Questions about Axim X5

[SamTB]

Hi I am new to this forum and am glad to have found it. I just bought an Axim X5, I'll be recieving it in a few days. I have a few questions about it. This is the first PDA that I have owned. I have done some research on it and just wanted to get a few things clear.

There are 2 types of memory on it right? One is memory that it uses for running programs (Ram)? The other is for storing stuff like pics, music, movies etc which you can use SD card for? Can I ad additional Ram memory?

Can I have movies or whatever stored on separate SD cards and just plug those in when I want to watch a movie stored on the card?

Is there anything I can do to increase the performance of the Axim?

I mostly want to use it for entertainment. Movies, music, games, ebooks and other fun stuff. What programs do you recommend? Any other "must haves" I should get for it?

Thanks in advance for the help.
SamTB

[SamTB]

Anyone explain to me the difference between the Ram memory and other memory? Can I ad Ram memory that help programs run faster? Then a different type of memory to store pictures and game etc. Or is there only 1 type of memory that I can ad. Memory just for storing pics and games etc. But nothing to make programs run faster?

Can I have extra memory installed for different programs etc..that will always be in? Then memory for extra such as games pics movies etc?

Like I said this is my 1st PDA and I am not the most familiar with computers and how Ram etc works. I know the more the better. I have seen 30 some people have read but no response. I would really appreciate if someone could help me be clear on this.

Thanks in advance
SamTB

[KimChee]

The device pulls from the same pool and allocates between program and storage memory automatically, it is the same memory. I would get some sd and cf cards, to store programs on, the more system memory available the better. I've got a 1 gig sd card, and 4 gig cf card that I store movies, mp3s, games, game emulators, ebooks, etc on, and I have 40 megs free out of the 64 on my 400 mhz model. I also have a 300 mhz X5, and I have it set up the same way, and I only have 16 megs ram free. I like to run 4 or 5 apps at the same time and switch between them (ie aim, opera browser, media player, picture viewer, etc), and this just isn't possible with the 300.

I would familiarize myself with the folder setups, that is the best way to make sure you're not using system resources, by default some programs install into the progams folder, you can move those onto your storage card and put the shortcut into the windows/start menu/programs folder..

Some good programs, I use a lot of game emulators, mobipocket to read e-books, tcmcp to watch movies, total commander to manage files without connecting to a pc, opera browser, xcpu scalar/turbo tray to overclock..I think those are good beginning programs..

Hope this helps you out..

[SamTB]

Awesome thanks KimChee for the info!! It is alot of help!! Couple more questions if you dont mind. They might seem like dumb questions but like I said I dont know much about PDAs. I have read alot on them the past couple weeks but there are so many file types etc.. that it gets kinda cunfusing.

What is the reason for using 2 different types of memory cards?

Also could I for instance have a large say 4 gig CF card that I would leave in the machine all the time? Then store on it all of the programs and certain games or music that I would use alot? Then have some smaller memory cards with movies and games etc that I didnt use as much and just put those in when I wanted to use them? Kinda use them like a DVD or a game disc? Just insert the card when I want to watch a specific movie or play a certain game?

Your quote here may be the answer to my question. Is it? I could do this with games or movies like in my question?

by default some programs install into the progams folder, you can move those onto your storage card and put the shortcut into the windows/start menu/programs folder..

I have found some sites that you can DL scanned books in PDF format. I would have no problem viewing those right? With the standard installed software.

What is the file type that is best to watch movies on an Axim?

Again thanks very much for the help. After reading about how much and how many cool things you can do with a PDA. I am totally excited about getting my Axim and I want to be able to get the maximum out of it.


Thanks
SamTB

[KimChee]

I use two types of cards for a couple of reasons, that may or may not apply to your situation..

A few people may disagree, but from my experience, and most others I have read, the most memory you can use in the sd slot is 1 gig. I am currently using a 2 gig card, but only 1 gig is all the X5 will be able to use. I use my Axim to watch movies, play mp3s, gba, snes emulators so that can fill up pretty quickly, which is why I have the cf card. From what I understand the cf card has no memory limit, and a 4 gig card is pretty cheap, and I've basically got everything I want on there for now...

I wanted to be able to surf the net and do chat on my X5, I use a cf wifi card to connect to the net, and I put my 'core' programs, pictures, games, mp3s etc that I want to be able to use on my X5 all the time on my sd card. I put the things like movies that I want to use less often on the cf card. That way I can surf the net, and still have the programs I use the most still available to me.

My quote was just to help you keep stuff off your system memory, if you play around with it a bit you can free up more ram..

I'm not real sure about the pdf I have never used the default reader..I use mobipocket, the desktop version can convert the pdf to a file the mobipocket reader understands and send it to the axim. There's probably better readers out there but mobipocket is good and its free.

WMP is kind of picky about file types, I use TCMCP player, I take the movie file and use windows movie maker to shrink the movie down, and put it in a ppc friendly output. I've got 4 movies right now at about 1 gig total.

I like my Axim X5 it does everything I want it to, my only real complaint is the size.

[ramjr46]

Hi, I am new to this site and have a lot of questions, but I also just purchased a new Axim X5 and trying to learn how to use it this is my first Pocket Pc and I am having a problem connecting to the internet and to my e-mail at hot mail.com.
I had talked to dell support for some issues about my internet and email connections but them told me that I had to contact my internet provider, can any one point me in the right direction.

Thank ramjr46 needing help:

[CatchClaw]

Look for a program called MemMaid - when you surf the net, etc., it creates temp files in main memory. Then you go to use gps or somethign and end up with memory issues. Running memmaid with free it up and you're good to go.

I also put all my programs on my sd card - currently a 256mb although I bought a 2gig one not realizing i'd only be able to use 1 gig til this moment. Oh well....

256mb has been enough generally for the programs. I also put large files on the sd card that I might want have always such as manuals, etc. Movies, mp3's, etc., go on compact flash cards that I pop in when I want them.

Divx, btw, has a converter that can take avi files and crunch them down to mobile device format that is way worth obtaining. then you can watch the video with tcmp.

Mobipocket reader rules! And now you don't even have to buy the pro any more to get the scrolling features. It is a way better reader than Microsoft.

I like easysync for syncing files. I put a folder on my desktop and any files I want to sync like grocery lists, prescription lists, video lists, etc., get put in there.

I use Navteq for gps software in the USA and I love it! I am sad that I chose to go with a bluetooth cf card/bluetooth holux receiver setup, tho, as the bluetooth connections can be quirky. I think I'd recommend trying a compact flash receiver and having only the one thing to deal with. I love gps! No more lost all the time when I travel! FM transmitter lets me get the directions over the radio.

Now if I can figure out how to get audible to work on it......