Dell Axim X5 400 MHz Pocket PC
by Dell

List Price: $299.00
Our Price: $89.00
You Save: $210.00 (70%)
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Buy Used: from $27.50 (click here)
Category: CE
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Digital Photo Product Details

• 400 MHz Intel XScale Processor, 64 MB of RAM, and 48 MB ROM
• Brilliant 3.5" high-resolution transflective 65,000 color display
• Integrated CompactFlash Type II and Secure Digital/MultiMediaCard slots to add storage or wireless communication cards
• Built-in microphone, speaker, and stereo headphone connector
• What's in the box: Axim X5, Stylus, Sync cradle, AC Adapter, 1440 mAh Lithium-Ion battery

• Veo Photo Traveler 130S 1.3 MP Digital Camera for Pocket PCs ( V620000 )
• Targus PA870U Universal Wireless Keyboard

Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Dell Axim X5 400 MHz Pocket PC

Customer Review: Affordable PocketPC; Dell has fixed WM2003 slowdown
Summary: 4 Stars

After updating to A05 ROM, everything runs faster on the Axim. Programs like MS Reader and certain games like Hexacto's Bounty Hunter Pinball, which ran very sluggishly with A04 ROM, are much faster and much more usable. Browsing in File Explorer and contact list also no longer takes an eternity.

PocketPCs have become increasingly versatile the last few years. They are no longer just electronic address and appointment books, but devices that can run a variety of add-on software -- book readers, music players, video players, networking utilities, web browsers, GPS viewers, database viewers, etc. Their biggest advantage AND disadvantage, however, is their small size. Although much easier to carry than laptop PCs, their small screen size sometimes makes it difficult to view or to key in material. The miniature batteries that they use also are unable to generate long-lasting power. The Dell Axim PocketPC, which has one of the better battery packs, only can offer about 8 hours of continuous use. It uses significantly more power while running Wi-Fi or multimedia applications. It also uses a little bit of power while turned off in order to retain memory content. If the power runs out, all your data will be lost.

One inconvenience in WM2003 is that, to check battery status, you have to tap the screen a few times to go into the Power Settings screen. Some third-party utilities show you an on-screen battery indicator. You can also use the Dell "Switcher Bar" utility, pre-installed on the Axim, to quickly switch to the Power Settings screen.

The Dell Axim 400 MHz PocketPC and the cheaper, earlier 200 MHz model are the only two PocketPCs Dell has made, but they have surged in popularity because of their low prices. The Axim 400MHz has an admittedly "bare" configuration out of the box. It does not come with Wi-Fi nor Bluetooth connectivity, and includes only a few full-version software titles: Pocket Word, Pocket Excel, MS Reader, Internet Explorer, Pocket MSN, Windows Media 9, a terminal service client, a picture viewer, and a few simple games.

The Dell Axim runs on a rechargeable and detachable main and backup batteries. The included cradle is able to simultaneously recharge the Axim and another battery (if you ever decide to buy another battery pack). You can also recharge the Axim with the included DC power cable.

The cradle is also used for transferring and/or synchronizing data between the Axim and your desktop PC. You need to install the provided ActiveSync 3.7 and Outlook 2002. ActiveSync 3.7 is required for WM2003, and it can be downloaded on the Microsoft web site. It allows you to view the content inside the Axim in an Explorer view, lets you drag and drop files to or from it, and lets you synchronize content between Outlook and the PocketPC. Outlook 2002, the desktop personal organizer software, is a commercial product and cannot be downloaded on the web. And it needs to be activated to be used, and cannot be re-activated on the same PC without contacting Microsoft. If you buy the Axim from a seller, make sure he or she hasn't already activated it.

The Dell Axim is rather heftly. It weighs about 7 ounces, and almost 3/4 inch thick. So it may be difficult to put it in your shirt pocket or in your trousers.

Regarding the brightness of the Axim's color screen, in an office with strong fluorescent light sources, it is barely adequate, in my opinion, even at the highest brightness setting. Under direct sunlight, it is nearly impossible to see. If you use the Axim outdoors a lot, this may be a problem. The screen looks best under incandescent lights or low-light conditions. (Those who have used old Palm devices with monochrome displays will find this amusing: monochrome displays look best under bright lights and worst in low-light conditions, and color displays are just the reverse.)

To make data entry easier, the Axim includes hand-writing recognition ability and Graffiti recognition for former Palm users. You can also use the on-screen qwerty-style keyboard. A stylus is also included.

If you use the stylus to poke and scratch on the screen a lot, consider getting a screen protector. The screen is a vital and fragile part of the Axim or any PocketPC and is prone to damage. You can buy professionally-made screen protectors, or you can make your own like I do -- I use an Avery transparent laminate and slide it into the little openings at the edges of the screen.

The Axim has a built-in clock and alarm, but one annoyance is that the alarm doesn't always ring, even after the A05 ROM fix. This is reportedly a bug in WM2003 (i.e. a Microsoft problem). However, I found a freeware alarm called "StopTime" that does the job nicely.

Description of Dell Axim X5 400 MHz Pocket PC

The Axim X5 is equipped with Microsoft Pocket PC 2002 Premium and pre-installed with familiar applications like Pocket Word and Pocket Excel, along with a calendar, contacts database, voice recorder, and a number of other built-in features.

With an integrated Type II CompactFlash card slot and a Secure Digital/MultiMediaCard slot, the expansion capabilities seem endless. And with its removable, rechargeable battery, the Axim X5 is never tied to its cradle--simply leave a spare battery charging in the cradle, and swap your battery when it's low.

The Dell Axim X5 features a backlit, 3.5-inch, 16-bit, touch-sensitive, transflective TFT color LCD display capable of displaying 65,536 colors at 240 x 320 resolution.

The Axim X5's audio capabilities include 16-bit stereo, full duplex record and playback, and an integrated microphone and speaker. The Axim also features a headphone jack.

The Axim X5 comes with a rechargeable, removable 1440 mAh lithium-ion battery. A rechargeable, removable 3400 mAh lithium-ion battery is optional.

What's in the box

• Axim X5
• Stylus
• Sync cradle
• AC Adapter
• 1440 mAh Lithium-Ion Removable, Rechargeable battery