Dell Reduces Prices on Axim Line

Dell has dropped the prices for both its Axim X5 Pocket PC handhelds. The X5 Advance now has a list price of $325, a $25 reduction. The X5 Basic has been cut to $199, a $50 reduction. These aren't special prices; they are permanent price reductions.

However, Dell has rarely offered these models for their list prices. It is currently offering a 10% discount off the cost of both, dropping the Advance model to $293 and the Basic one to $179.

These handhelds are not available in stores. They can only be bought from the Dell website.

No explanation is available for these price reductions, though there are a couple of possibilities. The X5 line was released late last year, and the prices companies can charge for handhelds tend to drop over the product lifespan. It's also possible that the company is preparing for the release of new models. According to statements made by company executives, Dell is going to release at least two Pocket PCs this year. One will be a model with a color screen that will cost less than $150. The other will have both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth built in. It is not known when these will be announced, though it is unlikely to happen before the release of Pocket PC 2003, expected sometime this summer.

More About the Axim X5 Line

The Axim X5 Entry includes a 300 MHz XScale processor and 32 MB of memory. The Advanced one has a 400 MHz processor and 64 MB of memory. They run Pocket PC 2002.

Both models measure 5.0" tall, 3.2" wide and 0.7" thick, weigh 6.9 ounces, and come with a directional pad on the front and jog wheel on the side. The screens on both Axim X5 models are 3.5" transflective color screens capable of displaying 65,000 colors at 320 pixels by 240 pixels.

Both models have dual SD/MMC and CompactFlash slots. The Advanced one comes with a synchronization cradle, while the Entry model does not.

Related Links

• So Where Are the New Axims?