The Axim X30 is available in three configurations. The $199 basic model has a 312 MHz processor, 32 megs of RAM, and no wireless capabilities. The middle model sells for $249. It includes both bluetooth and WiFi (802.11b) wireless, a 312 MHz processor and 64 megs of RAM. The top model has Bluetooth, WiFi, a 624 MHz processor and 64 megs of RAM. Only the top model comes with a cradle. The other two models have USB connectors.

I reviewed the middle-of-the-road model and this is the model that I would recommend for most users. It has speed, expandability, and wireless connectivity at an excellent price.

The Axim X30 retains the boxy rectangular look of its X3 predecessor with solid silver casing and slightly rounded corners. The Axim is functional, but certainly not beautiful. Although the 16-bit color screen displays only 240 by 320 pixels, it is clear and readable. At 4.9 ounces, 3”x 4.6” x 0.6”, the Axim is lightweight and easy to carry in a purse or pocket. It comes with a small slide-in case that has an integrated belt clip. Unless you will wear it on your belt, you will probably put the case on the shelf since it adds considerable bulk and weight to the PDA.

The X30 has the usual four application buttons on the bottom for accessing appointments, address book, e-mail, and the home screen. The 5-way directional pad is a small oval touch pad which is easy to use for on-screen navigation. There is also a jog (scroll) dial on the side of the unit. Two buttons on either side of the application buttons turn the microphone and the wireless on and off. The headphone jack is located on the upper left side just above the jog wheel, while the speaker is located on the back. The wireless models have a small (0.2”) height, black translucent bump-out that flashes a blue light when Bluetooth is active and a green light when WiFi is active. All models have an SD slot for added memory and SDIO cards support.

The X30 comes with a user replaceable 950 mAh Lithium Ion battery. Battery life is adequate for most uses, but certainly not exceptional, if you will be using the wireless a lot or playing videos. You might want to invest in the extended battery which doubles the use time or carry a spare battery for backup power.

The new Windows Mobile 2003 Second Edition offers all the capabilities that we’ve come to expect in a Windows PDA including customizable buttons and four different input methods (an on-screen keyboard, transcriber to write in cursive, block or letter recognizers to use the graffiti or the jot input that you may have learned with other PDAs). The new operating system also has a few nice surprises. It now allows you to rotate the orientation of the PDA screen on the fly, using it in the portrait mode or landscape. You can also customize the size of the text. Additional customizable alarms and new Web page layout views are now available as well.

Besides the address book and calendar, the Axim includes Pocket Word and Pocket Excel which can open and modify Word and Excel files. It has Windows Media Player to play MP3 files and video in the Windows Media format. There is also an image viewer you can use to display slideshows of your pictures. Pocket Internet Explorer can be used for e-mail and Web browsing.

On thing that Dell includes actually improves The Windows Mobile operating system. They include a Switcher bar that puts a small icon on the top of the screen that can be used to switch between running applications. This bar can also be used to close applications. This is a blessing since Microsoft still did not change the fact that clicking on the red x in the corner of an application only minimizes an application instead of actually closing it as it does on a desktop computer.

My only gripe is a minor one. The button for the wireless turns on both the Bluetooth and WiFi at the same time. If you want only one of the wireless modes to be active you have to set that up in the software. It is difficult to switch between the two wireless modes without having both on at the same time which, of course, is a drain on the batteries. However, this minor glitch will only affect users who will alternate between the two wireless modes.

Although it won’t win any design prizes, the Axim X30 is a PDA that will be comfortable for most pocketbooks and will also fit comfortably into most lifestyles.

624 MHz Axim X30 Handheld with 1-Year Next Business Day Advanced Exchange Service

Manufacturer:  Dell

Price:  $249