New X51v User: 1st Impressions...

[mbloof]

Greetings all,

My new x51v was waiting for me when I got home last night. It was already flashed with A06, so little else to do then: hotsync and install applications.

Damn, this thing is a bit smaller than my E125, has more memory, more screen, more features and Faster CPU. The x51v weighs about the same (or seems like more) then my E125.

Issue #1: Active/Hotsync

My desktop PC has been used for hotsyncing with my E125, which along with my Palm are my contact/schedule archives. (lots of phone #'s and birthdays) I had already installed HS 4.1 a few days in prep for the x51v's arrival.

Nether via HS4.1 or HS4.0 would my desktop XP attach to my x51v via USB. After many many many attempts, I finally de-installed HS4.1 and went through the HS4.0 install off the DELL CD. Still NOTHING - Nada.

I finally got a silly idea: why not setup HS with the x51v via BLUETOOTH? After installing a USB BT radio I had laying about, I enabled a INCOMING Com Port on the desktop and pointed HS on the desktop at it. After turning on BT on the x51v, I scanned and found my desktop and the "hotsync" service available. Once I had the "passwords" setup, my handheld was creating a relationship (oh heavens!) with my desktop. However I was STILL NOT ABLE TO HOTSYNC. I had to go set "sync all desktops with this connection" to NO. (the only connection option was USB) and force the "sync using BT" and it worked.

Now if I'm carefull as to which handhelds are attached to my desktop, I can sync with both of them!! (can't be attached at the same time)


Issue #2: Outlook

Funny thing is, hotsync claimed that my OUTLOOK installation was INVALID, (strange, I've been using it for years with my: Phone, Palm and E125!) so before continuing, I had to install the version of OUTLOOK on the CD.

Thankfully, it kept all my appointments and contacts and finally was able to load up my handheld with data.

Issue #3: Dell's Application CD

Here I'm just frustrated. Which of these "applications" are real and which are "trial offers" ?? Some of them are clearly marked, others not so clearly. I pretty much had to install them all, run them and look at the "about" screen before deciding if they were worth taking up valuable memory space. I wish DELL would sort these programs for me, one directory/menu for applications that are paid for and come with the Axim, another directory/menu for programs which cost extra money.

Issue #4: Pocket Streets

Here we go again. I have S&T 2002/2003 and have been syncing maps with my E125 for years. As it ends up, I have both '02 and '03 versions in a .EXE files that refused to install on my x51v as the install program "can't find installed desktop application". Grrrr. Maybe I'll just get S&T-05, its pretty cheap at costco.

Issue #5: Wifi

I had to use a dorky CF Wifi radio with my E125, so I was looking forward to trying out the radio on the x51v. I have two access points available to me at home, 1 is a open 802.11b network and the other is closed WPA-Personal. Shortly after turning on the radio I found myself attached to the open access point. COOL.

The DELL client works well for seeing what access points are available. The closed network required the Odyssey client setup. After futzing with wireless keys for a bit and still not connecting, I scanned the log of the open access point for the x51v's MAC address and added it to the closed access point (has MAC filtering turned on), a quick reboot of both and I found myself attached to my home LAN via my closed/encrypted access point. COOL.

All the box'es on my LAN use "windows networking" so I was a bit suprised when I couldent find a "network neighborhood" or some such equivlent on the WM5 x51v. Pulling files directly off my servers (and/or hotsyncing via 11b) would be the best solution, but I've not had time or been able to get that going.

I guess I should of expected that the 11b and BT range on the x51v pretty much sucks. The BT has to be almost directly ontop of my desktop radio and the 11b radio has 1/4 of the range of my old "dorky" Dlink CF card.


I spent some time this AM moving files/programs around on the START menu to get things cleaned up and looking nice. All the games are in the GAMES directory now as well as the "pocket" MS applications are in MS-APP, PDAish programs are in "PDA". While WM5 complained while I was moving programs around AND my quick buttons quit working, poking the RESET BUTTON on the bottom of the unit allowed WM5 to find all the programs again and the keys work again.


I can see where I'll be spending hours over the next few weeks, finding, installing and configuring programs for my x51v. So far it has "just worked".