Today, the PDA market boasts several computer models from top manufacturers, with camym advanced to date, type of screen - display with a VGA-resolution. With a little belatedly, and Dell has released its first VGA-PDA - Axim X50v. Compact housing news is fraught with great possibilities. In addition to the gorgeous screen, the new Axim boasts a faster processor, a large amount of internal memory, two slots for expansion cards, and two wireless adapters. And, despite all these goodies, X50v proudly bears the banner of the most affordable of all VGA Pocket PC. We present you the review of Ed Hardy, editor of the site Brighthand.com, who happened to one of the first "talk" with this new product.
Screen
Dell Axim X50v has a nice VGA screen with a resolution of 640x480 pixels. Text and images look great on it even better than on my desktop. Screen is pretty bright, clearly visible from different angles.
For comparison, bring a photo of both screens, made in complete darkness. It is noticeable that at the X50v screen a little brighter. And white is cleaner while at the HP iPAQ hx4700 white gives a yellowish tinge. But while the color of iPAQ look juicy.
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| HP iPAQ hx4700 (bottom) against the Dell Axim X50v |
Display X50v boasts a high frame refresh rate. This is not surprising, because in the X50v uses integrated graphics processor Intel 2700G, designed to improve graphics and video.
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Complete with palm are two games for Pocket PC, made specifically for VGA. They look great. But, unfortunately, adding support for VGA screen in Windows Mobile 2003 SE, Microsoft did not provide its "fair" use. The fact that this screen displays up to four times more pixels than QVGA. In theory, this means that applications such as Pocket Internet Explorer should be placed on the screen are four times more information than previously. But realistically, this is not happening. Fonts and pictures, of course, now look much prettier, but the owner of the PDA can not fully rely on the benefits of VGA screen to display more information. Fortunately, at our disposal, there are special tools, "forcing" VGA screen work in "fair" mode. One of them, SE_VGA, after a soft reset install on your handheld now VGA resolution. True, the need to use a soft reset a few annoying, because you will not always want to work in this mode. However, for most purposes it fits perfectly. Here are just a text becomes too small and have to strain your eyes to read it. Program SE_VGA - a great thing, but it would be better if Microsoft has built support for an "honest» VGA to their OSes.
Appearance
I confess that when I first saw pictures Axim X50v, it was not at all impressed. But when the handheld fell into my hands, I have dramatically changed the opinion about its design. He really is beautiful. A long time since I have not seen such nice handheld device. Of course, this is not a series iPAQ h1900, but it still looks cool. Dimensions X50v is 118 mm in height, 72 mm in width and 15 mm in thickness. It is considerably smaller than the iPAQ hx4700, but then the screen it has less - 3.7 inches vs. the full 4-for hx4700.
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| Left to right: HP iPAQ hx4700, Dell Axim X50v and Dell Axim X30 High |
Thanks ckruglennomu the bottom, X50v sits perfectly in your hand. Due to the small size of this PDA is quite comfortable fit in a pants pocket.
Performance
Like the iPAQ hx4700, X50v model is equipped with a 624 MHz processor and runs Windows Mobile 2003 Second Edition. Greatly disappointed amount of RAM memory available to the user. Here he is only 62 MB (from 64 MB). I'm hoping for 128 MB as a Toshiba e800. Well at least that is our hero another 92 MB of ROM (from 128 MB) for storing data. This memory is nonvolatile, ie, the data in a sudden discharge of the battery will not be lost. To compare the Axim X50v with other handhelds, I used a test of Spb Benchmark. Tell me at once that I was very surprised with the results. In the test on graphics performance X50v received 489 points, which is two times less than that of hx4700. The idea is that having a graphics accelerator, X50v should be at the level of hx4700. For comparison, HP iPAQ h4150 graphical test got 3858 points. This, of course, due to the fact that this PDA is four times less pixels on the screen than the X50v. But I still hoped that the graphics accelerator new items somehow helps to compensate for this gap. While I have no explanation for such low results. While working X50v does not show the slightest "brake". I will try to find out from the developers of Spb Software House rightly assessed whether this PDA in their benchmark. Graphical test significantly reduced the total assessment Axim X50v, it was 1240 points against 1659 in PAQ hx4700. Not surprisingly, the test processor X50v has received very favorably - 2286. Roughly the same amount assessed "pebble" hx4700. In general, the handheld to be very stable. If there were any problems, it is only from applications developed by third-party firms. C benchmark results site Aximsite.com, however, is not much different from Ed Hardy, can be found here.
Wireless communication
As I noted earlier, X50v has built-in modules, Bluetooth 1.2 and Wi-Fi. This allows the wearer to be connected at any time by choosing a more convenient form of connection to wireless networks. At home, I opened a network of Wi-Fi, which is very happy. Now I can go online anywhere in the home, outdoors or at work. One of the options the previous Axim X30, which I coveted most was his great external Wi-Fi antenna. It provides greater range due to the access point. Deprived of a large antenna, X50v and lost about 10% range for the connection of Wi-Fi. But now it does not lag behind their "bezantennyh" brethren. With all the benefits of Wi-Fi, this standard does not provide me a constant connection when I'm on the road. If you keep it all the time included in the search for the nearest hotspot, you can quickly put the battery. But my cell phone can connect to Axim X50v, using Bluetooth. I specifically joined the contract with unlimited traffic and now use mobile phone as a wireless modem. However, Bluetooth will be useful for many other tasks - from writing text to orienteering. I've accumulated a bunch of different peripheral devices, including keyboard, mouse, headset and GPS receiver, which work fine with the new X50v. By the way, Dell X50v uses two communication modules simultaneously. I wrote most of this review, being connected to the Internet via Wi-Fi and Bluetooth printing on the keyboard.
Card slots
Very pleased that the developers X50v could provide him with two kinds of slots for expansion cards - SD and Compact Flash. This gives the user maximum flexibility and opportunities for connecting peripheral devices and memory cards. For example, you can use a GPS receiver in the format of CompactFlash, and maps to keep it on an SD card.
Another case worthy of mention was the place to be when I inserted a CompactFlash slot your old Ethernet adapter. With no driver card to identify and immediately earned a few seconds to connect to my network.
Software
It seems that for many of you Axim X50v definitely not be the first PDA in my life, so you are likely familiar with the standard software that comes bundled with every Pocket PC. Still, I did a little review. MS Office. Plain Pocket Office can open and edit Microsoft Word documents, PDAs, and Excel. But beware: Pocket version does not support many formatting elements that are used in desktop Offic'e, therefore, any opening will be removed from the file. PIM. One of the most important functions of the PDA is to store the daily schedule and personal contacts of the owner. Applications of this type are supplied with any Pocket PC, usually do well with those responsibilities. Synchronization with Microsoft Outlook on your PC. If you do not have Outlook, do not worry, X50v comes with a desktop version of Outlook 2002. Multimedia. I have already mentioned high-quality screen new X50v, which is great for watching videos. To this end, our hero has a preinstalled Windows Media Player 10 for Mobile. Recent version of this program supports the mechanism of copyright protection Digital Rights Management 10. This means that allows users to play music and videos purchased from the store CinemaNow, MusicMatch, and MLB.com. Continuing the multimedia theme, I note that the X50v has a speaker that sounds pretty good. Fortunately, unlike the X30, this constructive element is located in front and at the upper end, which is also very comfortable, put a standard headphone jack.
Buttons
Dell Axim X50v is equipped with a standard set of keys: four keys to quickly launch applications, five-way navigation button, also called the D-pad, a very convenient way to control games or PDAs. There is not enough that the handheld only the scroll wheel jog dial, which is usually placed on the left side on top. This place is occupied by two buttons, by default configured to enable and disable wireless module. They can easily be reprogrammed, for example, by moving - up and down.
In addition, on the left side of the X50v has a switch, deactivating the buttons and touch screen, protecting them from being accidentally pressed.
Battery and battery life
Included with the X50v is a removable Li-Ion battery with very little for its power capacity of 1100 mAh, which did not fail to affect the battery life of PDAs. As expected, it is very small. In short, Dell has brought him to sacrifice a miniature size of your device. However, users still have the opportunity to extend the term of the X50v in the field, independently adjusting the processor speed and brightness. Thus, the full power of stone and with 50% backlight (all clearly visible), PDAs from Dell will run a little less than three hours compared with the same hx4700 with similar settings, who "live" about 6 hours. If, however, reduce the frequency of the processor to 208 MHz and install LED illumination to the minimum level, X50v will last for four hours. True, in such settings to play or watch the movie you are unlikely to succeed, but to work in Word, Excel, read or check e-mail - completely. As a way out Dell offers an optional battery with twice the staff - 2200 mAh, which can be purchased separately. Wi-Fi connection is turned off when the battery is about 25% charge, and the Bluetooth works up to full discharge.
Supplied
New Axim comes with a proprietary cradle, which allows simultaneously charging itself PDA and spare battery. Stylus with this machine pretty slim. Personally, I do not really like these. Furthermore, complete with X50v will ship carrying case, which I have not had since I've been testing a pre-sale model. However, we can expect that it will not differ greatly from the cases for Axim X3/X30.
Cost
Dell is famous for the fact that he can quickly bring down the price of any product. So now, fancy Axim X50v can be purchased for $ 499 (estimated price in the U.S.. - Ed.), Which is $ 150 less than the iPAQ hx4700. But between these models, there are serious differences. Due to the smaller screen X50v obtain a compact (3.7 "to 4" at the iPAQ). HP hx4700 features a unique touchpad and a more serious battery with 1800 mAh. So you should seriously weigh the pros and cons of each model if you are going to get a VGA-machine.
In any case, Axim X50v - PDA alone, definitely not the losing contestants on functionality.
Pros: - excellent 3.7 "VGA screen
- Dual slot CF / SD
- Wi-Fi and Bluetooth
- 624 MHz processor
- Intel 2700G graphics accelerator
- 2 VGA toys included
Cons: - among additional software alone trialniki, there is no full version
- a small battery.
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