Hey Bruce
Welcome, I am also new to this site but not to PPC's, I have also found the Office Suits of WM 5 to be lacking in any actual function other than a quick note.
If you really want to use your Ax for word or excel you will then want to have a look at
www.softmaker.com they have Textmaker (Word) and Planmaker (Excel) versions that are just like your desktop version I use my Axim X51v with my Bluetooth keyboard to write up my clients wedding vows (Marriage Celebrant here in New Zealand) its awesome.
My X51v is my main Diary and Contacts, it is a lot better for this than my Apache (PPC-6700) which is now just my phone and back up diary.
Heres a quick list of apps that I think are just great, not free but well worth the $$...
SPB Mobile Shell
What Microsoft left out when they made WM 5, also any SPB Products can be a tab in MS. Excellent Now screen gives you information - Time, Weather (integrates either SPB Weather or MS Weather Tab info) and next appointment, also shows emails received.
SPB Dairy
Great today plug-in that shows appointments, tasks, messages, contacts & Notes very easy to use and has a very good option interface.
SPB Pocket Plus
Excellent program launcher, has a battery indicator at the top of the screen (can be turned off) and can actually close programs.
SPB Weather
Yeah speaks for it self but it is a great program as you can customise the settings.
Wisbar Advance 2
This is an excellent skinning software, all pictures above show Wisbar with Xcilion's Windows Vista Portable Edition (this also comes in qVGA have it on my Apache).
If you want to use you Ax on you PC then have a look at Pocket
Controller-Professional v5.07 that's how I got the pictures above.
Oh well thats my 10 cents (no longer have 2 cents or 5 cents in New Zealand lol)
Hope you enjoy you X51v, I sure am enjoying mine
Cheers
Jace
UPDATE: forgot to mention currently have 1 GB SD & 1 GB CF Cards, not much but does the job for now...