Only three questions about Dell Axim

[alpax]

1. How does a text with ClearType look on Axim? I looked at several PocketPC's and found that my Jornada 568 has the best ClearType (I didn't see the latest iPAQs though - heard the new models have ClearType fixed). As I understand it depends on the screen matrix orientation and maybe on something else.
An ideal ClearType should make black text very smooth but without color shades at the letter edges.

2. Is the Axim's navigation pad 4-way or 5-way? Does it work as Action button (to close dialogs, select items in the list and so on)?

3. Do the buttons have a second programmable action? For example on the Jornada I can assign some program to start on "Hot Key 1" and another program on "Hot Key 1 (Hold)". So I have 12(!) actions assigned on the hard buttons (4 main buttons, Record and Notification, which turned out to be a button too). This is very helpful - I can do a lot by one hand without using a stylus. Of course I'd like to have the same (or at least similar) functionality with a new device.

[imported_Covert]

Originally posted by alpax
1. How does a text with ClearType look on Axim? I looked at several PocketPC's and found that my Jornada 568 has the best ClearType (I didn't see the latest iPAQs though - heard the new models have ClearType fixed). As I understand it depends on the screen matrix orientation and maybe on something else.
An ideal ClearType should make black text very smooth but without color shades at the letter edges.

2. Is the Axim's navigation pad 4-way or 5-way? Does it work as Action button (to close dialogs, select items in the list and so on)?

3. Do the buttons have a second programmable action? For example on the Jornada I can assign some program to start on "Hot Key 1" and another program on "Hot Key 1 (Hold)". So I have 12(!) actions assigned on the hard buttons (4 main buttons, Record and Notification, which turned out to be a button too). This is very helpful - I can do a lot by one hand without using a stylus. Of course I'd like to have the same (or at least similar) functionality with a new device.
1) Bad, I think. :(

2) The d-pad is 4-way - it doesn't have an action button response.

3) I'm not sure. ;)

[alpax]

Originally posted by Covert

1) Bad, I think. :(

2) The d-pad is 4-way - it doesn't have an action button response.

3) I'm not sure. ;)

Thanks for your answer, Covert. But... Do you already have Axim to have a look or you're just guessing based on the reviews?

1. I thought the manufacturers have already learned the lesson... :-\
Can you compare Axim's ClearType with Toshiba or Jornada? Good comparison results should be with a bold font sized about 12 points.

2. I read in some reviews it's 5-direction, but at the same time it's not the Action. Does the device register somehow a press into the center of d-pad? Maybe it's programmable in the Settings?

3. It can be checked easily in the Settings|Buttons dialog. Jornada 56x has both "Hot Key #" and "Hot Key # (Hold)" in the list (not for all buttons though). Toshiba e310 for example has only 5 programmable actions in that control panel for "Hot Key #" and "Record".

[Electroman]

1. I've read cleartype isn't so great.

2.) Dpad is 4-way but is 100% compatible with diagonal operations. So in a way some may arguably say its an "8-way". There is no push switch on it, thank God (IMO).

3.) Buttons have 1 function, and that is <Buttondown> launch.

[alpax]

Originally posted by Electroman
1. I've read cleartype isn't so great.
So, you don't use it?
IMHO text with ClearType is more readable. Maybe I've just become accustomed to it, but I cannot read books without ClearType now.
2.) Dpad is 4-way but is 100% compatible with diagonal operations. So in a way some may arguably say its an "8-way". There is no push switch on it, thank God (IMO).
Actually I also don't like the idea of 5-way d-pad, because sometimes you may have an unwanted Action instead of just cursor moving or vice versa. That's why I like a separate Action button on Jornada very much!
3.) Buttons have 1 function, and that is <Buttondown> launch.
That's a pity :(

Why HP killed Jornada?!? :mad:
If they just fixed the screen (made it transflective) and changed the processor to XScale, it could be the best PocketPC ever!
But they've chosen iPAQ :confused: