimensions:
Dell has managed to create not much difference in the three variants of the Dell Axim X50, the dimensions of all the three X50s are about the same Length 119 mm, Width 73 mm and Height 16.9 mm. The weight of this magnificent device is 175 grams, a bit too heavy for a PDA. Even though the weight of the PDA is a bit too much compared to its competitors , considering the fact that X50v has a bigger and wider display , the concern about the weight can be put aside. The Dell Axim X50v Pocket PC PDA is also comfortable to hold because of its rounded edges. Using the touch screen and the reset stylus you can enter information into your device.

Stylus:
The stylus is long and slender, and may take some time to get used to. Though, it appears to be so fragile and breakable with its slender silver body and black plastic tips, once you start using it you soon realise that the stylus is far stronger than it looks because the body of the body is made with metal.

Buttons, slots and additional features:
As mentioned before in this review, the Axim X50v has built-in 802.11b wireless to keep you connected on the go. It is a known fact that these wireless capabilities can drain your PDA’s battery even when not in use. Dell has a solution for this issue as well; it makes it very easy to turn ON and OFF the wireless functionality using a shortcut button on the side of the device. To increase the battery savings of the Axim X50V, Dell has also included a display lock button on the side of the device. This is useful when you are carrying the PDA to prevent accidentally powering ON the device during transit. It is also useful if you are watching a movie on the handheld and do not want the screen to be accidentally powered off.

Apart from these buttons, Dell Axim X50V Pocket PC GPS comes with a wide range of other buttons and slots, some of them are mentioned here.

• Infrared sensor: This sensor lets you transfer files from your device to another infrared-compatible device without using cable connections.
• Microphone: Allows you to record audio.
• Memory Card Slots: Compact flash card and secure digital memory card slots- for expand your memory requirements.
• Power button: Press the power button to turn the device on or off. Press and hold the power button to dim the display. Repeat to light the display.

1. When the device is connected to external power and the main battery is fully charged, the power button light is solid green.
2. When the main battery charge is low, the power button light flashes amber.
3. When the battery is being charged, the power button light is solid amber.
4. When the device relays a notification, the power button light rapidly flashes green.

• On/off button for WLAN/Bluetooth: Discussed in the earlier section of this review.
• Home button: Press to launch home or to turn on the device.
• Navigator button: Press the right, left, top, or bottom of the navigator button to move the cursor on the screen. Press the centre to enter a selection.
• Contacts button: Press to launch contacts or to turn on the device.
• Calendar button: Press to launch calendar or to turn on the device.
• Record button: To record a message or an audio clip.
• Lock button: Allows you to lock the device so that the device does not respond to inadvertent pressing of keys.

Features:

Horsepower:
The Dell X50v Handheld PDA is definitely a front runner when it comes to horsepower, thanks to its 624 MHz Intel X Scale PX A270 processor. Currently, the only other PDAs that run on the same processor are the Dell Axim X30 model (QVGA) and HPs iPAQ hx4700. Undoubtedly, the device is fast, but the response time for opening menus and windows is not that great since the device is running at VGA resolution.

RAM:
The Axim X50v unit has 64 MB of RAM, out of which 61.76 MB is user allocatable memory. Apart from that, it has 128 MB of flash ROM, 91.43 MB of which is available as Built-in Storage. Dell always uses Intel Strata Flash memory for flash ROM, which is proven to be much faster than NAND.

Expansion:
For expansion, the Dell offers standard Infra Red (IR), Bluetooth, a CF slot that is compatible with type I and type II cards. Apart from that, the X50V sports an SD slot supporting SDIO and SDIO. All these expansion options make the Axim X50v a versatile and expandable device that will work with GPS, CF cellular cards, presentation, modem and networking cards.

Graphics and Sound:
The Axim X50v Wireless Pocket PC uses the much talked about Intel 2700G graphics processor with 16 MB of RAM. 16 MB of RAM is an impressive amount of video memory for a PDA, and beats out all other PDA models in the market. The graphics processor used in X50v offers 3D acceleration and rendering, while all other PDAs except the gaming oriented “Palm OS Tapwave Zodiac” provides only 2D acceleration. Another notable graphics feature is that it has a fast pipeline between the CPU and graphics processor, meaning lesser delays in graphics processing.

Games:
The X50v comes with two Open GL games that show off the devices 3D performance:  Stuntcar Extreme and the 3D puzzle game Enigmo, both gorgeous looking games.

Built-in Speaker, Microphone and Headphone:
The Dell has great sound and its built-in speaker is good enough to be heard in all environments except for extremely noisy ones. Music and movies sound great through stereo headphones that can be easily plugged into the 3.5 mm headphone jack, and volume is quite good and easily adjustable.  Like most of the other Pocket PCs, the X50v has a microphone and can record voice notes and encourage the wannabe singer in you by letting you record your own music. Dell also includes a control panel for the microphone which lets you use automatic gain control and even set mic gain manually. The mic is located on the top left corner and the speaker is right below the d-pad. Another very useful feature of the X50vWireless PDA is that it uses a standard 3.5mm headphone jack, which works with almost every standard stereo headset and headset mic combo.

Video Playback:
The feature rich X50v did not leave Video playback behind, it is excellent on the device. Videos can be viewed in full screen mode, which is a unique feature of the X50v. It has a codec for the 2700G graphics processor to optimize video performance in WM10, and it shows because the playback feature, even when in full screen mode is impressive.

Software Bundle:

Besides the fact that the Axim X50v is reasonably priced for the hardware you get, Dell has also managed to include an impressive software bundle. The software bundle includes: WLAN (a full-featured WiFi manager), Funk Odyssey VPN client and Resco Picture Viewer. It also provides software for Data Backup which backs up your PDA to a storage card. Besides the very obvious and required software tools, the device also provides us with very cool VGA 3D games Enigmo by Aspyr and Fathammer’s Stuntcar Extreme. Both games look amazing on the Dell PDA and exploit its VGA and 3D capabilities to the very best.

Axim X50v Battery:

The X50v comes with an 1100 mAh Lithium Ion battery which is user replaceable. This 110 mAh battery is just an average capacity battery for a Pocket PC, and proves to be a little low for a 3.7″ display VGA model running at 624 MHz with dual wireless (large displays, wireless networking and fast processors consume lots of power). Battery life is average for the X50V, giving about 3 hours of actual use in average conditions. However, if you need more power, Dell sells an optional 2200 mAh battery, which will obviously increase the battery life of the device and also increase the thickness of the PDA. For people who use wireless to a great extend might want to consider this extended battery or a second standard battery

Efficient battery usage modes in X50v:

We do not require 624 MHz of processor all the time, but we may need longer runtimes while travelling. To help us solve this problem, Dell allows the user to set the CPU speed to Power-Saving (208 MHz), Normal (520MHz), Maximum Performance (624 MHz) or Auto which sets processor speed relative to demand. Auto mode can set the CPU from 104 MHz up to 624 MHz depending on load and gives great performance overall. The Power-Saving mode is way too slow even for PIM lookups and working with Pocket Word documents, but Normal mode is just fine and may get you 15 minutes more out of your battery compared to Maximum performance mode.Like the previous versions of the Dell PDAs, you can charge the unit in its cradle or use the included dongle adapter to plug the charger directly into the PDA.

A Comparison with competitors HP iPAQ and ASUS A730:

Pocket friendliness:
If size is a major concern to you, the ASUS is the smallest VGA Pocket PC money can buy. Dell based Pocket PCs are a hair taller and the HP Pocket PCs are the largest. The HP based iPAQ is the only Pocket PC in this trio that has a magnesium alloy metal casing, while the other two have plastic casings. HP being the largest PDA in the group needs more space to accommodate its 4″ display. It is an accepted fact that Microsoft’s version of VGA does not make things terribly tiny. Hence the screen dimensions may not really matter to you unless you have tired eyes or want to view lots of photos and watch videos very frequently.

Performance Factors:
When it comes to performance, the iPAQ wins without doubt. The Dell Axim is just behind with very close benchmarks. Even though Dell has an amazing amount of video memory for a Pocket PC, the HP iPAQ beats it on graphics benchmarks. All the three PDAs look great for playing games and videos encoded at fairly high bit rates. When it comes to battery life, the iPAQ is a real winner with its standard 1800 mA battery. If you are the kind of person who does a lot of video calls on the move, the ASUS certainly wins since it is the only VGA model with an integrated digi-cam.

Gamers Choice:
Gamers will most probably favour the Dell and ASUS over the iPAQ since its touchpad is not the most responsive or usable for action gaming. When it comes to cost, the ASUS A730 and Dell X50v are less expensive than the iPAQ.

Warranty:

The Dell Axim X50v Pocket PC comes with a limited one year replacement warranty.

Verdict:

The Axim X50v is an excellent offering from Dell at a nice price, considering all the features. What we feel is that the unit should suit power users and those who crave for the VGA experience. The display is amazing; it looks great and provides the user with two awesome games. The design is attractive and ergonomic. Though the battery life is not very impressive for such a powerful device, the Axim X50v can be configured in three power modes to help save battery power. Solid performance and advanced multimedia capabilities make the Dell Axim X50v a suitable PDA for both serious and casual users. All these points put together, we feel that the feature rich Dell Axim X50v it is definitely worth a buy.

Check Compaq Pocket PCs, i-mate Pocket PC Reviews in this website.

Dell Axim X50v Wireless Pocket PC - Specification Details

Manufacturer	Dell
Model Name	Dell Axim X50v
Product Type	Pocket PC
Form factor	Compact
Dimensions (W x H x D) mm	73 x 119 x 16.9
Colour	Black
Display Type	QVGA, VGA TFT Color 16-bit, touch-sensitive, transflective display
Display Size	QVGA: 3.5 inches VGA: 3.7 inches
Resolution	QVGA: 240 x 320 at 65,536 colours VGA: 480 x 640 at 65,536 colours
LCD brightness	QVGA:100 nits VGA: 80 nits
Processor	Intel XScale PXA270 processor at up to 624 MHz
Memory	RAM: 64-MB SDRAM ROM: 64-MB or 128-MB Intel StrataFlash
Operating System	Microsoft® Windows Mobile™ 2003 Second Edition
Navigation	5-way navigation button
Expansion Slots	one Secure Digital memory card slot supports 1-bit and 4-bit SDIO card one CompactFlash Type II card slot
Infrared	standard v1.2
synchronization connector	36-pin connector
Audio	stereo headphone connector and mono microphone connector
Supported Digital Audio Formats	MP3 , WMA
Audio controller	WM8750L sound chip
Stereo conversion	16-bit stereo; 8.0-, 11.025-, 22.05-, and 44.1-KHz sample rate
Record	full duplex record and playback
Wireless Connectivity	WLAN (802.11b) CF Host interface IEEE 802.11b Network standard Bluetooth wireless technology Wi-Fi certified Software support
Games included	StuntCar extreme , Enigmo
Battery Type	1100-mAh lithium-ion removable, rechargeable battery
Warranty	1 year Limited warranty Replacement