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While recently we've seen big names such as Sony and Toshiba leave the PDA market, Dell has become a major player in the PocketPC arena thanks to its Axim line. This is most likely due to Dell's ability to offer a well specced yet attractively priced device.

There are three new Axims in the X50 range – a basic one offering a 416Mhz processor, a QVGA screen, 64MB of ROM and Bluetooth - a 520MHz version with 128MB of ROM and integrated Wi-Fi - and at the top-of-the-range, and the one I’m looking at here – the X50v, which offers a 620MHz CPU and a 3.7in screen boasting full VGA (480 x 640) resolution. Dell is also now offering a bundle with a GPS solution as well. The 128MB of ROM is good but some might think the 64MB of RAM a bit stingy on a top-end unit. It’s arguably so, but with dual expansion slots to play with it’s not the end of the world.

As well as upping the specs, Dell has also upped the style quotient. The previous version of the Axim sported a somewhat angular and business-like look, but the new design offers rounded edges and a curved base, reminiscent of the original iPaq. The two-tone black fascia with silver piping round the edges looked very smart in the pictures though I have to admit to being slightly disappointed with the finish when I took it out the box, though that is nit picking. Build quality is good though, with a solid feel to the body and the stylus comfortable in the hand and well placed at the back on the right hand side. The buttons are in the conventional Pocket PC arrangement, with the usual four shortcut buttons at the bottom and an oval rocker switch with a centre button. The power switch sits at the top centre and glows when the unit is being charged.

Down the left hand side are a number of buttons. Starting at the top is a lanyard hook and below this is a hold button that works in the same way as a key lock on your phone. It’s an usual inclusion but a welcome one, as it ensures that the Axim won’t switch on accidentally in your pocket, leaving you with a flat battery just when you need to use it. That said if you activate the hold switch when the device is on, you can’t turn it off either and at first when this happened I forgot the lock was enabled leading me to fear that the device had locked up.

The next button down is the Wireless button, which activates the integrated Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. Getting connected with my router at home was straightforward. The device requested my WPA Wi-Fi security password and I was away. Setting up a Bluetooth connection with Riyad’s V800 Sony Ericsson Vodaphone 3G mobile phone proved a little more troublesome, but once we’d found the correct dialling scripts online it worked well. Transferring pictures from my T630 phone however, proved straightforward. A consumer IR socket is also present, so with suitable accompanying software you can use the Axim as a universal remote control.

Below the Wireless button is one that activates the record mode, enabling you to take notes either via the built-in microphone or with the stylus. I did find though, that when I went to pick up the Axim I was continually accidentally activating this button, especially as I took it out of its cradle. Perhaps a better place would have been slightly lower down, rather than in the middle. What’s absent from the left hand side is a jog dial that the X30 had, but I never felt I missed this. Speaking of the cradle, the one included isn’t as large or as brash as the one included with the X30 range. Out goes the glowing blue Dell logo for a more understated affair with no backlight. This is probably to lower the overall cost but as it’s purely cosmetic it’s certainly not something to worry about. As with the old cradle there's a slot for recharging a spare battery.

The Li-On battery on the Axim is removable, and is located behind a cover that's held in place by a locking switch. I would have preferred it if this had clicked firmly into place rather than just being held by the lock, so care has to be taken if you ever swap out the battery, which has a rating of 1,100 Mah. Above the battery lock is the reset button, essential for those occasional lock-ups.

A very welcome sight at the top of the device are slots for both Compact Flash, and an SD slot for SDIO compatible devices. This is impressive considering that the X50 range is smaller than the dual-slot hp iPaq hx4700, and adds a wide range of expansion possibilities.

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