reviews Windows Mobile Pocket PC news, reviews, tips & tricks

Nov 27 Acer n300 Review
Found in: Devices, Pocket PC, Reviews,

Designed for essential productivity, the Acer n300 features a high-brightness 3.7" VGA-quality display, the latest Microsoft® Windows Mobile™ Version 5.0 Software, a powerful processor and convenient wireless connectivity, for fast, versatile mobile computing.
The much-loved VGA baby of the Pocket PC world, the Acer n300, is now live on the Acer web site. An official specs sheet indicates that the device has a Samsung S3C2440 300MHz/400MHz processor, 64MB RAM, 64MB/128MB Flash ROM, a 3.7" VGA (480 x 640) TFT-LCD, an SDIO/SD/MMC slot, USB-Host/Client 1.1, Bluetooth 1.2, 802.11b Wi-Fi (on the high-end model), and Windows Mobile 5.0. No word yet on a release date or price, but it's signs like this that indicate the device will probably be on sale anytime soon.

A high-brightness 3.7" TFT LCD with 480 x 640 VGA resolution presents better clarity in sunlight, and increased screen real estate for greater productivity Microsoft® Windows Mobile™ Version 5.0 Software for Pocket PC Premium Edition delivers advanced multimedia and productivity features Landscape mode enables you to enjoy widescreen movies, or effectively work with spreadsheets and presentations An SD/MMC (SDIO support) slot and USB client/host allow you to conveniently expand functionality

Wireless LAN 802.11b and Bluetooth® 1.2 let you connect to networks or Bluetooth® devices with ease Data is saved to flash memory to safeguard your data against power loss Enduring battery life ensures that the Acer n300 is ready when you need it

Acer's new handheld design sports a slimmer, more contoured look, emanating a professional sophistication and style A plethora of pre-loaded applications make the n300 the perfect tool for every job: ‧Outlook® Mobile ‧Word™ , PowerPoint™ and Excel™ Mobile Acer's International Travelers Warranty (ITW) gives you peace of mind through worldwide technical support

continue reading ...

Share

Mar 18 Acer n311 PDA Review
Found in: Mobile News, PDA, Pocket PC, Reviews,

Acer has definitely cracked the PDA form factor with this compact little device. Measuring a 14mm thick and weighing 135g, it is one of the thinnest and lightest PDAs we have seen, yet it still feels pleasantly solid in the hand. Quality again describes the screen. To start with, it's large, dominating the surface area of the PDA, and with a 480 x 640 resolution and a bright backlight photos look superb.

The Acer n311 is based on Samsung S3C2440 processor which runs at 400 MHz. Acer n311 features 64 MB RAM and it offers 128 MB ROM. It features also Bluetooth 1.2 and has built-in Wi-Fi 802.11b connectivity.

Acer n311 runs Windows Mobile 5.0 operating system and has SDIO capable SD/MMC card expansion slots, as well as USB 1.0 with Host support for transferring data from compatible devices such as portable hard drives or digital cameras.

This Acer's PDA features the full line-up of software available from Microsoft for the platform, including the newly overhauled Office Mobile suite comprised of Excel, PowerPoint and Word Mobile plus Outlook 2002 for your PC. Also present is Windows Media Player 10 Mobile. Acer has also chosen to bundle Pocket TV Enterprise Edition, an application for playing back MPEG1 encoded video content.

Information concerning the expected availability and pricing of the Acer n311 was not available at this time.

continue reading ...

Share

Mar 30 Agenda Fusion 7.85 for Pocket PC quick Review
Found in: Software, Pocket PC, Reviews,

As one the most popular information management solution for your Pocket PC, Agenda Fusion is a comprehensive suite of applications designed to replace the built-in appointments, tasks, notes and contacts tools on your Pocket PC. Agenda Fusion 7.85 manage your time, contacts, tasks, notes and now projects easier than its previous version.

Agenda Fusion 7.85 has a Calendar view that features different views, including Today, Hourly Day, Hourly Week, Week, Agenda, Month, and Year, and you can jump from view to view via a drop down menu. The interface seems straightforward enough, although some screens looks like they were trying to pack a bit too much functionality in, making some elements of the interface a little confusing at first.

Contacts view in this Agenda Fusion have a few extras, including a preview pane at the top and the ability to attach a mugshot to any specific contact, but it is not vast improvement of Pocket Outlook as it was expected. Contacts could also be associated with appointments, tasks, and documents via the Linking feature, with category icons offering quick visual cues.

In the Notes option you can organise your notes and alarm notes in a split screen view, with a preview at the top and a folder view below. Agenda Fusion 7.85 has also a handy Alarm notes feature that takes care of quick notes or voice recordings that can be set to pop-up at any time as a reminder.

Nice tool that Agenda Fusion offers is integrated project management tool, which lets you organise contacts, tasks, notes, appointments and documents into Projects with the ability to track time and create reports. The projects can also be linked together to create a larger project, making it easy to track individual phases.

Just like Pocket Informant, there's a baffling array of customisation choices available like colours, fonts, displays, backgrounds, working days, categories.

Agenda Fusion 7.85 has trial and full versions that can be downloaded from here.

continue reading ...

Share

Nov 17 Android-powered G1 get mixed reviews in the Philippines
Found in: android, reviews, google,

The T-Mobile G1 has reached the Philippines, albeit informally, and two tech bloggers have shared their initial views to Filipinos.
continue reading ...

Share

Jan 06 AnexTEK moboDA 3360 PocketPCPhone Review
Found in: Devices, Smartphone, Reviews,

Hot from Taiwan, hot on specs and hot in performance: the new AnexTEK moboDA 3360 PocketPCPhone. And, for a change, the English-speaking world is to get this phone before Asia does! This latest incarnation from the Wistron company is a far cry from its earlier SP230 model for which we had the scoop review last year. With Windows Mobile 5.0 running on a 520 MHz XScale PXA272 and all the connectivity you’d want plus a 1.3 MP camera this would be a serious contender if you’re looking for an all-in-one device. How does it perform, how does it feel and how is the quality of the phone, the camera and the PDA?

Sizing up the 3360

The initial announcements of the new AnexTEK phone, some months ago, gave the impression the 3360 was a rather large device so I was prepared for something akin to my very first mobile phone, weighing in at a pants-pulling 2 kilos or so…
I was pleasantly surprised how well the device looked and felt in my hand.
Of course it is a rather large phone at 123 x 61.5 x 23 cm but at the same time it’s also a rather small PDA.
My iPAQ 4700 is longer and wider but the moboDA certainly is a bit thicker than your average Nokia or PDA.
Personally, I like a phone that’s a bit longer and feels a bit more substantial than most phones on offer and I love the larger keys that come with it.
This makes it more of a “blokes” phone rather than one that the ladies would be enamoured with.
Could the phone have been a tad smaller?
Sure, but you’d also miss out on some valuable display area.
aving been used to the magnificent 4” VGA screen of my iPAQ, I’m spoiled.
Does the 2.8” 65,536-color TFT (240x320 cm) disappoint?
Certainly not! The display area is quite sufficient for most tasks. Any smaller would have taken away from the PPC functionality; any larger would have become unwieldy and uncomfortable for a phone. I would say they’ve struck a happy medium here.
How heavy does it feel? It weighs 150 g (including 30g for the 1300 mAh LiON battery).
Compare that to my iPAQ 4700, which I do not consider a “brick” – yet it weighs in at 187 grams! Overall, the “feel” of the 3360 is great.

A Pleasant Surprise

Two things surprised me pleasantly: in the box was an Australian power cord, indicating that AnexTEK are serious about servicing our continent in addition to the rest of the English-speaking world, and in the box there was also a belt carry case.

I had been wondering about the need to get a pouch of some sort to protect the touch screen and thought that no-one (not even Piel Frama) would already have the right size carry case. With great foresight, AnexTEK provided a simple but quite adequate case so that you can have the 3360 on your belt.

What else was in the box?

Everything you’d expect for a device like this including a massive and well-written manual.
However, there’s no cradle for it as you might expect with a PDA but then again, this is primarily a phone…
When you do recharge it from mains you need quite a setup: see the accompanying photo.
Perhaps a car charger would have been handy or the ability to recharge from a USB port.



Connectivity Plus

First off, the GSM is Tri-band (GSM900/1800/1900) with GPRS class 10.
Wi-Fi is the standard 802.11b/g (AnexTEK emphasises the low-energy consumption of the device), Bluetooth version 1.2 as well as infrared.
A bit peculiar is the Wireless Control menu where there is a box to tick that says: “Insert/Remove Wireless Card”.
It sounds like you’d have to physically insert a Wi-Fi card but that’s not the case.
Perhaps this is a standard WM5 menu that caters also for devices without built-in Wi-Fi.
If that’s the case they may want to change the spelling of “Wirless”…
What I will miss is the FM radio on my Nokia but if you’re within Wi-Fi range you might try one of the Radio applications that are available from different vendors.

Phone Functions

Initial calls made on the moboDA were very clear and dialling via the touch screen or the numeric keypad was very comfortable.
Ring tones were fairly limited but that’s no problem of course.
There were a half dozen ring types but my favourite was missing: vibrating AND ascending volume…
I haven’t fully checked out the claimed Talk Time of 4 hours but it seems reasonable.
Standby time is said to be 150 hours.
Our next report will also include endurance figures for using the 3360 in primarily PDA mode.

PDA Functions

The display is large for a phone and still practical for PDA use.
It’s not VGA sharp but quite good for daily use.
One peculiar thing is that the brightness keeps on defaulting to medium bright, even though I set it to full bright several times…
Most important is also the built-in memory: 64MB of RAM and 192MB flash ROM.
This is quite adequate for the moment and again, fairly standard for today’s Smartphone or PDA.
I’m a strong fan of the added functionality of the new Windows Mobile 5.0 operating system.
It’s pleasing that AnexTEK waited to bring out the 3360 with this OS, unlike some other players that are dropping devices this month with still the old and dated Windows Mobile 2003.
So now you’ll have the pleasure of using Excel Mobile, Word Mobile and PowerPoint Mobile plus Windows Media Player 10.
Here’s some alphabet soup for the audio/videophiles: the 3360 has support for MP3, WMA, WMV, MP4, H263, H264, MIDI, WAV, AAC, AMR, 3GP and AVI.

Camera Functions
The moboDA 3360 has a (by now fairly standard) 1.3MP camera with a “flash”, capable of taking video. The quality of the camera is not bad but if you take pride in your photographic endeavours, you’ll tote a proper camera along as well.
Easy to use? Very.

Battery Life

We’ve done some extensive testing initially with different scenario’s. We then followed it up by using Spb benchmarks.
You have to remember that you can’t really compare battery life with that of a normal phone. The PDA functions and particularly having the screen brightness turned up fully (which is my preference), plus having the Wi-Fi and Bluetooth radios on, will sap the juice out of the moboDA at a prodigious rate. I got two hours out of the unit in that configuration. And I had not made any phone calls yet!
Obviously, that is an extreme situation. If you don’t use Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, the time more than doubles to 4 hrs 15 minutes. Have the screen on half bright and you’ll get 12 hrs out of it.
Normally, you’d have the screen turned off most of the time which makes it dramatically better. On the other hand, when you figure in calls made and received, it balances to just a normal work day, which is the best we can expect.
The manual gives the following figures:
Talk time: up to 3 hrs
Standby time: up to 100 hrs
Typical PDA use only: up to 12 hrs.
Data time: up to 5 hrs (I presume they mean GPRS or WiFi use here …)

Other aspects

GPS ??

One of the features I noticed in the Windows Mobile OS is a GPS symbol on the Settings/System screen which is for configuring any Bluetooth or SD receiver. The manual does say: “Built-in GPS receiver” but no matter how hard I looked there is no built-in GPS. I also checked this with the manufacturer and they have now updated their manual. It would have been nice…

Backlit Keys

Didn’t mention it last time but the symbols and numbers on the 3360 light up nicely when you press the buttons. Compared to the earlier model, the SP230, the moboDA has an abundance of hardware buttons to launch programs. It even has two soft key buttons to respond to the context-sensitive choices on the bottom of the screen. It looks like the moboDA 3360 started life as the much anticipated SP300 as I found a few references to that model on the unit…

Back Up facility

Strangely enough, there's no backup facility in the OS. I've been caught out more than one-time when the battery had completely drained and I had to start all over again. Despite the presence of persistent storage in the new operating system, I would not want to be without a good backup system. Fortunately, there are plenty of good backup software programs out there.

Locking the unit

One of the ways to prevent the units from draining power is to be able to switch it off completely. The AnexTEK moboDA 3360 PocketPCPhone can be locked by a simple tap on the screen. Unlocking it is a two tap process. It would have been handier to have had a physical button that you can slide to perform the Lock function. I have noticed that, when you put the phone back in its pouch, you can't help but press one or several buttons that reactivate the screen, even though it is locked. Battery life will be longer if you can physically force the phone into lock mode.

ROM change

I also went through a ROM change without any problems even though the changes were minor.

Conclusion and Recommendation

There’s a lot to like in the AnexTEK moboDA 3360 PocketPCPhone. It’s a state-of-the-art converged device that looks like a phone, not like a PDA. That means the ergonomics of holding the unit are better. The integrated keypad makes it easy to use it for its primary function as a phone. Similarly, the on-screen dialing keypad is also very easy to work without a stylus.

The main areas for room for improvement revolve around easier recharging and a much sturdier build. The phone, particularly the black version which I also reviewed, smudges very easily and looks rather plasticky. Like I mentioned before, this is a phone that should be treated like a PDA rather than being chucked into your pocket to fight it out with your keys. If treated properly it will have a long life.

The moboDA 3360 is highly recommended if you like the form factor and all the features it has to offer. Just be aware that with the additional features battery life can be quite a bit shorter compared to a normal phone. The PDA features are all there but on a smaller screen. The two main areas of concern that I mentioned above can easily be rectified in a subsequent model. I don't think we will have to wait that long before AnexTEK will bring out the new models. In the meantime of the moboDA 3360 provides excellent capabilities in an all-in-one solution.

continue reading ...

Share

Jan 21 Astraware Sudoku Detailed Review
Found in: Games, Pocket PC, Reviews,

Sudoku is a logical puzzle game, originally created in puzzle books and then made available in countless newspapers worldwide. The grid is 9 cells high by 9 cells wide and within the grid are 9 boxes each featuring 9 cells. The object is to fill in the numbers 1-9 in each row, column and box, but they must only appear in each one once. Astraware Sudoku is suitable for players of all abilities and features include 6 levels of difficulty, pencilmarks in a choice of styles, optional completion and tracking of pencilmarks, a unique and innovative notepad which enables players to make handwritten notes and sketches overlaid upon the grid, and an advanced hint system to assist you by highlighting areas where progress can be made without giving away the answer.

Installation: Installation was a breeze. I was able to install to my trusty SD card. It requires either Windows Mobile 2003SE+, Smart Phone 2002+, and roughly 1.09 megs for the Pocket Pc version I tested out. Very slim requirements.

Presentation: Let’s start with the good. Astraware’s version has a warm feeling to its look. What I mean by that is it uses lighter colors, which I prefer over the dark colors that Pocket Adventure’s Sudoku uses. I also like the flow to the design. It loads quickly and doesn’t seem like its trying to chug along like Mastersoft’s version does. It seems very lightweight and very responsive.

It has the great idea of allowing different users. So, if more than one person uses the Pocket PC, you can track individual stats which are very nice. I’m not sure how many people would use this, since no one is allowed to touch my Pocket PC ?



Astraware offers 6 different levels of difficulty. I find that each level is spaced out appropriately. It tackles the puzzles in different ways. It has a default amount of built-in puzzles, it has a puzzle generator and it also has a puzzle of the day. Puzzle of the day connects you to Astraware where you can download a puzzle of the day to try to beat. Kind of a cute feature. What is really cool about this feature is it allows you to solve it and upload your time to a website to compare against others. We all know a little competition is a good thing.



One thing that Astraware does that blows the other two out of the water is it has a tutorial system. Instead of just having a help document that explains how to play the game, it takes you step by step on how to play and beat a puzzle. This would have helped me not get so frustrated when I made my first attempt at a game. Not only does it have a beautiful tutorial system, it has a dedicated website, http://www.sudokuoftheday.com/, which has techniques and step by step directions on how to solve a puzzle of the day. On a side note, they also offer free sudoku to your inbox and a syndication for website and blogs.



The one thing is does lack in presentation is the type of sudokus available, like Mastersoft’s flowers and colors, and the skins to change the look. It has one default look to it. However, I like the look, so I personally do not mind.

It also does not have music, unfortunately, and the sounds effects did not thrill me either. But this is a minor quibble. Also, there is no battery meter, which would be nice since the game takes up the whole screen.

Game play: The game plays very similar to that of Pocket Adventures version. When clicking a square, the cross rows highlight. You then have pencil numbers along the bottom row, and real numbers down the right side column. The numbers are nice and big and the colors are different enough to let you easily see which numbers you filled in and which were there by default.



The game has an odd feature that allows you to toggle to a draw mode. Here you are able to write on the touch screen by hand. You can even draw shapes. I am really not sure what this would be useful for. Maybe if someone calls while your are playing you can jot something down quickly without having to leave the game?



One thing the game lacks is a scoring system and a timer. There is definitely room along the top to add a timer and your current score. That’s one thing I would really like to see in this game. It would also be cool to sync your score and times online and hold a ladder of some sort. That way players from around the world can compete against each other for the best score. Maybe they could hold competitions for prizes or something similar. That would be neat.

I like the hint system in this game. It is simple and to the point. You can set it up to display a red number if you have incorrectly entered a number or forbid you from even putting the number there. It also has an auto fill pencil mark, which will fill in all the possible numbers in pencil, according to the numbers on the board. It also has an undo option, but it is not as advanced as Mastersofts. In my opinion, these hints are really all you need to help you out everyone once in awhile. More options might just bloat the feeling of the game.

Probably the most annoying thing about the game is the ability not to have the backlight turn off. We all have our backlights set to default off after a certain amount of time on battery to help save power. The other two games allow you to override this while playing the game, Astraware unfortunately did not.

Conclusion: This is another solid Sudoku game. The bright and cheery feel to the game, the fast loading and responsiveness of the game is pleasant, and the puzzle of the day and help features make this a top notch release. To make it the king of all Sudokus, it would need a few minor additions that the other games offer.

Pros: bright, cheery environment, fast loading and lightweight footprint, GREAT tutorial and help documents, very ease and fun to use
Cons: No music, uninspiring sound effects, no timer or scoring system, and no option to keep backlight on at all times

Final Score: 4.5 out of 5

Availability Astraware Sudoku at MobileTopSoft

continue reading ...

Share

Oct 08 Asus A730W Review
Found in: Devices, ASUS, Pocket PC, Reviews,


The A730W suffers from a certain amount of 'too little, too late' syndrome. When it was announced, no other PocketPC on the market had dual wireless radios and a VGA screen. In the time between when it was supposed to come out and now, four other PocketPCs have come out with dual slots, dual wireless radios, and VGA screens: the iPaq hx4700, Dell Axim X50v, Toshiba e830, and Fujitsu Loox 720. The A730W offers nothing that one or more of these models don't already do, and often do better, faster, and cheaper.Power users rejoice: the feature-packed A730W has every feature you can pack into a Pocket PC except a mobile phone. This VGA device has WiFi, Bluetooth, a 520MHz XScale processor, 1.3 megapixel camera, dual expansion slots and a user replaceable battery. Impressive. Does this top of the line ASUS live up to its feature set? Read on!
continue reading ...

Share

Nov 22 BlackBerry 7105t Smartphone Review
Found in: Devices, Reviews, BlackBerry,

BlackBerry Latest News about BlackBerry 7105t smartphone Latest News about smartphone is among the first handsets from the company to incorporate the new push-based e-mail service for Yahoo Latest News about Yahoo Mail users. Released for T-Mobile Latest News about T-Mobile, the 7105t features a slimmed-down size that looks more like a conventional cellular phone than earlier BlackBerry units. The handset's new look is the result of a major RIM design change to achieve a balance between the larger, full-blown Qwerty-style thumb-pads of previous BlackBerry models and the standard keypads found on mostmobile phones Latest News about mobile phones.
The abbreviated 20-key layout, backlit textured and contoured for maximum tactile effect, works in tandem with RIM's SureType predictive text software to deliver effective text entry that echoes the familiar Qwerty order. Moreover, the new handset incorporates several notable design improvements, such as a scratch-resistant screen as well as larger "send" and "end" keys.
Measuring 4.7 x 2.3 x 0.8 inches and tipping the scales at 4.2 ounces, the new BlackBerry 7105t quad-band phone boasts support forBluetooth Latest News about Bluetooth, a speakerphone, password protection, and a keyboard lock.
On the software side, the new handset supports e-mail, text messaging, instant messaging Latest News about instant messaging, as well as Web browsing. Customers in business settings will appreciate the fact that the 7105t works well with RIM's BlackBerry Enterprise Server, which pushes business e-mail out to mobile workers.
The handset's removable lithium battery Latest News about Batteries, which delivers up to four hours of talk time or eight days in standby mode, can be swapped for a fully charged backup whenever necessary.
Although the handset offers the requisite quad-band network support for enabling international roaming between North America, Europe, and Asia Pacific, the device lacks the ability to connect through the higher speed EDGE networks. In addition, the device's Bluetooth connectivity options are limited to the use of awireless Latest News about wireless headset.
The 7105t sports a mere 32 MB of flash memory and 4 MB of SDRAM. There is no expansion card slot. By contrast, competing smartphones now offer 64 MB or even 128 MB of flash memory as well as expansion slots.
Prospective buyers who need push e-mail capabilities might be better off buying a BlackBerry 8700, RIM's first smartphone with "Intel inside." It offers twice the amount of memory, together with a larger screen and a full Qwerty-style keyboard. But the 8700 also costs an extra $100.
The BlackBerry 7105t costs $199.99 after a mail-in rebate and is currently only available through T-Mobile.
Research In Motion BlackBerry 7105t
Specs: Abbreviated Qwerty-style keypad; 32 MB of flash memory; 4 MB of SDRAM; Bluetooth radio; speakerphone.
Pros: A svelte form factor with scratch-resistant screen and good tactile feedback.
Cons: Limited onboard memory; no expansion card slot; data speeds limited to GSM/GPRS.
Verdict: The BlackBerry 7105t is an acceptable choice for buyers looking for a slim and trim handset that can place calls as well as send and receive e-mail. However, the BlackBerry 8700 might be the better choice for those looking for a more capable processor and more memory.
continue reading ...

Share

Dec 12 Compaq iPAQ 3835 Pocket PC Review
Found in: Devices, iPAQ, Pocket PC, Reviews,

Still powerful and expandable pocket PC, the Microsoft Windows-powered iPAQ Pocket PC 3835 takes Compaq's award-winning handheld to new extremes. Combine the longest battery life and fastest processor available with massive memory speeds and unprecedented storage capacity to take advantage of a wealth of new features. With thousands of available applications, a standard secure digital slot for internal upgrades and a number of external expansion pack options like wireless connectivity, there's no telling how far it'll take you.

The 3835 is driven by Intel's fast StrongARM processor, which runs at 206 MHz, and is outfitted with a healthy 64 MB RAM. The Pocket PC 2002 OS itself is stored on the 32 MB flash ROM, so you should be able to easily install OS updates as they come along. The screen quality is superb and can show over 65,000 colors--a greater color depth than the 3765. Most hardware expansion is provided via an optional CompactFlash expansion jacket, with CF cards and modules from previous iPAQs largely compatible with the iPAQ 3835. Note, however, that this does not carry through to hardware add-ons that use the docking port (such as keyboards), as the connector on the 3835 is different than on the 3635 or 3765.

Additionally, there is now a built-in expansion slot onboard that enables you to add both software and hardware to the iPAQ without the need for the CF expansion jacket. This slot is compatible with both Secure Digital (SD) and MultiMediaCard (MMC) memory cards. The iPAQ's design and build quality are superb; this is still the best-looking Pocket PC around. The docking station is both USB and serial--this "one size fits all" approach is intelligent and user friendly. Data input has also been improved, including the ability to register more than one button press at a time, making speedy gaming possible as some light relief from all the serious work you can set the device to.

Overall, Compaq's new iPAQ 3835 beats the rest for looks and performance. The built-in SD/MMC expansion card slot is a plus, and the iPAQ becomes an even more powerful productivity machine with the addition of the optional CompactFlash jacket

Work hard, but play hard, too. The iPAQ 3835 can play digital audio files (both MP3 and WMA) using the Windows Media Player software. It's also compatible with audible.com files, for listening to audiobooks, radio broadcasts, and more. You also get the Microsoft Reader e-book software. Other highlights include a microphone and a speaker as well as an audio-in jack. The iPAQ 3835 features an infrared port for wireless data transfer. It uses five buttons and a five-way joystick. The iPAQ connects to either USB or serial ports. The iPAQ allows you to input data in your own handwriting, by soft keyboard, or by voice recorder. Both audible and visual alarms alert you to a scheduled event.

Pros:
* Expansion card slot for SD and MMC cards
* Fast processor and good amount of onboard memory
* Bright screen with great color depth
* Latest Microsoft operating system--Pocket PC 2002
Cons:
* Use of CompactFlash cards requires optional expansion jacket

You can buy this device here :

continue reading ...

Share

Dec 12 Dell Axim X5 Review
Found in: Devices, Pocket PC, Reviews,

Dell Axim X5 covers two versions - Entry and Advanced. They look identical, and differ in the CPUs (300 and 400 MHz) and RAM size (32 and 64 MB).The package of the Advanced model includes a stylus, a cradle the interface of which can be chosen (COM or USB), a special protection case, a user guide and a CD with Activesync 3.5, Outlook 2000 and some other programs. The weight (196 g) and dimensions (128x81x18 mm) let call it a pocket-type PC, but it's pretty big anyway.

In front is a display, 4 functional keys, a navigation key and a power button. The left panel has even more various controls: a Reset button, a digital record button, and a scroll joystick (which is functionally identical to the Sony's Jog Dial) which lets you make all operations with one hand. The right side panel has a stylus hole. Above is an IR port, a headphones set and a Compact Flash slot; below are power supply and interface connectors. The Li-Ion battery, 1400 mAh, is used as a power source. But the manufacturer recommends a battery of 3100 mAh which increases the rundown time up to 25 hours.

Processor and memory. The processor clocked at 400 MHz handles all tasks excellently. The one running at 300 MHz demonstrates decent quality as well. But software available on the market is, for the most part, not optimized for the new XScale technology used in this PDA, that is why we don't expect much performance boost when running applications.

CompactFlash, Secure Digital. This PDA houses two expansion slots. The CompactFlash Type II is on top, and the Secure Digital is on the left. They let you connect to your computer a great deal of various devices, for example, Bluetooth cards, cameras, keyboards. The number of devices which can extend functionality of the Axim X5 will be further increasing. The Secure Digital slot is useful also because prices for SD cards have lately significantly dropped. Besides, the way the expansion slots are arranged is nearly ideal: the SD is tucked on one of the sides, a good position for memory cards, and the CF slot is put above, a handy position for WiFi modules supported by the Axim X5.

Display The 3.5" display, 320x240 pixels, is definitely good. This TFT screen can display a bit over 65000 colors (16-bit). The image is bright and expressive. The backlight is well distributed over the screen - too dim or too blight spots are not noticed.

Sound. The sound in the Axim X5 comes from a mono speaker. But there is a jack for stereo headphones. The built-in mic also supports only mono sound.

Software. Axim comes bundled with the Pocket PC 2002 Premium software developed by Microsoft for pocket computers, and with applications including Pocket Outlook, Word, Excel, Internet Explorer, MS Reader, and Media Player. But the most useful applications supplied are Dell Backup and Dell Switcher. The Dell Backup can help you make backup copies of any data in the memory (in Outlook and other programs installed). You can also make backup copies of various data bases (Calendar, Contacts, Tasks, Notes etc.). Dell Switcher is a task manager which can close a current application, all applications or switch between them. All these features can save a lot of time when working simultaneously with several applications. The CD contains some more applications, but all of them are demo versions and are not worth much attention.

Conclusion. The Axim X5 is a very good choice for its money. It includes functions vital for a modern PDA (a lot of memory, expandability, high-quality color display) and some features which let us handle this PDA with ease (removable battery, two expansion slots, jog dial). The only downside is that it's a bit too massive. What I'm really fascinated with is rubber stripes on its sides: they hold the computer tightly in your hand.

Check out this great device second hand price :

continue reading ...

Share