If you're going to shell out $400 or more for a handheld that isn't also a phone or a camera, you expect more than a plain-vanilla personal digital assistant. Both PalmOne's Tungsten T5 and Dell's Axim X50v deliver that something extra--but in different ways.
The $399 Tungsten T5's biggest selling point: 256MB of memory, almost four times as much as its predecessor, the Tungsten T3, and the most we've seen on a PDA to date. Sure, you can always add storage via the T5's SD slot, but you might need it for something else--for example, a promised optional SD Wi-Fi card.
What's more, this memory is all nonvolatile--if the T5 loses its charge, you won't lose any of your data. And 160MB of it is an internal flash drive: Plug it into any computer with plug-and-play support for a USB thumb drive, and you can access your stored files. (The T5's desktop software also supports Hot Sync-less file transfers for the internal drive, but you can only add apps using Hot Sync.)
The T5 forsakes the collapsible chassis that distinguished its predecessors without sacrificing the T3's handsome, oversize (320-by-480) display. This makes the T5 taller but not dramatically so (4.8 inches vs. 4.3 inches for the collapsed T3), because PalmOne has downsized the case surrounding the screen.
Powered by Intel's 416-MHz Bulverde XScale CPU, the T5 is a snappy performer. But battery life in my preproduction unit was adequate for only a day or so of intensive use--even without going online. I wish Palm would jump on the bandwagon with a removable rechargeable battery, not to mention Wi-Fi instead of Bluetooth for wireless Internet access-something that's become increasingly essential for business use.
Also, this is the first Tungsten that doesn't ship with a cradle; instead, you get a USB cable with a Hot Sync button. Still, the T5 should appeal to users who'd like to use their PDA for storing lots of files--but others might take a fresh look at the T3, which now goes for $50 less.
Better Graphics in Your Hand
If multimedia matters to you-especially video and games--consider Dell's Axim X50v Pocket PC: Not only does it pack Intel's most powerful CPU for handhelds, the 624-MHz Bulverde, it's one of the first mainstream PDAs with a dedicated graphics processor (the Intel 2700 with 16MB of graphics memory). The X50v is also the first PDA to include version 10 of Windows Media Player Mobile, which enables playback of content from subscription services that support Microsoft's Windows Media Digital Rights Management 10 technology.
The X50v has 64MB of RAM and 128MB of flash ROM; you can add more via the SD Card or CompactFlash slots. Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are both built in. Battery life varies widely depending on whether you are using the power-draining multimedia and wireless features, but if you do, you can always carry a spare battery since the X50v's are removable as well as rechargeable. In addition, the USB charging cradle has a slot for an optional standard ($50) or double-strength ($89) spare battery.
Dell is also catching up with the competition in terms of the Axim's industrial design: About the same size as the T5 but slightly heavier (6.2 ounces vs. 5.1 ounces), the black-and-silver X50v is sharp-looking in the style of Hewlett-Packard's smaller IPaqs.
I tried a racing game on a shipping X50v and was impressed by the smooth performance on the 3.7-inch 640-by-480 (full VGA) screen--but the handheld does get warm, and the Pocket PC isn't going to replace anybody's GameBoy. The X50v does deliver the best available Pocket PC performance, expansion, and connectivity in a sleek, $499 package--reinforcing once again Dell's reputation for offering the most PDA bang for the buck. (Dell also offers two less expensive X50 models with less memory, a 320-by-240 screen, and slower Bulverde CPUs.)
Overall, the Dell is an impressive update that should delight any power Pocket PC user; the Tungsten T5 is a more evolutionary upgrade that will appeal primarily to those who want a Palm-based business handheld that can double as a portable storage device--and who don't insist on out-of-the-box Wi-Fi.
Yardena Arar
Multimedia/power user's dream Pocket PC features dedicated graphics chip, plus great connectivity at a fair price.
List: $499
Current prices (if available)
Big internal flash drive a great plus, but so-so battery life and no Wi-Fi disappoint.
List: $399
Current prices (if available)
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