awdark

Yeah, 2 sd slots next to each other so you can have one huge battery. Yeah that wouldnt be bad. Although that means I shouldnt look at any CF accessories.

renhui

NO CF will be a lame. I dumped my x30 after only 2 months of use mainly because of the lack of a cf slot, there are way more cf accessories than sd ones.

__________________
Current Device and Accessories:

Imate Jasjar & HP HW6915

BT338 BT GPS, 2GB Transcend MiniSD, 1GB Lexar CF, 1GB ATP SD, Sonorix Bluetooth headphone w/mic and mp3. ThinkOutside BT mouse, Gum-size CF reader

Past Devices and Accessories:

Casio E125 -> Dell Axim X5 -> Palmone Treo 600-> Dell Axim X30 -> Dell Axim X51v ->HP H6315 -> Siemens SX66 -> HP HW6515

5GB Seagate MD, Logitech bluetooth headphone, ThinkOutside BT keyboard, Krussel leather case, 2nd standard battery, "Chris" VGA-out cable, Gum-size SD Reader

Watchin

Originally Posted by Kamokazi

... except for SLR cameras

There are two reasons I selected the X51v (and put up with the
stupid version 1 software (MS V5 YEAH RIGHT))
a VGA screen that I can preview my 12mp DSLR shots on with some
resolution that is usable, and the CF slot to read the cards on
the fly without all the media conversion nonsense. If they remove
the camera compatibility, someone else will get my business.
(and if they don't fix the software SOON someone else with get
my business sooner...)

why am I so @#$$#@ about the software? I've been very carefully
running only appications that were proved to be WM5 safe (I thought).
Until last night.. I installed the PTVL software and
it screwed up the system so bad I had to spend this morning doing
a hard reset and reload to get it back. WM 5 is so flaky that one
app that DOESN'T EVEN USE THE NETWORK DIRECTLY screwed up the
wireless, bluetooth, locked the display, and crashed the OS.
It required a soft restart even trying to uninstall it.
I thought I'd waited long enough for them to get the bugs
out of the OS... I guess 10 years is too short a cycle for Microsoft.

So far the only thing that has worked reliably every time (and it
appears I'm lucky) is the RESCO photo viewer and the CF cards.

__________________
Greg oWo
"Just watchin the world go by, trying to get a good picture."

Please don't hit the button... there are solutions! :approve:

segadc

My next Axim will have to have a huge harddrive in it.

I might buy a MP3 player this year with 30 or more GBs. It would be nice for Dell to release a Axim that has that kind of space...

I am even getting interested in portable PVRs

k1darkknight

I keep seeing people talk about the limited storage of SD (and to a lesser extent CF and internal memory/storage). Yet it seems many of you are overlooking the obvious: USB hosting = external storage! Now before everyone starts crying about how much power external HDs require, and how you'd be anchored to a wall, to use it, just think...how long can you run your 20 GB iPod on a SINGLE CHARGE? Hmmmmm...maybe if someone came out with an external HD that was essentially an iPod, without a display, required software, and limitation of only storing music or other media, then we'd REALLY have something! Or for that matter, if you REALLY needed a CF slot, you could even get one of those 'gumstick-sized' USB CF readers! If you don't want to worry about breaking it off, just get a really short USB extension cable or something. In any case, my point is, with USB hosting, there would be VASTLY more options available to anyone than with a CF card. Granted, many devices would need drivers specific to Pocket PCs, but for storage, M$ already uses a universal 'mass storage' driver on desktops...

Aximconvert

As for USB hosting I can't figure out why they can't just replace the cradle/sync connector with a standard usb plug. That way you could reuse the same hardware or for synching and usb hosting. That would make so much sense. That way we could have interchangable cradles and charger and acessories for all pda with usb ports. Why not just do this rather than sacrifce the CF slot?

Haesslich

Originally Posted by k1darkknight

I keep seeing people talk about the limited storage of SD (and to a lesser extent CF and internal memory/storage). Yet it seems many of you are overlooking the obvious: USB hosting = external storage! Now before everyone starts crying about how much power external HDs require, and how you'd be anchored to a wall, to use it, just think...how long can you run your 20 GB iPod on a SINGLE CHARGE? Hmmmmm...maybe if someone came out with an external HD that was essentially an iPod, without a display, required software, and limitation of only storing music or other media, then we'd REALLY have something! Or for that matter, if you REALLY needed a CF slot, you could even get one of those 'gumstick-sized' USB CF readers! If you don't want to worry about breaking it off, just get a really short USB extension cable or something. In any case, my point is, with USB hosting, there would be VASTLY more options available to anyone than with a CF card. Granted, many devices would need drivers specific to Pocket PCs, but for storage, M$ already uses a universal 'mass storage' driver on desktops...

Given that current iPods use batteries with around the same capacity as an Axim X50/51 (1100mAh), IIRC, and they have quite a bit of RAM to cache songs in to avoid hitting the hard drive as often... well, that's the main reason that they last so long. The problem here would be that the USB bus ITSELF would take up power, the screen takes up more power, the CPU takes up power, and then having to query the hard drive would take up power... which would cut your Axim's 2-4 hour runtime down to maybe half that, unless you had an extended battery.

Yes, the USB bus would give the Axim more options... but I would use it as a replacement connector or a secondary connector, rather than having it act as a replacement for a second SD or CF slot. Those devices that use such slots, at least, are designed for portable use on batteries far below that of a notebook's capacity rating.

Pocketbrain

Alright then, they should simply pack a Ratoc card in with the X51 and call it the next generation.

__________________
The plural of Wii is Wiii.

boot up. log on. drop out.

THE REVOLUTION WILL BE SYNTHESIZED

Pocketbrain

Here is my idea for a new spec in the next Axim:

• No CF card
• Second SD slot
• USB host
• Built-in GPS receiver
• Built-in camera
• Built-in BT and WiFi
• Built-in cell
• 1GB - 2GB of flash ROM
• 256 MB of RAM
• 800 MHz XScale processor
• SVGA resolution

Basically, the loss of the CF slot would make space for built-in versions the most common CF accessories.
Possibly, would also have an option of a mobile dock with built-in 2.5"HDD and USB hub (2- or 4-port). Would they build this?
Any other ideas?

__________________
The plural of Wii is Wiii.

boot up. log on. drop out.

THE REVOLUTION WILL BE SYNTHESIZED

awdark

I think that woudl bump up the cost too much.

But USB host, 256mb ram, dual SD, and a camera would be nice.

Cell and GPS seem like extras that will just bump up the cost. Maybe cell opiton so people can have a ppc phone that redefines ppc phone.

Xcilion

I think Built-in storage is the future. HTC (builder of many Phone Edition PocketPC's and also the builder of the Axims's) is designing the HTC Muse which has 4GB NAND Flash storage, and has a Mini-SD slot inside for even more memory.

I think Dell and other manufacturers should focus on that. Internal Harddrives with capacities comparable to those dang iPods.
Compact Flash is big, and bulky, although the capacity can also be. Bad thing is the price of CF is high.
Yes, there are Microdrives that are cheap (like i have), but they have moving parts inside which means you need to be carefull. Plus, they consume more power then regular CF cards.

I really think Built-in storage is the future. Axim x51v's have 190MB's of useable memory, which isn't much for media, but definetly alot for applications and games. Perhaps Dell really is looking into built-in harddrives.
If the Axim x60v (or something) comes up with similar specs to the x51v (2700g, VGA screen) i will be the first to press the 'Order' button.

Although they should first batch a bigger battery and a more stable WM5 version in it.

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dougsnell

I say good riddance to the CF slot so long as:

1a) Dell doesn't snub smaller companies that have legit products thriving off the CF slot in Axims
1b) The existing batch of CF slot stuff can work off the SD slot (preferably a second SD slot would be included)
2) Dell makes the Axim thinner in lieu of the CF slot (unless they're adding something new in it's place)
3) Dell drops the price of the Axim (although I'd still like to rant about thier current pricing scheme where it's a matter of what deals you can find and/or wait for).

AdamaDBrown

Just to clear up a few pieces of misinformation:

CF doesn't use significantly more battery life than SD. Microdrives do, but microdrives are not the same thing as CompactFlash.

There's nothing stopping CF from reaching 32 GB, the same as they talk about SD doing. It's just the march of technology. And CF will always have a higher capacity than SD, because of the greater available room in the card.

The idea of Bluetooth replacing CF is patently wrong. Bluetooth is a tech for wireless peripherals. You cannot use it for storage, and even if you could, it will not reach even 1% of the speed of a CF card. Even the faster Bluetooth 2.0 standard doesn't exceed 5% of CF speed at best. Not to mention the fact that CF is plug and play, while Bluetooth is not; CF is simple, BT is not; CF doesn't require five steps of regulatory approval, which BT does; and CF can be used on an airplane or other places where wireless devices are forbidden. Bluetooth cannot.

Bluetooth has been around for quite awhile already, and it's got some good applications, but it's nothing like the revolutionary technology that all the hypesters made it out to be.

Why is it that people who don't like CF feel that NOBODY should have the option of CF at all? The rest of us aren't trying to force the vocal SD-only minority into accepting CF slots, we just want to have the option. I've heard this "CF is dead" rhetoric ever since before the original Axim X5 way back in 2002. It's no more true now than it was then.

Watchin

As a photographer .. the camera is a toy idea, most built ins are of such
lousy resolution and capabaility that I'd rather camera
compatibility with media (like now). Question - have you ever
taken a usable or printable picture with a camera phone? Other
than annoyance to others, are they of any viable use?

USB host... that's an interesting idea, except the power drain.
A cell card plug-in .. that could be updated to new technology without
replacing the whole unit (every year, or every time you need to change carriers).. another interesting idea.

How about projection display... 1024x1280 with a finger BT mouse.
(hey if you're gonna dream..dream BIG :D )

__________________
Greg oWo
"Just watchin the world go by, trying to get a good picture."

Please don't hit the button... there are solutions! :approve:

Pocketbrain

Originally Posted by AdamaDBrown

Why is it that people who don't like CF feel that NOBODY should have the option of CF at all? The rest of us aren't trying to force the vocal SD-only minority into accepting CF slots, we just want to have the option. I've heard this "CF is dead" rhetoric ever since before the original Axim X5 way back in 2002. It's no more true now than it was then.

Who doesn't like CF? Forgive us, but we're just guessing that they might discontinue it, since there is the tendency to make a PPC slimmer, and that would imply a possible deep-sixing of a bulkier, older technology. Used as a memory expansion, it is redundant with SD, and most of the peripherals that we plug into the CF slot are already included in current-generation PDA's and SDIO cards. I myself will have a number of CF cards, including an old Wi-Fi card, that will lie around unused (well, I'll ebay them) if CF is removed as a standard interface from the future generation. Still, a 32GB CF flash would be sweet.
So chill, we're not powerful enough to force Dell or any other manufacturer to discontinue using CF in their devices. That's a market decision. If it's important enough to you, then make sure your company buys a large number of CF-bearing PPC's and makes it clear that future units will have to have CF support.
Sheesh.

__________________
The plural of Wii is Wiii.

boot up. log on. drop out.

THE REVOLUTION WILL BE SYNTHESIZED