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Originally Posted by paladaxar
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Hmm...I'm still not getting a clear answer to my origional quesiton. I am starting to get the idea that bluetooth hardware (in PDA's) is all the same. The difference comes with the software. SO...it IS possible that someday the x51v's Bluetooth will function in a way that wont make people complain. All Dell has to do is change the software that they are using.
I dont yet have an axim. I dont want to buy something that is crippled on the hardware side (which cannot be updated). If this is simply a software cripple, it has hope of being fixed. Right?
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OK, there are a couple of different BT hardware vendors, but for the most part they all adhere to the BT Special Interest Group standards - 1.0, 1.1 and 1.2 are all well defined and 2.0 is now pretty stable. Each hardware vendor makes a BT chipset which they sell to various OEMs to include in their product. In addition to the BT hardware, one also requires a BT software stack to enable the hardware. Essentially the BT stack is both drivers and an application layer that enumerate the functions available. These functions are defined as profiles within the stack.
The BT hardware used in the Dell Axim x51 series is apparently capable of adhering to the BT 2.0 spec. However, Dell has seen fit to only use the Microsoft BT stack. The Microsoft BT stack is functional but only supports a limited number of profiles. Other stacks like the ones from Broadcom (Widcomm) and IVT (BlueSoleil) are more full-featured. Alas these stacks are not generally available for sale as an addon or to replace the built-in Microsoft stack. Too bad - if I could buy a fully functional Widcomm or BlueSoleil stack for WM5, I would.
The short answer is: right now the Dell Axim x50/x51 series with WM5 are crippled in functionality. The older WM2003SE OS uses a Widcomm stack and is more functional, but unavailable to x51 series owners. x50 series owners can downgrade back to WM2003SE if they have upgraded to WM5. Eventually (hopefully this March) Dell will release the AKU 2.0 update for WM5 which apparently adds push email as well as more profiles for the Microsoft BT stack. AKU 2.0 was released to device OEMs in early December 2005 but each OEM has to implement it with their specific hardware. Note that there is a rumor flying that the BT stack update MAY NOT come with AKU 2.0 - instead it is slated for AKU 2.2!!! Let's hope not....
PS: AKU = Adaption Kit Unit, a fancy term essentially equivalent to a service pack for Windows. AKU is used instead as Windows Mobile devices are firmware OS devices (i.e. embedded). One would only hope that someday Microsoft can release a firmware based OS that is upgradeable through a mechanism like Windows Update. Then we wouldn't have to wait for Dell... :)