Potential X50/X51 buyers: please read!

[Ba-gug]

For those of you who might be thinking about a purchase I have an x50v for 6 months now and I did not upgrade to WM5. I have not had one issue with my Dell, so if you don't have to have the x51v, I'm sure there are alot of x50v's on eBay and for a pretty decent price too.

[larrywms45]

I think that there is one point missed here. I'm not a powere AXIM user but I do like to have the "latest & Greatest" of what is available. I think a lot of the problems we are having can be directly connected to the type of problems I am having. I see a capability discussed and I try it. I may not understand fully how to utilize this ability correctly but if it doesn't work, I feel frustrated.

I have the X50v and have gone from 2003se to WM5 to 2003se a couple of times trying the latest registry tweaks each time. Again, I'm not a power user so some of the tweaks I may make a mistake on or I just don't see the expected change.

I love my X50v and will keep 2003se installed until I see a ROM or OS update that looks good. I will then go back to WM5 and try it out. If it doesn't meet my expectations, I'll go back to WM2003se again. I learn something each time and really enjoy tinkering.

My 2cents worth.

[Tak Maze]

Well I got my x51v with the latest ROM thingy and it works fine for me. It may not be as speedy as my PalmOS handheld, but it's definitely more stable.

[W99DEY]

I have an x50v. Very pleased with the unit.

Upgraded to WM5 and the unit is now dead.

I would recommend using the unit with 2003 until the WM5 op sys is fixed!

Mine worked fine with WM5 for 2 weeks, then locked up and now will not boot.

[Carrot007]

I love my X50v, so far I've had less compatibility problems that when i got my x30 with 2003se.

[Yukster]

I guess it depends on how tech savvy you are. Any piece of new technology will have its bug issues. If you don't want bugs, its probably best to use a Palm OS device. I got a x51v pretty earily on, almost right after it was released. If I had waited, and read a lot of the problems that everyone was having, I may have been more hesitant to buy it. But thanks to everyone here, I have been able to avoid most of the pitfalls of owning this device, and right now, it is running very smoothly. Was this device more buggy than my previous device (Toshiba E550G)? Yes... But I am using the Dell more than my Toshiba.

My dad is currently looking for a PDA. He is of a different generation, and is not as tech savvy as most of us on this board. It makes things harder, also, that half an ocean seperates us. Would I recommend that he gets a X51V? Probably not... The only way that he is getting one is if I was there when the box arrived, and I did all the mods and hacks for him so he has the best user experience possible...

So to answer the original question... potential buyers should judge the x51 on its merits, their own technical skills... and for everything else, trust that Aximsite will come up with solutions to whatever future bugs pop up.

[bluevolume]

My dad is currently looking for a PDA. He is of a different generation, and is not as tech savvy as most of us on this board. It makes things harder, also, that half an ocean seperates us. Would I recommend that he gets a X51V? Probably not... The only way that he is getting one is if I was there when the box arrived, and I did all the mods and hacks for him so he has the best user experience possible...

Honestly, the best PDA you could recommend to your Dad is the x30H. That device is stable, lightning fast, and doesn't need any special setup work. I've needed to sell mine since I bought my x50v, but I just can't bring myself to get rid of it.

[goodguy20k]

:attn:

I constantly see (on other forums and blogs) people saying that they will not get a Dell Pocket PC because 'everyone' is having problems (on AximSite). I want to explain something which should in it-self be self explanatory.

AximSite currently has 115,207 members. I will make a wild guess by saying that half the users own either an X50(v) or an X51(v). Thats 57604 people on this forum alone. Do you see 57604 people complaining about their Axims? No, you only see those people who are having problems. :throwcomp They exist, and Axims do have some problems, but do not make your "to buy or not to buy" decision on these posts alone.

If your device is working fine, do you go on a forum and let everyone know? "Hi, I have no problems with my Axim. Cool. Close this thread please." No, when people don't have problems, they don't post about it. Only a small percentage of Axim users are seriously outraged, the majority aren't.

Don't make your decision based on the opinion of a minority. Do your own research, and a well educated decision yourself.

Very well said. I remember this happening with the X5s, X3s, then the X30s... Then the X50s... And guess what now? The X51s... As you say,

If your device is working fine, do you go on a forum and let everyone know?

[gabextremev200]

Hey hey, here me, here me roar.

RAAAAAWWWWWWWWR.

PS: I've had:

X5.  No problems.  None.  Nada.  Ziltch.
X3b. 1 soft reset a month for maintenence.  Only a few crashes when OVERCLOCKED to 600mhz (from 300). Still fine today.
X30H. Locked up with A01, fixed in 10 minutes with update.
X50v. No problems.  None.  Nada. Zilth.  Rien.  Nande munai.  Wala shie'.

... I play intense videos, I play games like there's no tommorrow, I'm online constantly. No speaker static, no heating-up problems.

PPS: Even if people do post about how everything is going fine, they only include it in side-notes or post-scripts, and most are shorter than mine :)
PPPS: Heh, wow. I made a post saying my PPCs have no problems.
PPPPS:

JORNANDA. Tons of problems, freezes, crashes, hard-resets.
ASUS. Lots of hard-resets due to insane OC-ing :D

^ ^ ^
But these aren't axims. Strange, huh XD

[refik]

I use X50V with 2003SE. No problems...

This machine is designed for 2003, not WM5. It was a big mistake of DELL to sell upgrade CD for WM5. X50V users shouldnt complain, because the machine is cheap and has high performance. It works steady and does almost everything with its original OS (2003).

For WM5 on DELL products, I would say it is a real problem. Why? Because it has no buetooth support. This means you cant use your PPC efficiently. As a result X51 users has the right of complaining. And I believe that DELL must urgently solve this problem. Otherwise they will loose market.

Since 2 months, I am waiting to buy 6 new PPC for my workers in the office. Because there is no 50V anymore, and I dont want to buy X51 which has that stupid MS Bluetooth stack.

As a summary, DELL has allready lost lots of customers, and I believe they will go on loosing market as long as they cant support their customers. Instead of DELL, now I am planning to buy ASUS 730W.

[bluevolume]

This machine is designed for 2003, not WM5. It was a big mistake of DELL to sell upgrade CD for WM5. X50V users shouldnt complain, because the machine is cheap and has high performance.

That statement is completely ridiculous. You say that Dell made the mistake in selling the upgrade, yet the users shouldn't complain. How does that make any sense? Everyone who is complaining either PAID Dell for an upgrade, or Dell gave it to them when they bought the device. It isn't like we're taking old Win98 machines and getting mad when we install XP and it doesn't work. Dell provided the upgrade, essentially telling us that it would work.

[Raynman]

Just to weigh in this debate....
I have gone from Palm VIIx to Axim X5 to Axim X30h (current).
Today, Dell has a 1 day deal in Canada on the X51v ($399 Cdn + free shipping ICYAI). I was ready to jump all over that deal but wanted to check the forums first for the things that I use my X30h for the most.

i'm glad that I did and I am not going with the x51v at this time because of what I read. I did my research based on my needs. I really need the missing bluetooth profiles. My primary daily uses are:
1) mp3 music & ebooks + pocket Tv via bluetooth headphones on the transit,
2) transfering contacts to my Moto Razr via bluetooth
3) transfering pics from Moto Razr to x30h via bluetooth
4) DUN internet from x30h over to Moto Razr via bluetooth
5) regular PDA stuff

Out of the list above, only #5 is likely to work for me on teh x51v. not acceptable. I have no doubt that the bluetooth issues will be worked out as either a WM5 update or a Dell ROM update in teh future (hopefully soon) and then I will be watching for the sales again.
For the record, I really really like my x30h but the hardware on the x51 is so hot :)

All this is to say that the forums are an essential part of the research. If I wasn't so much into bluetooth, I would have jumped on this deal now and waited for the fixes later.

[custk9]

I have my x51v for about a week now and I love it.
DD4me2

Apart from me having my X51v a month longer, it's the story of my life...:-) And yes, I did the rom06 update, and yes, I use a BT gps flawlessy.

I DO NOT disagree with the statement however that there's still a lot of work to be done by Dell to make a X51v out of the box more user friendly i.e. you don't have to break your head figuring out why the heck this or that doesn't work.

Just my .02€

[nicksan]

I've had my X51v for about a week as well. Initially I had some problems with it but a quick visit to this forum solved most of them for me. I don't mind problems as long as I can find solutions for them.

So far the only bad problem was the WSOD. But that happened once. I did the ActiveSync trick (Exchange server trick) and I have not had a problem since. My X51v still wakes up during the night, I find it switched on when I wake up, but other than that it's great for what I use it for.

-Reading eBooks
-MP3's
-PIM

I don't play games other than the real basic kind and I don't watch movies.

I have a 1GB SanDisk Standard SD card.

I am enjoying it a lot!

[dvmed]

Just to weigh in this debate....
I have gone from Palm VIIx to Axim X5 to Axim X30h (current).
Today, Dell has a 1 day deal in Canada on the X51v ($399 Cdn + free shipping ICYAI). I was ready to jump all over that deal but wanted to check the forums first for the things that I use my X30h for the most.

i'm glad that I did and I am not going with the x51v at this time because of what I read. I did my research based on my needs. I really need the missing bluetooth profiles. My primary daily uses are:
1) mp3 music & ebooks + pocket Tv via bluetooth headphones on the transit,
2) transfering contacts to my Moto Razr via bluetooth
3) transfering pics from Moto Razr to x30h via bluetooth
4) DUN internet from x30h over to Moto Razr via bluetooth
5) regular PDA stuff

Out of the list above, only #5 is likely to work for me on teh x51v. not acceptable. I have no doubt that the bluetooth issues will be worked out as either a WM5 update or a Dell ROM update in teh future (hopefully soon) and then I will be watching for the sales again.
For the record, I really really like my x30h but the hardware on the x51 is so hot :)

All this is to say that the forums are an essential part of the research. If I wasn't so much into bluetooth, I would have jumped on this deal now and waited for the fixes later.

I agree with your post. I too am a bluetooth extensive user and to find out that we are missing a lot of key important profiles is just frustrating. I feel like we paid for a full featured PDA only to find out that some of the features are missing. It's like buying a caculator knowing that everything works except for the division key.
Without tweaks, I don't remember my 3 year old Ipaq with CE2003 to be this unstable. The hardware is really nice and I wish Microsoft can pull their act together to make this OS more stable (without tweaks) and Dell would bring back the Broadcom stack (and bt manager). For now, the only use I have for this unit is browsing the internet while soiling myself. In fact, I leave it and charge it in the washroom. For work and other stuff, I use the X50V with 2003SE.